Why unproven autism “cures” lure families—and what experts actually support

Why unproven autism “cures” lure families

In Rochester Hills, Michigan, US, Dana Paduchowski’s nights were spent scouring the internet for a “magic” treatment that never came. Caring for three children with autism, she chased claims that promised breakthroughs, only to find expensive rabbit holes and little lasting change. Experts say autism has no cure; behavioural therapy can address core symptoms, while some medications help with anxiety or irritability, the Washington Post reported.

Expensive hope

Over the years, the family spent at least $30,000 on alternative therapies: chelation to remove supposed heavy metals, hyperbaric oxygen, supplements, diets and naturopathic care. Some efforts brought brief improvements; others did nothing or caused regressions. Bills and test results piled up in a closet—each stack a reminder of money and hope spent without clear benefit.

When treatments cross a line

Paduchowski describes doctors who linked autism to heavy metals or lingering strep infections and prescribed vitamins or antibiotics without strong evidence. At a local clinic offering hyperbaric oxygen and chelation, she halted a regimen when her son became ill. She later learned a therapist there had used stolen credentials; the clinic’s CEO and staff now face charges after a separate oxygen-chamber fire killed a child.

A crowded market of claims

Studies find many autistic individuals try alternatives at least once, even as evidence is thin for common options beyond behavioural therapy. Families report being swayed by testimonials and inflated promises, especially online. Clinicians cite the true costs: money, time, energy and emotional strain, all while parents confront the fear of doing too little or the guilt of doing the wrong thing.

Politics and a new layer of confusion

As Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. puts autism at the centre of a national agenda and promotes disputed causes and cures, parents say the noise grows louder. Questions about leucovorin, a form of vitamin B9 with early but limited evidence for a subset of children, have surged after public endorsements. Officials emphasise that leucovorin is not a cure and that more research is needed.

Holding onto what helps

Paduchowski has shifted her view: her children are not to be “fixed” but supported to live their best lives. Behavioural therapy remains part of their toolkit, and she believes some dietary changes and supplements have helped. But she is candid about how quickly desperation can become a business model, and how easy it is for families to be pulled from one promise to the next.