SACRAMENTO (CBS13) It is a groundbreaking clinical trial, treating autism using a childs own stem cells, and one local boys own medical miracle gave his doctor the idea.
Hell smile for his photo op.
Hes had a lot of cameras around him, his mother, Elisa Rudgers, said when CBS13 visited their home on Tuesday.
His mom will tell you 4-year-old Rydr likes the spotlight, and because hes become something of a medical marvel, hes gotten lots of attention.
Rydr has cerebral palsy and we banked his stem cells at birth, Elisa explained.
Diagnosed with cerebral palsy at 11 months, Rydr couldnt sit up on his own and he required feeding tubes to eat. At 15 months doctors gave Rydr his first infusion of his own banked cord blood stem cells. His developmental delays diminished quickly.
After the first infusion after three months, he was crawling, six months he was standing, and nine months he was walking, his mom said.
Rydrs stem cells helped rebuild his body and his behavior.
Now Rydrs doctor is spearheading groundbreaking research to see if the same treatment thats helped this little boy can help treat autism. Dr. Michael Chez of the Sutter Neuroscience Institute believes theres a link.
Theres enough encouraging evidence to think there may have a role to play here, he said. But were opening a new door and thats the giant step.
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Local Boy’s Treatment Could Lead To Breakthrough For Autism