My son, Austin, who is 7, suffers from chronic asthma. He saw two Allergists who said he wasn’t allergic to anything. However, we did get a laboratory test, the peptide urine test for gluten and dairy, and found out that Austin was highly reactive to dairy. We tried to avoid dairy, but his asthma was getting worse. He was on a round of Orapred in November 2006 and in January 2007. By the time I brought him to The Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine, he was on adult dose Advair 250/100, 3 to 4 Albuterol Nebulations per day, Zyrtec, and Singular. He wheezed constantly and had to be at the nurse’s station to receive Neb (nebulization) treatments every day.

The doctor at The Center put my son on a comprehensive program of herbs, supplements, and Glutathione Nebulizations. Within 48 hours, my son was wheeze free. He has been able to decrease the program supplements over time. When he was acute, he took two Glutathione Nebs per day, now he only needs one. He needs one Albuterol Neb some days. He is outside constantly during the peak of pollen season in South Carolina and his asthma hasn’t flared at all.My husband, who has seasonal asthma, went to his primary care doctor last week. His doctor told him he needed to get on a course of Prednisone. Instead, he took the above-mentioned herbs and within 24 hours he had stopped wheezing, coughing, and was breathing great.

After my son Haddon was born, I never felt like we had come home with your average newborn baby. Haddon had a piercing scream, terrible problems digesting his formula, and bloody stools on multiple occasions. Fortunately, I had previously benefited from the experience of having a happy baby, my daughter Liza, as a comparative example. For the most part babies are typically happy and usually only cry when they are hungry, tired, or in need of a diaper change. It was immediately evident that there was so much more to baby Haddon’s screaming. The intensity and the frequency of his screams convinced me that something was definitely wrong. His constant abnormal behavior did not stop until I found out two years later what was wrong with my son. Baby Haddon’s cries implied to me that he was in extreme pain and that his development was progressing in an unhealthy fashion.

At the suggestion of our pediatrician, Haddon was placed on Alimentim, a formula for babies with colic and digestive issues. My husband and I called it “liquid gold” as it seemed to quell his signs of discomfort. We kept Haddon on this special formula until his first birthday. I wanted to believe the pediatrician’s reassurance that Haddon would grow out of this stage and be able to digest his foods in a normal fashion in due time. The situation still did not sit well with me, however, and I continued to worry, as most babies naturally do not need to have special formulas for proper digestion. I felt like we had put a “band-aid” on our son’s problems, but we were still concerned because we were unsure of why he had started out with these problems in the first place.

Eventually, we noticed that his screaming had subsided during his first year on the Alimentum as we started an addition on our 1925 home (this will be important later). When Haddon turned one, and milk replaced his formula and table food was being introduced, the screaming suddenly started to return in full force. Unfortunately, I did not make the connection between his meals due to the lack of bonding or interaction that occurred between us after he had eaten. His pediatrician again said he would grow out of this stage and perhaps he was upset because he was teething. At 18 months old, I began to panic about his unhappy demeanor because he was not showing any signs of typical development, particularly with his communication skills.

At 23 months, Haddon was not waving bye-bye as our daughter had and he was not enjoying everyday activities appropriate for his age. He clung on to me for dear life when we entered public places and screamed at anyone who tried to converse with him. He was a very cute toddler so people would naturally want to touch or hug him, which was a terrifying experience for all parties involved. That summer he ruined several birthday parties and had to be taken out of public places in a constraining type hold, so I naturally stopped taking him everywhere. I was exhausted and did not know what to do with my son. I called an out of town friend whose son was the same age and not talking. He suggested I have my pediatrician refer him to a developmental service agency. It took a lot of courage, but I knew I had to find out what was wrong with Haddon or we would all expire from his abnormal behavior and development.

I went to the youngest pediatrician in our clinic (the older ones are typically engrained with their old school mentality and not very keen on potential alternative avenues for any given diagnosis) and finally received a referral to the Children’s Developmental Service Agency. Within two weeks, the agency evaluated Haddon and diagnosed him with Pervasive Development Disorder, (PDD), a disorder found on the autistic spectrum. At two years old, Haddon had a 13 month old’s receptive language skills and a 17 month old’s expressive language skills. His cognitive skills were at 17 months and his self-help skills were at 14 months. Haddon was occasionally walking on his toes and had very poor eye contact. He was shy and intolerant of meeting new people. He had limited social reciprocity and joint attention. His only speech was rote utterances and he was unable to identify pictures of objects, body parts, or clothing. I finally knew what my son’s deficiencies were and was now eager to try to encourage his development and natural healthy growth the best way possible. My husband and I were devastated and worried about our son’s future.

Fortunately, I fell into the right therapists hands. Christine Duffy of “Fixin’ to Talk” referred me to the Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Unbeknownst to me at the time, the call to make an appointment with Dr. Allan Lieberman at the center would ultimately change my son’s condition and all of our lives consequently. I could tell from the lengthy and specific application that asked detailed questions from Haddon’s birth to the present that we were finally going to be able to get to the bottom of Haddon’s diagnosis and overall health problems. I knew I would not be told that Haddon was going through a stage and that he would definitely be assessed differently during our visit to the COEM. It was evident that Dr. Lieberman was not the kind of doctor who would say “take two aspirin and call me in the morning” and I was excited about finding out alternative ways to help our son.

My husband, Haddon, and I spent the entire day at the COEM during our initial appointment. Dr. Lieberman carefully reviewed and assessed Haddon’s history. He analogized that Haddon’s digestive and immune systems (which old school theory suggests are not symbiotic) was like an elevator whose capacity had been maxed out. He wanted to remove all toxins from his body to eliminate any further detrimental exposure to Haddon. He reasoned that he had trouble with the pesticides and aerosols that we had sprayed in our house. He further hypothesized that the renovation to our 1925 home likely facilitated his problems, primarily with the introduction of contaminants to the atmosphere like the lead paint in our walls. Dr. Lieberman told us that his detoxification process would depend solely on our efforts to remove chemicals and toxins as much as possible from Haddon’s sensitive system.

Dr. Lieberman put Haddon on a gluten/casein free diet after the center performed very thorough food allergy tests. [These are two commonly ingested proteins that are known to break down into peptides that have opioids (from the root word opium) activity. Casein is a protein in cow’s milk, and gluten is a protein from wheat, rye, oats, barley, spelt, and kamut]. Dr. Lieberman believed that these two proteins were stunting Haddon’s mental growth development by acting as opioid receptors in his brain that would prevent synapses from taking place in a normal fashion. The COEM’s caring staff also took hair and urine samples to further check for potentially toxic elements and perhaps the absence of basic essential elements. The analysis was sent off to a lab and results were later sent to us. We left the center with renewed hope and a new plan for Haddon that included environmental control, various vitamins and minerals for nutritional support and a new diet. I was so excited with this alternative and previously undiscovered approach to help my son, but did not really believe that environmental factors could be the primary contributing elements of Haddon’s recent diagnosis. Nonetheless, I began removing all chemicals from the home including dishwashing detergent, sprays, aerosols, and anything else that contained environmental toxins. I began to use only non-toxic products. I even went so far as to stop spraying starch while ironing and put only chemical free sunscreen on everyone in the family.

My efforts for removing toxins from Haddon’s system seemed to have immediate results. Haddon responded very well to the gluten-free/casein-free diet. We saw immediate improvements with his eye contact and his ability to communicate improved daily. Haddon’s father gave him the nutritional supplements (19 in total) prescribed by Dr. Lieberman every night and he continued his speech and social therapy in which he had already been enlisted.

We received the results from the hair and urine analysis and Dr. Lieberman was correct. Haddon had elevated lead levels likely from the lead paint particles that became airborne during the renovation of our house. Dr. Lieberman then suggested a process known as chelation to remove the toxins. He prescribed him a cream to rub on the skin over the liver area. We were reluctant at first, but decided to trust Dr. Lieberman’s recommendation because we felt so safe and secure with his direction and advice throughout our past experiences with the COEM. Haddon had made such great progress with their recommendations that we gave chelation a try. We are so glad we chelated Haddon!

Nine months after Haddon’s first evaluation. He was re-evaluated. Haddon jumped from 13-month receptive language skills to the level of a 2 year and 7 month old child (An 18 month gain in 9 months!). His expressive language skills jumped from 17 months to 22 months. His eye contact had vastly improved along with his ability to engage and play with other children. Altogether, he was making outstanding progress. We continued the environmental control, diet, and nutritional support. We took a 3-month break from chelation and continued later that fall.

Haddon made as many gains in his second year of school as he had in his first year. He is now talking appropriately for his age with only articulation being a concern at this point. Haddon has mastered eye contact, initiating interactions with peers, taking turns independently, and completing most age appropriate tasks, to include being completely potty trained. To our amazement, Haddon is now answering yes/no questions and “wh” questions. As I write this testimonial, I hear Haddon and his sister playing with the doll house in an imaginative fashion. He enjoys friends and can be taken anywhere without concern. Haddon has made a complete transformation. We cry tears of joy when we recall his second birthday and the first evaluation. When you now observe our son’s behavior, it is hard to imagine that we ever had this very trying and stressful experience. We do not know if we can say for certain exactly what changed his health and development. Was it the diet, nutritional supplementation, chelation, removal of chemicals or the four hours of therapy a week? The answer is most likely all of the above, but I believe that our early intervention was by far the most powerful factor. We started this total implementation at age 2 and by age 3 and a 1/2 his issues were nearly undetectable. I am extremely thankful and recognize that the COEM combined with our fortitude and perseverance turned our son’s life completely around.

If you are reading this and concerned that your child won’t ever talk, won’t have relationships, and could be deprived of a happy childhood, you are not alone. I had all these fears after Haddon’s evaluation two years ago, but with faith, determination, the COEM, and most importantly early intervention, you can make the difference. Now I regularly hear “I love you” from my son, as well as age specific dialogue I never thought possible. With our dedication and commitment, and a lot of help from Christine Duffy and Dr. Lieberman, we were able to help Haddon in the best way possible that ultimately turned him into a typical child before his critical early development years had been compromised by these deficiencies.

Happy Birthday? The Shock of a Breast Lump

A Patient’s Experience with COEM’s Breast Thermography Program

On what was supposed to be a happy occasion, my 40th birthday, my big surprise was discovering what every woman fears–a pronounced lump in my breast. Dread and anxiety consumed my thoughts. This was when my personal journey began.

My name is Charlene & I currently live in the Greater Boston/South New Hampshire area. My first stop on my journey was to my Primary Care Physician who, I believe, like many physicians in Massachusetts/NH,was overzealous toward recommending that I have another mammogram. Fourteen months earlier, I had had a baseline mammogram at the urging of this same physician. Her reason for the recommendation at that time was because I was approaching 40 and it was customary to have an initial mammogram between the ages of 35-40. At that time, I didn’t think much about it because I reasoned, “This is what everyone does, isn’t it?”

Here I was with a pronounced lump and again facing a mammogram. However, by now I had done some research and I didn’t like the details of what I found. Not everyone has mammograms. In fact, much of the information pointed out there were equally if not more reliable sources of imaging women’s breasts. My research caused me to question the necessity and the safety of this test.

My main concerns were that exposure to radiation is cumulative and with all my other chronic exposures, including dental x-rays, cell phone & computer use, I was leery of taking on this additional radiation exposure from repeated mammograms. One quote from my research stuck with me: “Suffice it to say that one does not go about exposing the most susceptible segment of the population with more carcinogens when other alternatives are available”– Chris Gupta.

My doctor then agreed with my concerns and recommended I have an ultrasound. The good news was that the ultrasound results were negative for masses & cysts, yet my physician recommended that because of the breast lump, I should obtain another source of testing for confirmation.

Living in the Boston area, I have always considered it one of the best places to be if you are sick, because it is a Mecca of medical facilities and highly trained physicians. Now however, I was beginning to doubt that which I had always relied on. My research showed me we have been almost completely overlooking the much safer thermal and infrared imaging technologies (Thermography). I then searched for medical centers that offer Thermography and sorted through them by calling them and reading information posted on their websites. Of all the centers I read about and called, COEM, the Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine in Charleston, SC, was by far the most informative and personable.

Cathy, COEM’s New Patient Coordinator and my first contact with COEM, was at first hesitant about my decision to come to their Center. I explained I was from the Boston area and wanted to know more about the process and the time I needed to have the procedure, if insurance covered it and, if not, the costs involved. She took almost 40 minutes on the telephone explaining the process and at one point had to calm me down since I was pretty shaken up by my whole situation. She then explained she would send me the packet of information we had discussed and that I should review all of it. If I decided to go ahead, I could fill out the forms and give her a call to schedule an appointment.

In the meantime, I had searched out the care of a Naturopathic physician whose practice concentrated on nutrition and nutritional supplements. My first appointment included several lab/blood tests, including one specifically called the AMAS test. Literature about this test states: “AMAS stands for ‘anti-malignin antibody in serum.’ The test is extremely sensitive; blood levels of this antibody rise early in the course of the vast majority of cancers of all types, regardless of location in the body. The test is especially useful when cancer is suspected but has not been confirmed by a biopsy.”–Dr. Ron Schmid.

My AMAS test results were borderline. The physician I was seeing recommended I should treat this as positive. This was a bit confusing and concerned me, although I was told that it is recommended when the results are borderline to repeat the test in 3 months. I started to take some of the nutritional supplements that this doctor recommended, but I also knew it was time to go ahead and schedule the Thermography appointment with COEM. Since I would have to take a flight to get there, my decision required some strategic planning. I checked out flights and again called Cathy at COEM to see if they had available time on the date I wanted. Somehow their available time and my schedule all meshed perfectly.

On Wednesday October 24th 2007, my boyfriend Ron & I arrived in South Carolina to find out what Thermography and the people at COEM were all about. As exhausted as we were from our flight, the welcome reception we received was second to none.

First I met with Sheila – the Clinical Coordinator- she was absolutely wonderful. She made me feel comfortable about how the thermascan worked and what I should expect. She showed me sample images from thermascans representing different stages of abnormal changes in breast tissues, and then we got started. I was in a small room by myself, undressed from the waist up, for about 10-15 minutes while acclimating to the room temperature. Then Sheila came back in and took 3 images. After that, I was asked to immerse my hands in cold water – I think it was about 55 degrees–and Sheila immediately took 3 more images. The procedure was quick and easy and everyone treated me with the utmost courtesy & respect. Taking into consideration that I had flown down from NH, Sheila thought it would be a good idea to introduce me to Dr. Lieberman, MD, Medical Director of the Center. I was very happy to have the pleasure to make his acquaintance. We talked only briefly; however, he made me feel more comfortable than any other physician during my prior ordeal. I felt as if no matter what the outcome of my scans proved to be, I was at the right place to work through it.

In my conversations with Sheila, I learned about a procedure called LBG (light Beam Generator) that is somewhat like a massage, only using LBG technology. I thought it would be a good idea to try this. I met with Heather, Licensed Massage Therapist at COEM, and we discussed using LBG for me. We decided that the lump might be a result of lymph fluid being obstructed and if that was the case, this technology would help move it along. After the procedure, over the next few days, the lump appeared to be coming & going at various times throughout the day, and now, a few months later, it is completely gone.

Approximately 2 weeks after my visit to COEM, I received the interpretation of the thermascans. After discussing the results by phone, I also received a full written report and copies of the thermascan images. They were rated TH-1 (normal) for both breasts. I was ecstatic–this was the best news I could have received!

With no more breast lump and two different types of tests (ultrasound and Thermography) indicating healthy breast tissues, I finally had the peace of mind I wanted.

From the moment I found the lump through receiving my results from COEM, one question kept coming to mind. “With all the money, time and studies invested in cancer research, shouldn’t ALL the information be available to anyone who seeks it out?” The sole purpose for me wanting to write this article is because I truly feel that all women everywhere should be made aware of all available techniques for breast imaging. Common sense will direct each person toward the technology that is best for them. Why not give women all the options?

Editor’s Note: Thermography, when interpreted by a certified Thermologist with extensive experience, is an extremely effective tool for women to use as part of a comprehensive breast health program. COEM recommends this very safe and non-invasive procedure be used at regular intervals to continue to monitor breast health. Over a thousand breast Thermography scans have been performed, to date, at COEM.

I developed sensitivities to multiple chemicals after the terrorist bombings of 9/11. While I had had numerous exposures in the three or four years prior to 9/11, such as teaching in a school with a coal burning furnace and living above a dental lab, I had always been able to bounce back. I had been blessed with a strong constitution through all of my decades of active living and teaching in New York City. However, with these toxic dust exposures after 9/11, my total toxic load was too high and I couldn’t rebound.

After 9/11, I suddenly developed bronchitis and flushing and itching of my skin. Food allergies soon developed after that, and then sensitivities to any chemicals I breathed or came into contact with. I became depressed over all these sudden limitations, and began to go from doctor to doctor,trying to find someone who could help me.

First I went to a rheumatologist, who thought I had some kind of connective tissue autoimmune disorder, and gave me Prednisone for the next seven months. It didn’t help my symptoms, and my face swelled from the steroids and stayed swollen for over two years. I felt awful and looked awful, too. Then I tried allergists, but I didn’t seem to test allergic according to traditional standards. Why was I always flushing and itching? No one knew.

I finally heard of an alternative gynecologist who performed tests and found that I had exceptionally high levels of lead, mercury, and cadmium. Interestingly, many rescue workers who helped us after 9/11 also have this chemical profile. While this doctor was able to diagnose my heavy metal problem, he couldn’t adequately treat it. Oral chelation and acupuncture for a full year didn’t seem to help my symptoms. I went to a doctor (Dr. Morrison in New York) who specializes in intravenous chelation, and fortunately his treatment was successful in helping me to feel better. By the fall of 2005, four years after 9/11, I thought I had turned the corner.

The principal at the school where I taught was promoted that year and her replacement proceeded to have all the school hallways painted with very odorous oil paint, and new carpeting was laid in every room where I taught. Automatic air fresheners were installed in all the bathrooms. Everything around me seemed to be outgassing and I became extremely ill. I could no longer work; I could barely move.

I went to a doctor in New York who was an expert in chemical sensitivities, but I got worse. Now I could no longer tolerate the air in my beloved Manhattan. I was going to have to find a new place to live. As I followed various leads, one woman with a house for sale in Arizona told me there was a wonderful environmental doctor in South Carolina who had saved her life. His name was Allan Lieberman. I stored this information away—after all, South Carolina is a long way from New York City and not known for its clean air like Arizona.

By the end of the summer, I began to worry that I might die if I didn’t do something drastically different. I asked the doctor who had helped me through intravenous chelation about this Dr. Lieberman, and he said, “Oh he was my mentor! He’s a gentle, brilliant man.” If only he had told me months before!

In short order, I gave up my rent-stabilized apartment in Manhattan, donated my clothes and furniture to charity, and bought a used car—to begin the adventure of driving after all these years without a car. I headed to South Carolina.

Everyone at The Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine was exceptionally kind and caring. They were so nice that I thought this couldn’t be real! (I am a New Yorker.) I soon found out that they were genuine. Just as a principal sets the tone of his school, a doctor sets the tone of his office. The employees were like Dr. Lieberman and I loved it! I thrived in this atmosphere.

I went through the Program for Biodetoxification, with their saunas 4 hours per day, massages, intravenous treatments, and energy treatments. I saw The Center’s excellent nutritionist. She devised a special diet for me and I began to re-gain my lost weight. This was quite a feat as all previous attempts to gain weight only made me sicker. Dr. Lieberman tested my hormones and began some natural hormone replacement. Now I was no longer depressed for the first time in years.

I was on a mission to get well and used every tool The Center had available. Their Oxygen Therapy program didn’t change my oxygen blood gas levels, but my energy soared. I did allergy testing at The Center and their allergy extracts helped me with food and chemical sensitivities. I can now pass someone wearing perfume and I don’t become ill–amazing considering my reactivity before.

I have continued the maintenance measures as instructed and am writing this as I get ready to leave South Carolina to go back to New York (but not the City). The staff members have become like family to me and I feel so blessed to have the security of The Center to turn to when I need it. So many people have told me they owe their life to The Center. Now I count myself among them.