Autism

Autism Treatment with MeRT = Renewed Hope for a Better Future

Magnetic Resonance Therapy is a non-invasive, drug-free treatment that uses sophisticated diagnostics to develop a highly tailored treatment plan.

Treatment involves the use of magnetic waves to gently stimulate precisely targeted areas of the brain. This can result in significant improvement in mood, communication, ability to learn, and much more.

“It’s the best decision I’ve ever made in my life for my son.”

Adriana said she saw it coming. Her 3-year-old son, Mikey, was diagnosed with Stage 2 Autism. Even so, it was hard to face. “You feel like the world’s on your shoulders, like you’re the only person out there,” she said. Adriana and her husband began searching for schools and programs to help Mikey. Then COVID hit, and everything shut down. But they couldn’t stop searching—Mikey’s future was at stake. Then Adriana discovered the Brain Treatment Center and started Mikey on MeRT treatment. She noticed the changes almost immediately. “His progress has been amazing,” she said. “I can’t express how much better he’s been doing. He’s like a different child.” Now, Mikey can hear a noise and not be startled. He can go to the mall or the park with his mom and have a good time. He sleeps through the night—a big deal for his parents, who work during the day. “The brain scan says it all,” said Adriana. “You can see amazing progress from his first, to his second, to his third EEG. I can’t wait to see his most recent.” Due to her experience, Adriana has a message for all parents: “Don’t be discouraged by anybody telling you that there’s nothing you can do for your child. There’s a lot more you can do. It’s the best decision I’ve ever made in my life for my son.” We are proud to offer MeRT, or Magnetic e-Resonance Therapy, to treat autism spectrum disorder.  

The MeRT^sm Approach: Individualized Treatment for Autism

There are often times when a parent can get a glimpse of the potential in their child — if only they could unlock that potential. That’s why we’re so enthusiastic about MeRT as a treatment that is showing some incredible success with children with autism — it truly helps unlock that hidden potential. MeRT combines three procedures: 1. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS, an FDA-cleared therapy), 2. Quantitative Electroencephalogram (qEEG), and 3. Electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG). Here’s how it works: In the brain of a child with autism, an EEG will show electrical signals that differ from those of a child with no signs of ASD. From this EEG, we can then see the specific areas to address. As a result, we can customize TMS treatment for each child based on the results of their EEG. We also tailor that treatment in frequency, location, and power used. We do this with gentle magnetic waves which balance and stimulate brain function. The equipment used for MeRT is FDA-cleared. MeRT is FDA-cleared for the treatment of certain types of depression, but is currently being used “off-label” for autism. And studies have shown that it can be instrumental in helping many children develop skills to function more normally. Additionally, MeRT is compatible with any other type of therapy, such as ABA, and can even accelerate results from those therapies. MeRT is completely non-invasive, drug-free, and easily tolerated.

Call Us Today. We are Here to Help.

Call us: Our New Patient Coordinator will take the time to answer your questions, listen to your concerns, and explain our procedures.

Call us: 407-606-6525

Or fill in the form below and she will contact you.

Autism Spectrum Disorder Is Different for Every Child

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects everyone differently. Each child is unique and experiences different levels of severity. Even if a child is on a similar “level” to another, they can still have individual symptoms, ways of dealing with the outside world, and communication methods. The CDC estimates that autism affects one in 54 children. Additionally, ASD is four times more common in boys than girls. And ASD occurs across all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. Although autism can be diagnosed at any age, symptoms generally appear in the first two years of life. Most children will show signs in the first year, yet some may develop normally and then regress between 18 and 24 months old. This regression can cause them to lose skills they’ve already learned and stop acquiring new skills.

We had exhausted every available treatment hoping to help our daughter. Nothing worked—then we found Brain Treatment Center. MeRT changed everything for us.” – parent of a child with autism

“We’ve seen some promising results in autism.”

EEGs (electrical pictures of the brain) can tell us when there are abnormalities in neural networks. … And we run that data through a normative database, and we can see, for example, if somebody has an area in the left prefrontal cortex that’s cycling at two Hertz — which means that they may be only processing information two times per second — whereas the rest of their brain may be cycling 11 times per second. …

[MeRT] was engineered to be a brain optimization technology where we’re trying to increase the coherence, [so] different areas of the brain can communicate with each other and improve the metabolic efficiency of the brain.

With that in mind, we do see some improvements across a number of different dimensions. We’ve seen some improvements and some promising results in autism.”

– Dr. Erik Won, President of Wave Neuroscience, from his appearance on the Broken Brain podcast    

Benefits* from Treating Autism with MeRT

According to patients (or their parents), MeRT treatment can be life-changing.* Following are just some of the benefits that can occur:

• Better sleep
• Increased sleep duration
• More relaxed, less anxiety
• Increased attention span
• More independence
• Better concentration and focus
• Improved interaction with others
• Increased emotional stability
• Better response to commands
• Mood improvement
• Increased motivation to learn
• Improved ability to cope with stress
• Reduction of stress symptoms
• Increased motivation to learn
• Improved self-confidence and self-esteem
• More “presence” in the world going on around them
• Increased ability to adapt to change
• Improved language skills

* Results are based on active and strict observation of our regimens. Results may vary based on the individual user and are not guaranteed.  

Hear from Max’s Dad…

Hear it from a Mother…

Life was completely miserable. “Raquel suffered from extremely high anxiety. We couldn’t go to a mall or a restaurant or the movies. We couldn’t even drive with her in the car without the panic attacks and the screaming. My daughter lived in her own little world, and we weren’t a part of it.”

On the first day of therapy I thought my daughter wouldn’t cooperate. To my surprise she seemed to enjoy the procedure. Obviously at the end of the day I saw no changes in her behavior, but I did not expect to see results so fast. The story takes a really unexpected turn for all of us at the end of the second day of therapy.

We went back to the house of some relatives, where we were spending the night, and Raquel approached me, with a glass between her little hands asking me to give her some “Juice”. There are no words that can express the emotions that I felt at that moment. All the people who know me ask me if I shed tears of joy in that moment. It was the first time I could say that I had heard the voice of my 4 year old daughter. Incredibly this was not all. A few minutes later my daughter went out to the garden of the house, approached a lemon tree, took one and brought it to her face to smell it. For a little girl who practically lived in the corner of the room, interacting with her shadow, this was a revelation, to the point that a few moments later, when her sister took the lemon from her hands, Raquel demanded loudly “My, Lemon?” Only two days of therapy had passed and we suddenly had what seemed, for the first time in her short life, a normal child.

At the end of the second week of treatment, we arrived at the Clinic excited and very eager to share with the medical staff the great advances that we had seen after the second therapy. The Director of Center approached me and asked me to accompany him to the game room where Raquel was. I will never forget that moment. He said, “Look at your daughter.” Raquel was there, sitting by a window. She was pointing to the passing cars and asking out loud: “Blue Car?”, “Green Car?”, also an airplane “Blue Plane with White?”

Most incredible of all was that not only had she improved her ability to communicate, but her emotional projection also took a 180-degree turn. My daughter now asked me to pick her up and carry her in my arms. She hugged me for the first time voluntarily and repeatedly for more than 15 minutes. Aside from improving in language, she also improved her emotional connection. They were the most beautiful 15 minutes of my life. My daughter recognized me and expressed it openly and freely for the first time.“

How to Find Out More About Autism Treatment with MeRT

MeRT is a relatively new treatment, so you may have many questions as to whether it’s right for your child. We understand, and we’re here to make it as easy as possible for you to get the information you need. We also know that this is not a light decision to make. Your first step is as simple as a phone consultation with our New Patient Coordinator. During this call, you can discuss symptoms and history, ask all the questions you want, and have her explain the treatment in full. She can also explain all fees and protocols.

Call us: Our New Patient Coordinator will take the time to answer your questions, listen to your concerns, and explain our procedures.

Call us: 407-606-6525

Or fill in the form below and she will contact you.

MeRT Treatment for Autism: What to Expect

Once you decide to take the next step, we then set up two separate appointments. Each of these appointments will last 45 minutes to an hour. After this, we have an assessment period where the actual procedure and monitoring take place.

EEG Testing

On your child’s first appointment, we perform the qEEG and ECG/EKG. These easy, painless tests are performed right in our office. For the EEG, we place a cap on your child’s head to measure the electrical activity in their brain. By doing this, we can map out any areas which are not performing as they should. Additionally, in the EKG, we attach electrodes to the chest to record the heart’s electrical signals. Both of these tests are simple, gentle, and performed with the utmost care. Once we complete the testing, our team will carefully analyze the test results. Then, based on this analysis, we develop a treatment plan customized to your child’s specific condition and schedule their assessment period of treatment.

Consultation

Your second appointment, after your qEEG/EKG, is a one-on-one consultation. You and your child can do this either in person or virtually from the comfort of your home. We will discuss your test results and treatment protocols, answer any questions you may have, and let you know more about what to expect during your child’s assessment period of treatment.

Assessment Period

The next step is the Assessment Period, where we will perform a short period of treatment, followed by a new EEG to see how the patient is responding to the treatment. We determine progress based on the new EEG results compared to the initial one done and symptom improvements. If there is a positive response to treatment during the assessment period, you will have likely noticed some improvements starting to take place. At that point, we will schedule additional MeRT treatment in two-week intervals. At the end of every two weeks, we will perform a qEEG/EKG to monitor your child’s progress; you will have a consultation to confirm that changes are still showing on the testing. Most conditions treated with MeRT provide noticeable and long-lasting results after four to eight weeks of treatment; however, each patient is different, and results may vary. It is important to note that, throughout the procedure, we take the utmost care to give your child a wonderful experience. We know, particularly when it comes to autism, that a calm, caring environment is vitally important. And we do everything we can to provide that environment so that your experience is both pleasant and productive.

Founder and Medical Director

Gilbert Mbeo, MD is a triple board-certified physician who specializes in Neurology, NeuroIntensive Care, and Interventional Pain Management, with over 13 years of experience providing evidence-based, high-quality care to patients with acute neurological needs including acute stroke, neuromuscular respiratory failure, status epilepticus, and brain and spinal cord trauma.

Dr. Mbeo is a Neurointensivist, meaning that not only does he have an in-depth understanding of neurology and neurological conditions, but his expertise is in the care of critically ill neurologic patients with acute brain, spine, and neuromuscular disorders. This specialty is also referred to as neurologic intensive care, critical care neurology, and neurocritical care. After learning about the brain healing effects of neuromodulation Dr. Mbeo established the Brain Treatment Center Orlando in order to use interventions like cognitive rehabilitation, Magnetic Resonance Therapy (MeRT), and transcranial magnetic stimulation as non-invasive treatment options for an array of neurological conditions.

In the third week, something happened. The family was driving around sight-seeing when they realized that they were getting lost in the California desert. Mary and Frank began to argue, and right in the midst of it, the moment they had waited six years for finally came. “I remember he said a seven-word sentence basically to the effect of ‘I want you two to stop fighting.’ And it shocked me so much that I almost stopped breathing,” Frank recounts. “I looked at my wife and said ‘Do you realize what just happened? He just said a seven-word sentence.’ I had tears in my eyes, and I was happy at the same time. He was so upset that it pushed these words through.” From there, Frankie’s progress snowballed. They returned home after only a month, but the difference between the child who arrived in California and the one who left was striking. They had taken a video of Frankie on the plane when they started the journey, “and he’s just making baby babble,” Frank says. “We have another video of him on the plane coming back. And he looks out the window and says, ‘Goodbye California, see you soon.’ This was a nonverbal kid, 30 days later. And his feet are flat on the ground.” Doctors said Frankie would continue to improve even without regular MeRTalbeit a bit slower. Today, he is 11 years old, verbal, and attends a public school. He tells Frank stories about times when he wanted to speak but couldn’t. “He goes ‘You know, I’m so glad we went to the brain treatment because now I can talk,’” says Frank.

Contact Our New Patient Coordinator for More Information

Our New Patient Coordinator is available to answer any questions that you may have about how MeRT can help you or your child. During your free, no-obligation consultation, she’ll take the time to listen to your concerns, answer your questions, explain costs, and put your mind at ease. She can also assist you in getting scheduled should you decide to move forward with treatment. We understand what your child — and you — may be going through. To that end, our goal is to help guide you through the process with quality care in a warm and compassionate environment. In fact, many MeRT clinicians and technicians have gone through treatment themselves. As a result, they know first-hand what this treatment can do. That’s why they’re passionate about helping others to heal.

We are Here to Help.

Our New Patient Coordinator will take the time to answer your questions, listen to your concerns, and explain our procedures.

Call us: 407-606-6525

Or fill in the form below and she will contact you.

Common Autism Signs and Symptoms

• Doesn’t appear to understand or hear when being spoken to
• Seems disconnected from the outside world
• Has no verbal skills
• Can’t read body language or recognize changes in tone of voice
• Doesn’t make eye contact
• Has a blank facial expression
• Appears to lack emotions and compassion
• Uses monotone or robotic speech patterns
• Can’t understand simple questions or instructions
• Responds inappropriately in social settings
• Is disruptive, loud, or hyper-reactive
• Can be obsessive about routines
• Has an abnormal fixation on objects
• Moves stiffly
• Rocks back and forth or performs other repetitive movements
• Exhibits self-harming behaviors such as hitting, biting, or head banging
• Has a heightened sensitivity to light and sound
• Can be highly intelligent, but has an inability to make human connections or feel empathy

Children on the mild end of the autism spectrum have a better chance of becoming more engaged in relationships with others. They also have fewer behavioral disturbances. Asperger’s Syndrome, for example, falls at the mild end of the spectrum. Those on the moderate to severe end of the spectrum will have problems with communication and social skills. The teenage years can also bring increased issues stemming from behavior and hormonal changes during this time. But there is hope.