Local Father Says Controversial Treatments For Autism Work

Williamsville, NY (WKBW) -- How far would you go to find a cure for your child's illness? A local family will travel to Panama this year for a controversial treatment that they swear has changed their 10 year old's life.
Daniel Faiella has been unfailingly dedicated to treating his son's autism. But some of his tactics have resulted in alienation from autistic support groups and even death threats.
Today, Matthew Faiella is an energetic 10 year old boy. "When I was younger, I played with toys. I watched video games, I go on the computer." But years ago, Matthew couldn't have told you that.
Matthew was diagnosed with autism at 18 months.His doctors thought he would eventually end up in an institution. Today, Matthew dreams of being a pediatrician.
The Faiellas tried traditional methods including the gold standard, ABA, or applied behavior analysis therapy for treating autism. "It didn't really work for Matthew. It gave him two word sentences but that's where it stopped." his father Daniel tells us.
About 5 years ago, Daniel heard about a treatment involving a hyperbaric chamber. "The pressure pushes oxygen to blood plasma where oxygen doesn't usually go." After trying it in a local doctor's office, he bought his own. "Within the first week he started to say full sentences."
Three years ago, Daniel met a family who suggested stem cell transplants. "I said well, I'm against that. It's against my religous beliefs. She said no, it's adult stem cells and the Catholic church actually approves of it."
Matthew will complete his 5th stem cell treatment in Panama in 2011. Even his pediatricians admit that Matthew has made tremendous strides, but Daniel is hoping for a complete cure. "I won't be around forever to protect him. So I want him to be on a level that people wouldn't even know he had a disability."
These treatments aren't cheap. A hyperbaric chamber starts at 17-thousand dollars. Each stem cell treatment costs about the same. The FDA has not approved either treatment for autism, and there are many vocal critics. "We had a lot of hate mail. I took the email off my blog because people were not understanding what we were doing." Daniel says. Still, Daniel is pressing forward as an advocate for clinic trials and further research on both treatments here in the United States.
Matthew's pediatrician, Dr. Joseph Whitman of Wheatfield Pediatrics, says there is not enough data to support a connection between the hyperbaric chamber and Matthew's progress.
If it is misused, a hyperbaric chamber can be dangerous.
Even though he is supportive of their efforts, Dr. Whitman does not recommend stem cell treatments because he feels that they has no benefit. Dr. Whitman believes that strong development programs have led to Matthew's progress, and says he has seen similar improvement in other autistic children going through ABA.
Daniel has a blog about Matthew's progress. There is a link to that on our website. Click on newslinks for more information.treatments