Dr. Edward M Danczak MB BS BSc( Pharmacology) Dip Med Ac, Dip OccH
He qualified in Medicine at University College London in 1975, following an honours degree in Pharmacology in 1972 which led to training appointments at the Whittington Hospital in north London, and a period training in Anaesthetics and Emergency medicine. He took an interest in Occupational Medicine and Toxicology, gaining a Diploma in Occupational Health and shortly after a Diploma in Medical Acupuncture. Dr Danczak has also been an advisor to the UK Department of Transport Marine Safety Division on Safety at Sea, and also Medical Examiner and Adviser, for the UK Department of Works and Pensions.
"A comprehensive, easy to read, no-nonsense contribution to the field of integrative medicine in the context of Autism Spectrum Conditions".
Donna Williams, Dip Ed, BA Hons
Author, lecturer, autism consultant.
In 1996, following a long period of clinical practice using acupuncture as a pain relieving technique, he was invited to open the Centre for the Study of Complementary Medicine in Manchester, England. The mission statement was to use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in a fellow clinic to the Centre in Southampton, established by Dr.George Lewith, with whom Dr. Danczak had trained.
Soon after opening the clinic, Donna Williams, sent a 4 year old patient to the Centre. The child had been diagnosed with an Autistic Spectrum disorder, the principal feature being very poor spontaneous language. Unusually the patient was a girl; most subsequently were boys. Having taken advice, and been told to manage the child for her nutritional symptoms and signs, to everyone’s surprise, she came in to clinic some weeks later, shouting very loudly pointing at Dr. Danczak to tell him she hated him!
Discussing this case with other physicians who practised a range of CAM skills, it was evident that there was no established protocol for the management of ASD, with a range of theories about causation, consequently a plethora of disorganised treatments, many behavioural management courses, and drug treatments.
The management scheme based on resolution of the components of the flow diagram below (Chapter 6) refers only to the physical aspects of ASD. A deliberate decision was taken to offer physiological management and not psychological support. This complemented the therapeutic intervention by behavioural therapists, paediatricians, psychologists and speech therapists given elsewhere.
The Autism Research Institute based in San Diego California, founded by Dr. Bernard Rimland, whose son was autistic, invited Dr. Danczak to become a contributor to the Defeat Autism Now! (DAN!) Physicians, who were amongst the first to try to offer targeted management in order to address the complex physiological disorders found in ASD. Many of the original DAN! group of physicians have now largely retired. Whilst Dr Rimland was alive and active within the group, open minded discussion was encouraged, with argument for and against theories and potential therapy, no matter how obscure the scientific origin of them.
This book is about the experience of 12 years managing children with ASD, and is dedicated to the parents who had the courage to undertake a novel treatment protocol using homeopathic medicines, complex homeopathic medication (homotoxicology) and nutritional support.
Dr. Danczak is now retired from clinical practice, and therefore cannot offer individual advice in the management of autistic spectrum disorders.
This book contains main source references only, by addressing these the reader will be able to follow their own train of thought around the myriad sources usually quoted in academic journals and books. Most are on Medline, and when the reference is paged, on the right side of the screen are suggested links from that reference
Each Chapter is intended to stand alone, for particular points, so that it can be printed out and then further research can be undertaken.
The book is not intended to be the definitive work on autism, or complementary medical management, but has the experience we gained at Victoria Park Hospital distilled into the script.
At all times we tried to manage this complex condition using the known available academic sources. References quoted which have also been updated are source references, and will through their bibliography lead onto other areas for investigation and review.
We attempted to make therapeutic decisions based on empirical effects during management, together with published data from a variety of source materials ranging from the grey literature through to established academic source material.