Autism Parenting Secrets

Welcome to Episode 332 of Autism Parenting Secrets.
When your child struggles with emotional regulation, sensory processing, learning, or coordination, it’s easy to focus on each challenge separately.
But what if some of those challenges are connected?
What if understanding your child’s neurological development could help you identify what to address first?
This week, Dr. Dana Brindisi shares how she approaches complex neurological cases through the lens of functional neurology.
As a Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist and Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner, she focuses on neurological rehabilitation and helping patients improve how their brains and nervous systems function.
We explore the importance of developmental foundations, including primitive reflexes, vestibular function, posture, and eye movements.
Dr. Dana also explains how functional neurology differs from traditional chiropractic care, what neurological rehabilitation involves, and why the sequence of interventions matters.
We discuss the role of gut health, nutritional deficiencies, and environmental stressors, along with the importance of assembling a team with complementary expertise.
Perhaps most importantly, Dr. Dana offers a different way to understand challenging behaviors.
What looks like defiance may reflect a child who is struggling to regulate their nervous system.
And understanding that possibility can change how we respond.


The secret this week is…
Functional Neurology CONNECTS The Dots


You'll Discover:
Why Neurological Foundations Matter (1:28)
How Primitive Reflexes Can Affect Regulation (7:40)
What Functional Neurology Actually Does (12:22)
Why There May Be Multiple Root Causes (32:15)
What Parents Need To Understand About Survival Mode (38:23)

About Our Guest:
Dr. Dana Brindisi, DC, DACNB, CFMP, is the founder of Carolina Functional Neurology Center and clinic director of its Raleigh, North Carolina location. She is a Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist and Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner with 14 years of experience working with complex neurological cases. Her practice focuses on neurological evaluation and rehabilitation, including neurodevelopment, vestibular function, sensory processing, primitive reflexes, and other aspects of nervous system function. Through Carolina Functional Neurology Center, Dr. Dana and her team work with children and adults experiencing neurological and developmental challenges.
carolinafnc.com



Additional Resources:
To learn more about personalized 1:1 support go to www.elevatehowyounavigate.com


If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends.

Welcome to Episode 331 of Autism Parenting Secrets.
This week, I’m joined once again by my good friend Bob Miller, founder of Functional Genomic Analysis and the NutriGenetic Research Institute.
ATP is the energy our cells need to do their jobs. And Bob’s latest research raises an intriguing possibility: inadequate ATP may help explain how biological issues that can seem completely separate are actually interconnected.
We explore glutamate and the astrocytes responsible for clearing it, the ATP-dependent sodium-potassium pump, mitochondrial function, iron-sulfur clusters, oxidative stress, calcium regulation, and the vicious feedback loops that can develop when cellular energy production is compromised.
The key is not to reduce autism to a single cause.
As Bob emphasizes, different children can arrive at similar challenges through very different biological pathways.
His hypothesis is that ATP may be an important piece that helps connect many of those pathways.
This is primarily an audio podcast, but Bob shares a number of visuals that can make these concepts easier to understand.
You can watch the full episode video using the link in the References in this Episode section below.


The secret this week is…
ATP May Be The MISSING PIECE


You'll Discover:
Why ATP Matters To Every Cell (2:11)
How ATP May Affect Glutamate Clearance (10:06)
How A Vicious Cycle Can Develop (18:07)
Why There May Be Many Paths To The Same Problem (28:42)
Why Low ATP Doesn't Necessarily Look Like Low Energy (39:21)
About Our Guest:
Robert Miller, BCTN, ANWPB, is a Board-Certified Traditional Naturopath specializing in genetic-specific nutrition. He is the founder of Functional Genomic Analysis and the NutriGenetic Research Institute and has spent years researching relationships among genetic variants, environmental factors, and complex health challenges. Bob founded the NutriGenetic Research Institute in 2015 to support genetic research and has presented multiple phases of research on genetic variants and chronic Lyme disease at ILADS conferences. He is also the creator of Functional Genomic Analysis, software designed to organize and analyze genetic SNPs for functional health professionals.
tolhealth.com/about-us/




References in this Episode:
Watch the Full Episode Video: https://elevatehowyounavigate.com/video/bob-miller
Functional Genomic Analysis


Additional Resources:
To learn more about personalized 1:1 support go to www.elevatehowyounavigate.com


If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends.

Welcome to Episode 330 of Autism Parenting Secrets.
Dr. Sheila Kilbane is back, and this conversation focuses on something that affects many children with autism and other developmental challenges: constipation.
Sheila explains that constipation isn’t limited to a child simply not going regularly. Straining, discomfort, hard stools, or a history of skipped days can all matter.
And addressing it isn’t just about getting things moving.
Healthy elimination plays an important role in digestion, nutrient absorption, the microbiome, detoxification, comfort, sleep, and even behavior.
Sheila walks through the method she has developed over more than 20 years, beginning with the fundamentals before moving toward more complex interventions.
Her approach is refreshingly methodical: strengthen the foundation, change one variable at a time, pay attention to what happens, and build from there.


The secret this week is…
Constipation Is An IMPORTANT Clue


You'll Discover:
Why Constipation Can Affect Behavior And Sleep (6:57)
Why The Basics Need To Come Before More Complex Interventions (9:12)
Why Magnesium Can Be Important For Healthy Bowel Movements (19:56)
Why Changing One Variable At A Time Leads To Greater Clarity (32:59)
Why Tracking Small Changes Can Reveal Important Clues (39:30)


About Our Guest:
Sheila Kilbane, MD, is a board-certified pediatrician trained in integrative medicine with Dr. Andrew Weil. She is the founder of Infinite Health in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the author of Healthy Kids, Happy Moms: 7 Steps to Heal and Prevent Common Childhood Illnesses. Dr. Kilbane combines conventional and integrative medicine to help identify and address underlying contributors to childhood health challenges. Her work focuses on building a strong physiological foundation through nutrition, digestion, gut health, inflammation reduction, and other foundational factors. Her newest ebook, Constipated to Consistent, provides parents with a step-by-step approach to understanding and addressing constipation.
https://sheilakilbane.com/


References in this Episode:
Constipated to Consistent - Dr. Kilbane’s ebook and step-by-step guide to addressing constipation
Healthy Kids, Happy Moms: 7 Steps to Heal and Prevent Common Childhood Illnesses - Sheila Kilbane, MD
Dr. Sheila Kilbane’s TED Talk - August 2025
Autism Parenting Secrets Episode: Say NO To PEG, with Mike Koehler


Additional Resources:
To learn more about personalized 1:1 support go to www.elevatehowyounavigate.com


If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends.

Welcome to Episode 329 of Autism Parenting Secrets.
This week, I'm joined by Greer McGuinness, a registered dietitian with nearly 20 years of experience in nutrition and pediatric health.
Greer's work is deeply personal.
When her son experienced developmental regression, severe constipation, feeding difficulties, and sleep problems, conventional lab results weren't providing the answers she needed.
Determined to understand what was happening, she began exploring increasingly sophisticated testing. But she eventually realized that gathering more information wasn't necessarily bringing her closer to the answers she was looking for.
Today, Greer is the founder of Biomedical Healing for Kids, where she specializes in autism, the microbiome, nutrition, and environmental health.
We explore why identifying foundational issues is so important, how gut health and nutrition can influence other systems in the body, and why the order in which parents pursue interventions matters.
Greer also shares why she has moved away from certain commonly ordered tests, what parents should understand about interpreting lab results, and how chasing supplements or jumping into aggressive protocols can sometimes backfire.
Above all, this conversation is about knowing where to focus, making more informed decisions, and ensuring that every step you take has a clear purpose in supporting your child.


The secret this week is…
More Testing Is NOT Always Better


You'll Discover:
Why More Testing Can Actually Create More Confusion (2:07)
Why Foundations Need To Come Before Aggressive Protocols (9:36)
Why Greer Doesn't Consider An OAT An Essential First Test (12:41)
Why Interpreting The Test May Matter As Much As Choosing It (16:43)
The Question To Ask Before Ordering Another Test (42:19)


About Our Guest:
Greer McGuinness, MS, RD, is a registered dietitian with nearly 20 years of experience in nutrition and pediatric health and the founder of Biomedical Healing for Kids, a virtual practice specializing in autism, microbiome health, nutrition, and environmental health. She is also a Certified Detox Specialist, Certified Master Herbalist, and Certified Lyme Specialist. Greer is the lead author of published research on sulforaphane treatment for autism and has contributed to a textbook on the neurobiology of autism spectrum disorders. Her professional work is informed by her personal experience navigating complex health challenges with her son.
https://www.biomedicalhealingforkids.com/


References in this Episode:
Biomedical Healing for Kids
Greer McGuinness's research on sulforaphane treatment for autism
Dr. Robert Melillo
Dr. Kurt Woeller


Additional Resources:
To learn more about personalized 1:1 support go to www.elevatehowyounavigate.com


If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends.

Welcome to Episode 328 of Autism Parenting Secrets.
This week, I’m joined by Brendan Mahan, an ADHD and executive function consultant, coach, speaker, and author of Overcoming the Wall of Awful.
The Wall of Awful is Brendan’s model for the emotional barrier that can build between us and the things we struggle with or have failed at.
For neurodivergent kids, those barriers can become especially significant.
And what looks like laziness, defiance, or a lack of motivation from the outside may have something very different underneath it.
Brendan explains why getting curious about what’s making something difficult is so important and how we parents can sometimes unknowingly “add bricks” to our child’s wall.
We also explore practical ways to lower the barrier to getting started, including scaffolding, breaking tasks into smaller pieces, helping a child envision the end result, and giving them greater agency.
And Brendan shares an important lesson from his own parenting journey about the difference between helping because our child genuinely needs help and stepping in because it’s difficult for us to watch them struggle.


The secret this week is…
You CAN Get Past The Wall


You'll Discover:
Why Motivation May Be The Wrong Place To Start (3:05)
How Parents Can Add Bricks To The Wall (5:13)
The Five Ways We Respond To The Wall (13:29)
How To “Start The Orange” For Your Child (21:59)
Why Agency Matters So Much (32:23)


About Our Guest:
Brendan Mahan, M.Ed., M.S., is an ADHD and executive function consultant, coach, and speaker. A veteran educator and former teacher, principal, and mental health clinician, he specializes in helping people affected by ADHD, autism, and anxiety lessen the impact of their struggles.
Brendan is the host of The ADHD Essentials Podcast and creator of the Wall of Awful model. His book, Overcoming the Wall of Awful: Why It’s Hard to Get Things Done with ADHD, Autism, and Anxiety (and How to Do Them Anyway), explores the emotional barriers behind procrastination, avoidance, and overwhelm.
https://brendanmahan.com/


References in this Episode:
Overcoming the Wall of Awful by Brendan Mahan
The ADHD Essentials Podcast
How to ADHD: Wall of Awful Part 1 and Part 2


Additional Resources:
To learn more about personalized 1:1 support go to www.elevatehowyounavigate.com


If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends.