Boy Loses Autism Diagnosis

Here's an amazing story: 'A very exceptional individual'

Today, he is no longer considered autistic. He drives a car, takes guitar lessons and will attempt to make the Gateway Christian basketball team when try-outs begin in a few weeks. He plans to attend New River Valley Community College next fall after graduation.

What brought on this miraculous 'recovery' from autism you may ask? Chelation therapy? Gold Salts? Lupron, ABA? It's possible, the article describes some of the various therapies he received over the years.

Wesley first underwent occupational and physical therapy for autism at three years old. With time and continued therapy for motor and sensory skills, his condition, one of several classified by the American Psychiatric Association as a Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), improved.

No mention of any biomedical or alternative type medical interventions but we can't know for sure that his parents didn't do something to remove mercury from his brain.

One thing that seems to have helped Wesley eventually lose his diagnosis, other than the forward march of time that is; Martial Arts.

Martial arts did as much for Wesley Heckendorn's spirit as his motor skills.

"I've stuck to it just because it really helps with my focus," he said. "It helps with my determination. All in all, it makes me, I guess, a more improved person, you can say."

If Dan Olmsted were to read about someone like Wesley H.'s recovery in the past, he might express anger toward his incompetent sensei for missing the true nature of his recovery. Maybe he'd say something like "Not for the last time, a family noticed something significant while the experts prattled on about their pet theories." or "Until now, I thought the sensei and the rest of the martial arts establishment simply weren't aware of Wesley's improvement following Karate treatment; otherwise, they would have followed up this very promising and obvious lead from the past."

Maybe Wesley can join the scores of 'recovered' autistic children on stage at the next DAN! conference but I guess that wouldn't be very good for business. Some kids become less autistic over time and are able to participate in typical childhood and teen activities. No biomed needed.

What does Wesley have to say about overcoming some of his challenges:

"Most people that had that, they've had it their entire lives," he said. "I've ran into some people of a medical background ,and they've heard about it and they're surprised. They said really nobody recovers from that and you actually did."

How about that. His hard work and determination allowed him to reach his goal.

"It's something I've been working towards for a large part of my life. I mean, you know, it was finally there in September. It was a little bit of a shock: Wow, I actually have this now."

Congratulations on your black belt Wesley. Nice to see that an individual's achievments aren't limited by predictions of limitations.