Autism Treatment with MeRT® at BrainCare Carlsbad Can Unlock Your Child's Potential

At BrainCare Carlsbad, we're dedicated, too. We know that hope exists for children with autism, even when other treatments aren't working as well as expected.

That's because we offer MeRT® (Magnetic e-Resonance Therapy), a drug-free, non-invasive, gentle treatment for autism. Of the countless treatments available for children with autism, none can improve brain function like MeRT®.

Tailored to your child's needs, MeRT® uses transcranial magnetic stimulation, guided by advanced brain diagnostics, to target and improve brainwave synchronization. In so doing, MeRT® can also help other therapies work better, leading to a far better quality of life for your child.

The primary symptoms of autism include having limited interests and activities, difficulty communicating and socializing, and emotional and behavioral challenges.

However, each of these symptoms can present differently depending on the individual. For example, one child may have more trouble communicating than another, have greater sensory sensitivity, or have more intense repetitive behaviors.

Many treatments exist for ASD, including social skills therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), applied behavioral analysis (ABA), DIRFloortime®, and speech, occupational, and physical therapy.

Medications are also often prescribed to treat challenges like aggression, irritability, depression, and anxiety.

However, none of these therapies or medications directly target the brain to improve its function.

Every brain is unique — and that's what makes MeRT® such a breakthrough. MeRT® addresses the individual nature of autism by focusing on your child's unique brainwave activity.

Using MeRT®, we can improve how the brain processes information. Here's how our treatment works:

1. We start with a quantitative electroencephalogram (qEEG) to map your child's brainwaves and identify underperforming areas.
2. We then perform customized repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). This treatment sends safe, gentle magnetic waves into specific area of the brain identified by the qEEG. The rTMS stimulates the nerves and activates more processing power.
3. After every two weeks of rTMS treatment, we perform another qEEG to see how your child's brain is responding. We then book additional treatments in two-week intervals if symptoms and brainwave patterns improve.

As we have worked with many children on the autism spectrum, we understand their unique challenges. That's why we devote extra time to completing diagnostic procedures and making the rTMS experience tolerable for sensitive kids.

MeRT® is a highly customized version of rTMS (repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation). The science and protocols of MeRT® are based on years of authoritative research published in some of the most prestigious scientific journals. Here are just some of these.

A systematic review of transcranial magnetic stimulation treatment for autism spectrum disorder (May 31, 2024)

“After TMS intervention, discernible enhancements across a spectrum of scales are evident in stereotyped behavior, repetitive behavior, and verbal social domains. A comprehensive review of literature spanning the last five years demonstrates the potential of TMS treatment for ASD in ameliorating the clinical core symptoms.

“Recent findings generally indicate that TMS has positive effects on stereotypical behavior, repetitive behavior, verbal and social aspects of ASD, leading to overall improvement across all scale scores post-intervention.”

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation modulates long-range functional connectivity in autism spectrum disorder (April 2023)

“The findings of this study demonstrate that high-frequency rTMS over the parietal lobe is potentially an effective strategy to improve core symptoms by enhancing long-range connectivity reorganization in ASD.”

Impact of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on the directed connectivity of autism EEG signals: a pilot study (December 2022)

“rTMS provides changes in connectivity and behavior, suggesting its potential use as a viable treatment option for ASD individuals.”

Outcomes from Individual Alpha Frequency Guided Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder – A Retrospective Chart Review (2022)

“This study presents evidence on the efficacy and safety of α-rTMS in improving ASD symptoms, quality of life and comorbid sleep troubles in children. However, these findings should be interpreted as preliminary pending the presentation of double-blind, randomised clinical trials.”

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Autism Spectrum Disorders: Neuropathological Underpinnings and Clinical Correlations (June 24, 2020)

“TMS is a non-invasive therapeutic intervention capable of modulating evoked and induced gamma oscillations and altering maladaptive behaviors83. Recent reviews of the literature suggest that TMS is safe and effective when used in ASD.”

Autism spectrum disorders: linking neuropathological findings to treatment with transcranial magnetic stimulation (April 2015)

“Several rTMS trials in ASD have shown marked improvements in motor symptomatology, attention and perceptual binding.

“Conclusion: rTMS is the first therapeutic attempt at ASD aimed at correcting some of its core pathology.”

Frank had tried many treatments before MeRT®, but his son, Frankie, was still nonverbal and had severe toe-walking issues.

Frank had heard about the Brain Treatment Center, and when Frankie’s developmental pediatrician recommended it, Frank decided to take the chance.

After three weeks of MeRT® treatment, things began to change for Frankie — dramatically:

"In the third week, something happened. The family was driving around sightseeing when they realized that they were getting lost in the California desert. Mary and Frank began to argue, and right in the midst of it, the moment they had waited six years for finally came. 'I remember he said a seven-word sentence basically to the effect of "I want you two to stop fighting." And it shocked me so much that I almost stopped breathing,' Frank recounts. 'I looked at my wife and said, "Do you realize what just happened? He just said a seven-word sentence." I had tears in my eyes, and I was happy at the same time."

Things continued to progress, and now Frankie attends public school and is doing well. As he put it, “You know, I'm so glad we went to the Brain Treatment Center. Now I can talk."

Many studies have shown the effectiveness of this treatment on autism symptoms; here are some of the most recent:

• A 2022 study reviewed the effectiveness of EEG-guided rTMS to treat ASD symptoms: "This study presents evidence on the efficacy and safety of α-rTMS in improving ASD symptoms, quality of life, and comorbid sleep troubles in children."
• A 2020 review of 13 clinical trials found that rTMS appears to improve many ASD symptoms: "Recent reviews of the literature suggest that TMS is safe and effective when used in ASD."
• A 2019 study found that rTMS can improve brain activity and behavior in children with ASD: "In conclusion, the study showed that treatment with prefrontal low‐frequency rTMS improved brain functioning and behavioral symptoms in autism. rTMS might be a better alternative for patients with ASD who are not suitable for the psychopharmacological treatments."
• A 2016 report concluded that MeRT® is a promising therapeutic option to treat ASD with minimal side effects: "Given our understanding of the EEG and the consistent abnormalities in the electrophysiology of children with ASD, we would suggest that MRT is an appropriate therapeutic option to further pursue."

Call us for a free consultation with our New Patient Coordinator. She will take as much time as you need to answer all your questions. She can also schedule you for testing and a consultation with the doctor to see if your child may benefit from MeRT® treatment.

We are passionate about helping your child realize their full potential, and we know that MeRT® can be an essential step in that direction.