1) Contact Information

Matthew Baral, ND
c/o Southwest Naturopathic Medical Center
8010 E. McDowell Rd. Ste. 111
Scottsdale, AZ 85257
Daytime/Mobile number: 602-448-9499
Fax: 480-970-0003
Email: m.baral@scnm.edu
2) The abstract is being submitted for: Oral Presentation, 90 minutes (During Pediatric Track if there
is one)
3) Presentation title: “The Root Causes of Autism and How to Treat Them”
4) Short description of presentation:
This presentation will cover basic and advanced Naturopathic therapies for Autism, the latest research,
and trends in Autism treatment. The intention is to provide take-home information to the audience that
they can use as soon as they are back in the office.
5) Abstract:
Objectives:
• Understand what is currently known about the basic pathology of autism.
• Understand some causes of this pathology.
• Learn how to treat the most crucial biochemical abnormalities in autism.
• Review the latest research in autism.
Autism currently affects 1 out of 150 children. There have been many theories as to why we have seen
such a massive surge in the numbers of children affected, from improvement in diagnostic technique to
environmental causes and vaccines. The most prevalent issues seem to be oxidative stress,
immunological dysregulation, heavy metal exposure, and aberrant methylation. From a naturopathic
perspective, it is easy to predict that all four of these categories are interrelated. In many cases it is
difficult to know whether something is a cause of, or effect from, another issue. Oxidation can be both a
cause and result of many problems in autism physiology. Mitochondrial defects, poor diet, and
environmental toxins can all contribute to increased oxidative stress. The immune system in autistic
children commonly shows a picture very similar, if not identical to, autoimmune disease. There is no
doubt that heavy metal exposure can affect a developing brain, whether it is in utero or post delivery.
Sources may include our air, food and water supply as well as past and current mercury and aluminum
exposure from vaccines. Methylation is a very well researched subject in the area of autism. It can be
affected by many factors such as lack of essential nutrients, heavy metal exposure, and other toxins.
Impaired methylation can subsequently affect our detoxification abilities as well as neurotransmitter
production. Many treatments have proven their effectiveness in the clinical setting by addressing these
four areas. Vitamin and mineral therapy, dietary changes, and Hyperbaric Oxygen therapy have worked
wonders for autistic patients. These treatments specifically target oxidative stress and the methylation
cycle. Chelation and other nutritional treatments have improved patients’ metal status and therefore
improved behavioral outcome.

Pharmacy discussion will occur during this presentation. The target audience includes anyone who is
interested in treating or caring for children on the autism spectrum. It will be primarily from a scientific
and naturopathic perspective, and will be relevant to physicians, researchers, scientists, students, and the
general audience.

6) Biographical sketch:
Dr. Baral received his Naturopathic medical degree from Bastyr University in 2000. He is Chair of the
Department of Pediatric Medicine at the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine (SCNM), where he
teaches Pediatrics in the classroom and supervises student clinicians on clinical rotations. Dr. Baral also
designed the first and only Naturopathic Pediatric Fellowship program in naturopathic medicine and
serves as its Director. He is a certified Defeat Autism Now practitioner, and has two private practices in
the phoenix area: a general pediatric practice at SCNM, and the other specializing in autism. Dr. Baral
also serves as the Medical Director of the Hamilton Elementary School Clinic, a free pediatric clinic
supported by SCNM which provides naturopathic pediatric medicine to one of the poorest school districts
in Phoenix. Dr. Baral served as a co-author and the Naturopathic representative in Integrative Medicine
for Children, the first textbook on Pediatric Integrative medicine.