Letter to Dr. Laule:
Dear Dr. Laule: 
 I have a five-year-old son who has an autism spectrum disorder.  Like any parent, we feel compelled to look at every avenue that might be beneficial for him.  We have tried conventional therapies (speech & developmental), we have sought and received services through many organizations and have left no stone unturned trying to help him.  But, at the end of even his "good" days, the fact remains that he is still living with this disability.
Through a news article, I found a website which advocates chelation therapy to remove metallic toxins, particularly mercury.   I understand that you are probably booked well in advance, but we would be willing to wait for a vacancy if you would be willing to see him. 
Thank you so much for your kind consideration in  reviewing this letter.  Please let me know what, if  anything, I can do to secure an appointment with you.  We are grateful to have found someone who advocates holistic medicine and would consider varied approaches to our child's treatment.
 K M
 
Dear KM: 
I understand your dilemma. There are some groups right now that are very much oversimplifying this matter,claiming that mercury is the cause of allautism, and that chelation for mercury is a "cure." While I think there is strong reason to believe that mercury may play a role in the subset of autistic children who are lacking certain enzymes for the handling of heavy metals, I think it is only one of a dozen or more other factors. 
My approach at this time is to check for many other possible metabolic problems. There are 5 initial laboratory studies that I do, checking a huge varietyof biochemical and metabolic parameters. I have never seen an autistic child yet since 1999 when I began this in whom there was not some sort of "glitch" in the metabolism. I like to clear those up first with several months of supplements, dietary changes, whatever the laboratory indicates.  
All chelation for mercury and other heavy metals involves stirring them up from the places the body stores them -- bone, fat, cerebral hemospheres, etc., and bringing them into the blood stream for removal by either the kidneys or the liver. I do not like to stir up the heavy metals with chelation until the child is as metabolically stable as current science allows us to achieve. Many of these children have defects in enzymes to activate vitamin B-6, or folic acid, or have defects in the vitamin B-12 pathways. These are of profound significance. These are so profound in fact that sometimes mercury is not the issue at all. 
Here's the problem -- I am overloaded with autistic patients at the moment. I am seeing children from a 6 state area. I think what I am going to have to devise is a format wherein I mail you the laboratory test kits and a bunch of history questionnaires, and then see you only after all the lab is done. I don't have this in place yet, and we won't be booking any new autistic appointments until after the new year. You could get on a waiting list by e-mailing me your name and address and phone number so I know how to contact you. We do take TEFRA but have to have a referral. We order the laboratory tests through TEFRA via the hospital in Conway, where I have consulting privileges.
I really want to be helping all of the autistic youngsters that I can, but MUST change my way of doing so by getting more efficient. You may just the impetus I needed to get me started on a more efficient mechanism of ordering the tests and reviewing the lab-- in one visit instead of two. That will free my time up better.
Meanwhile, the best to you. Please do consider this DAN! protocol in its entirety. I would advise you to check out Dr.Bernard Rimland and the Autism Research Institute to learn more about it. This is a far bigger issue involving far more toxins than just mercury, I am convinced.
My best ---- Alice R. Laule, M.D. 
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