With the Wind with Dr. Paul — Show 214: Pediatric Perspectives: Game Changer Tests for Kids with Autism with Lindsey Wells, N.D.

Which tests give families the most useful answers about autism, and where can parents start when full testing is out of reach?

In this episode of Pediatric Perspectives, I'm joined again by Lindsey Wells, N.D., a naturopathic physician in Connecticut who works with children on the autism spectrum and with PANS/PANDAS. She is also the author of Super Sam and the Battle Against PANS/PANDAS. I wanted parents to hear where autism testing and treatment can start, including for families who can't afford to do everything at once.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why autism awareness and autism acceptance are not the same thing
• Simple changes at home: water, food, fragrances, and screens
• The areas Dr. Wells looks at in a full workup
• Lower-cost places to start when full testing isn't possible
• The three tests she named when I asked about game changers
• What to look at when a child seems stuck, and why there is hope at any age

Awareness Versus Acceptance

April has been named Autism Acceptance Month. It used to be Autism Awareness Month. We accept all our children, and we love them. But when the water in Flint, Michigan was contaminated, we didn't celebrate the harm done to those kids. Awareness, yes. But acceptance of something that may be preventable or avoidable? I don't need to accept that.

Dr. Wells has worked with hundreds of families affected by autism. In her view, autism is a physiological manifestation of something going on underneath. When the root causes are addressed, she has seen real gains in a child's overall health, communication, social interaction, and family life. She works with children on the more severe end of the spectrum, and she was clear: these kids are in there.

Where Parents Can Start

Dr. Wells starts with things she believes families can do at home. She suggested considering a water filter for toxins such as fluoride and chlorine, cleaning up the diet by perhaps removing dyes, focusing on protein, and decreasing sugar, and taking a closer look at candles, home fragrances, and laundry detergent. She also shared an unpopular opinion: electronics and EMFs play a role. When parents reduce or eliminate screens, she has seen children try to communicate more, sleep better, and have fewer tantrums, stimming, and tics.

That took me back to the DAN! (Defeat Autism Now) conferences I attended in the early 2000s. A thousand parents would be in the room, and the emphasis was the same: clean up the water, the food, and what's in the house. We weren't aware of EMF back then. Those changes seemed extreme to me at first, but I witnessed what they could do.

Autism Testing That Changes the Plan

For a full workup, Dr. Wells looks at four or five categories: the gut microbiome; the mitochondria, where she notes an estimated 60 to 80% of children with autism have dysfunction; the immune system and underlying infections; and metabolic and detox pathways. She believes every child diagnosed with autism needs screening for vector-borne disease, including Lyme. If you're a parent reading this, you're probably getting the idea that this is a process. It's not a quick fix. And in my 35 years in pediatrics, many of my families were already broke. Full testing runs in the thousands. Dr. Wells offered lower-cost ways in. Regular blood work through insurance can look for infections, nutrient deficiencies, and some genetics that affect detox. Then the basics: make sure the child has a bowel movement every day. She sees constipation tied to more self-injury, stimming, tantrums, and trouble falling asleep. Exercise supports the mitochondria, and it's free. She suggested getting a child outside first thing in the morning, if possible, to help with sleep cycles. Sleep is when the brain's glymphatic system does its detox work.

When I asked which tests have been game changers, she named three. The first is the organic acid test, which looks at about 87 metabolites, including yeast, Clostridia, and mitochondrial, neurotransmitter, and nutritional markers. She called it "the biggest bang for your buck" and tries to get a baseline on any child with a neurodevelopmental disorder who comes into her office. The second is screening for Lyme, Babesia, and Bartonella. The third is folate receptor autoantibodies for cerebral folate deficiency. Because those antibodies fluctuate, she often uses high-dose folinic acid as a therapeutic trial even without the test, and she called that therapy a potential game changer. I did therapeutic trials a lot in my practice, and sometimes the result was miraculous. Not everything works for every child. The gluten-free, dairy-free diet often didn't help, but I had a few cases where a nonverbal, severely autistic child came in talking in full sentences.

When a Family Feels Stuck

For families who feel they've tried everything, Dr. Wells looks deeper for hidden infections and mold exposure. She has also had success with helminth therapy (HDCs) to support the microbiome. I was very excited about that therapy and even tried to set up a farm, but I didn't have the bandwidth. I asked her what share of the most severely affected children can become independent with the proper care. She estimated at least 25%, and said she sees that increasing with spelling to communicate, which has helped some of her patients communicate and show their abilities. Some of her severely autistic adults are now getting college degrees. The movie Spellers is about that movement, and I know some of the kids in it. Parents, treat your child as if they understand and know everything. They just can't communicate.

On causes, she sees many factors at once: environmental toxins, food, water, vaccines in children who are already vulnerable, infections, and EMFs. Her advice to parents was to trust themselves and work with someone who listens. There's no magic cutoff at age six, after puberty, or in adulthood. She also runs the Well-Minded Mommas Club, a monthly group for mothers of children with complex medical conditions. She explained that when moms are regulated and feeling their best, their kids get better at the same time, even without new interventions.

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