Finding Hope: Educating Marston is a Must Read for All Those Needing Answers to Autism

Written in partnership with Nick Kasmik.

Sharing information and keeping the spirit of positivity is what Autism Awareness Month is all about. On the other hand, it’s crucial to continuously raise awareness about ongoing research to improve the lives of children with autism. On that note, umbilical cord blood/stem cell therapy has shown promising results in helping children with autism. Dr. Eric Weiss, who administers the treatment to several patients, has been tracking the progress of this type of therapy and, together with his wife Christine, watched as it helped their son Marston reach independence.

However, Dr. Eric Weiss and Christine (Chris) Weiss’s journey wasn’t always easy. Their son Marston was diagnosed with autism from an early age. Chris Weiss has documented their journey in a book called Educating Marston: A Mother and Son’s Journey Through Autism, highlighting the importance of early intervention in treating autism. “When you are told your child has autism, you are initially in shock and then feel lost hope,” she shared. “Many parents think they did something wrong but don’t know where to seek help. Those who find the treatment don’t tell anybody where they get umbilical cord blood. And they especially don’t tell the other therapists, so the other therapists are mapping games week by week, and suddenly, the gains are starting to improve. This child is getting better via therapy alone.”

Educating Marston provides personal insight into the struggles and triumphs of Christine and Eric’s journey with autism. They want to offer hope and inspiration to those facing similar challenges. The book also provides practical tips and advice for navigating the complex world of autism and finding suitable therapies and treatments for each child.

However, Dr. Weiss says each patient reacts differently to different therapies, so managing expectations is important, especially as a parent. “In almost every study, at least for stem cell therapy, not everybody benefits. About 50 to 60% of children show progress, and 40 to 50% do not benefit,” Weiss explained.

His wife, Christine, and he have been actively advocating the development of umbilical cord blood/stem cell research. They say, “We’ve spoken to the people at Duke who have ongoing research, and they’re still trying to work out dosage and administration for the therapy to be fully individually successful.”

Despite the unknowns, umbilical cord blood/stem cell therapy has significantly improved in children with autism, especially in gut issues such as bloating, diarrhea, constipation, and allergies. “Children with autism tend to have other inflammatory processes going on, and the biggest thing we see is gut issues,” Weiss noted. “The umbilical cord blood has numerous cells that are believed to work on the gut, some cells that are believed to work on the peripheral immune system, and we’ve gotten better at identifying the exact result of these cells.”

Weiss has seen remarkable results in his practice. “We have several children aged 8 to 11 years old who weren’t potty trained and had abnormal bowel movements. They became potty trained within weeks of the treatment,” he shared. “We’ve seen kids with rashes get better, kids sleep better, kids talk better. I believe that the child’s brain is starting to heal, so they’re getting better in therapy, and this is what the Duke study showed.”

The Duke study Weiss referred to involved 29 teams and showed that improvements started within a month and continued to improve until six months, plateauing afterward. “Kids got better for about six months, and then it stopped. But those gains stayed, and no studies so far have given these kids a second dose to see if improvements continue,” Weiss noted.

“But these kids were compared to historical controls. They more than doubled the gains they expect.” Weiss stressed that the treatment is safe, as the umbilical cord blood has been given millions of times over decades with a very low adverse event profile.

“Certainly, especially kids with autism or children in general, it can be difficult to start because they’re scared and it’s a needle poke, but once the IV is in, it is completely painless. It goes relatively quickly over just a few minutes,” he explained.

Through perseverance and the search for new therapies, families can find the support they need to help their loved ones with autism reach their full potential. Dr. Weiss notes, “with continued research and awareness, we can work towards a future where every individual with autism has access to the resources and treatments they need to thrive.” That is why they invite us to celebrate the progress made while committing ourselves to work ahead. Like Christine says, “together, we can make a difference in the lives of those affected by autism.”