February | 2013 | The Stem Cell Blog

Karen Davila resorts to stem-cell therapy for sons autism

Broadcast journalist Karen Davilas firstborn, David, was 3 years old when he was diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified (PDD/NOS) in the Autism Spectrum, a severe form of autism. The development pediatrician said there was no cure for Davids condition. David didnt have the classic signs of autism, but clearly he wasnt developing like other children his age, says Davila. At the age of 3, he wasnt speaking spontaneously, although he could read. He had tantrums, couldnt express his needs, whether he was hungry or sad, and didnt reach out to other children his age.

Like most kids in the autism spectrum, the boy had attention difficulties. He was spaced out most of the time, and was rigid. It was so heartbreaking to see my eldest this way, she adds. Davila refused to accept that there was no answer to her sons condition. I researched endlessly and devoted myself to making sure my son got the best possible treatment, she says. She quickly put her son on a casein- and gluten-free diet and biomedical treatment, under the care of Defeat Autism Now (DAN)-licensed doctors.

Early last year, Davila was offered an opportunity to try the fresh cell therapy being offered by a clinic in Germany. The stem cells are harvested from lamb fetus and injected into the patient. By then, the journalist-mom had read up on the supposed benefits of stem cell on children with special needs. In March, mother and son flew to Frankfurt.

I didnt consult with Davids doctors, Davila admits. But I have an aggressive-progressive approach to Davids condition. Im willing to try anything that could help my son. Doctors will frown upon this (lamb stem cell) since it is not accepted in the medical field, but I did try it for Davids sake.

Around June last year, Dr. Z Teo and his wife, dermatologist Aivee Aguilar-Teo, introduced autologous fat stem-cell therapy or fat stem-cell therapy in their clinic. Dr. Teo has been performing fat stem cell repair therapy or FSCR in his clinic in Singapore for a few years.

Unlike the sheep stem cell, FSCR harvests fat from the patients tummy or thigh; a machine then isolates the stem cells from the fat. The fresh stem cell is then injected back into the patients body to stimulate the production of new, healthy cells. In patients who are too old or too sick, or have autism like David, fat stem cells are taken from a close blood kin.

Speaking to her sons autism specialists, Davila says they have no strong opposition against autologous fat stem-cell therapy.

Davids procedure is deemed safe, but blood screening, infectious screening, and compatibility testing and complete physical checkup must be performed prior to the procedure, says Dr. Aguilar-Teo. Compatibility testing is vital to determine which of the parents is a better-match donor, she adds. The clinic has performed 50-60 FSCRs since last year, only a handful of which share the same case as Davids.

As for its effect on David, after just a week or two, the results were dramatic, Davila says. We noticed that David was quicker in question-and-answer response. He was visibly more aware, more in the moment, and he was bantering more at home and in school.

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February | 2013 | The Stem Cell Blog