Autism

Autism, or autism spectrum disorder, changes how a child communicates, relates to others and processes the world. At the Wellness Institute of Neurodevelopment (WIN) in Houston and San Juan, we look first for the medical conditions that may be holding your child's development back, then build an individualized plan to stimulate the brain. Children, adolescents and adults with autism are welcome, in English and Spanish.

What is autism?

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that appears in early childhood and affects social communication, play and flexibility, usually with repetitive behaviors, narrow interests or unusual responses to sound, touch and movement. It is a spectrum: one child may not speak at all, while another speaks fluently but cannot tolerate a change in routine.

In the brain, autism involves differences in how neural networks connect, which affects how sensory information is filtered and how a child learns from social experience.

Autism is not caused by parenting, and it is not the same as a speech delay or an intellectual disability, although these can occur together.

Early signs of autism parents notice

What families most often describe to us at WIN:

• By 12 months: does not turn to their name, rarely babbles back and forth, and does not point, wave or follow your gaze.
• By 18 months: no single words, little interest in showing you things, little pretend play, and eye contact that is hard to catch.
• By 24 months: no two-word phrases, lining up or spinning toys instead of playing with them, or words that appeared and then faded.
• Age 3 and up: plays alone, melts down when the routine changes, covers their ears at everyday sounds, walks on tiptoes or flaps their hands, and eats very few foods.
• At any age: a loss of skills the child had already gained.

If you recognize several of these, do not wait to see whether your child grows out of it: early evaluation gives the brain its best window and does not commit you to a diagnosis.

What causes autism, and why that matters for treatment

There is no single cause of autism. Research points to genetic predisposition combined with medical and environmental factors acting on a developing brain, and that is where WIN's evaluation starts: what is happening in this child's body that may be interfering with development?

WIN evaluates for nutritional deficiencies, food allergies and sensitivities, metabolic imbalances, gut problems, inflammation and environmental toxins. We test for retained primitive reflexes, which can keep the nervous system in a reactive state, and we assess auditory processing, because a child who hears but cannot organize sound struggles with language. Each finding changes the protocol, which is why two children with autism rarely receive the same plan.

How WIN evaluates autism

Everything begins with Phase I — Evaluation and planning: a three-part initial medical evaluation, typically 1–1.5 hours with Dr. Báez-Franceschi and about 3 hours in the office, with medical and neurodevelopmental testing and a review of your child's history. You leave with an initial plan.

Specialized laboratories follow, for autism often genetic testing, a food allergy panel, nutritional deficiencies, metabolic panels and environmental toxins. They are reviewed at the follow-up appointment, where a protocol is set for the medical conditions found.

All four WIN neurodevelopment evaluations matter for autism. The primitive reflex test shows which reflexes still drive posture, attention and emotional reactivity; the Franceschi Method development test maps motor, sensory, language and cognitive skills against expected development; the listening test (CAPD) measures how the brain processes sound; and the tympanogram rules out middle-ear problems. You walk away with a written, individualized treatment protocol.

How we treat autism: the three phases

Phase I — Evaluation and planning establishes the medical picture and starts correcting it through dietary modification and functional, integrative and, when needed, conventional medicine.

Phase II — Evaluation results and protocols starts the medical plan: for autism, typically an individualized nutrition protocol, with dietary modification and supplementation to give the brain the building blocks for neurotransmitters, plus functional protocols based on the labs. Once the WIN neurodevelopment evaluations are complete, we discuss a treatment protocol targeting primitive reflexes, speech, sensory integration, attention, behavior and emotional maturity.

Phase III — Multisensory and psycho-emotional therapy stimulates the brain directly. Autism plans usually combine the Franceschi Neuro-Auditory Protocol for auditory processing and language, the sensory room for sensory integration and regulation, neurofeedback for attention and self-regulation, hyperbaric oxygen therapy to support brain function, and behavioral health support. Results are measured constantly, and parents receive reports and training as part of the team. Learn more about the Franceschi Method®.

What families can expect

After the evaluation weeks, therapy settles into a regular rhythm at our Houston or San Juan center, with periodic re-evaluations to adjust the protocol. Families in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico can do medical follow-ups by telemedicine; others travel to Houston or San Juan for blocks of therapy.

With autism, the first gains families notice are usually in regulation and communication: calmer transitions, better sleep, more eye contact, more attempts to connect. It is a multi-year journey, not a quick fix, and your consistency at home with the training we provide is part of the protocol.

If you are worried about your child's development, or you have a diagnosis and want more than a referral list, request an orientation with WIN in Houston or San Juan, in English or Spanish. We will explain what an evaluation would look like for your family.