P A T I E N T I N T E R V I E W - A U T I S M

NAME: Calsun Wang

AGE: 8

COUNTRY: U.S.A.

DIAGNOSIS: Autism

REASON FOR COMING FOR TREATMENT: Calsun has exhibited signs of autism since age 2. His family describe him as being dissociated from the physical world and reluctant to communicate. In his educational life he was withdrawn but focussed, showing an uncommon aptitude for art. Painting and drawing is one of his primary methods of communication.

TREATMENT: Umbilical Cord Stem Cell and Nerve Growth Factor Injections with Rehabilitation Therapy

START OF TREATMENT: January 2, 2006

BEFORE THE TREATMENT: He was not communicative with others. He seldom spoke when spoken to or made eye contact with others. In inter-personal visual (body language/behavioural/gestural) communication, his response was equally reserved. As mentioned, one of his main methods of communication was through art, and was characterised by repetitive usage of certain images, such as spiral staircases. He was very reluctant to communicate verbally about this.

AFTER THE TREATMENT: (January 22, 2006)

He became more sociable and made more eye contact than before. In terms of his ability to communicate, he would reply verbally to questions, an act he would rarely do before. When gesturing to him, he would acknowledge the motion and respond. These changes occurred by the fourth injection. The family was happy but is hoping for more as the doctors have told them that more improvements should happen in the following two months. We will check in with Calsum in March.

See Video Interview with Brother.

See Calsun spell his name.

May 29, 2006 Update:

Having visited Calsun at his school while he was taking music class, we spoke with his mother, Mrs. Wang. Since the treatment his mother observed many improvements. The primary improvement in his communicative ability is that he can now speak in complete sentences with ten words or more rather than one or two. Secondly, his attention span is longer - instead of necessitating one-on-one tuition, he can now sit in a class and learn with other normally-developed children. His increased awareness is exemplified in his mother's anecdotal evidence - after taking a class that focussed on helping others, he got in the car and helped his younger friend buckle his seat belt, an act he was unlikely to have attempted prior to becoming more aware of his surroundings. He has also been chosen for a part in a movie about his kindergarden football team. His mother, Mrs. Wang, said that none of this would have been possible before. The encouraging thing is that she said that since the stem cell treatments, the progress is continuing at a steady level and has not leveled off (NB. May 29, 2006 reporting). However, she still would like to go for more treatments to try and make greater improvement. Calsun has not yet reached the necessary level of communication whereby he can play interactively with other children, with more treatment, this is the major target for his future.

See Video: Calsun in his music class.

July 17, 2006 Update:

Click here to read about Calsun Wang's first sold painting, at age 6.