dewi22, it's easy to pay back a small amount monthly, instead of the money all at once like the labs want for testing. We are a family who have benifitted from a L4H loan and we couldn't have come up with the 300 needed all at once, whereas we can do 25 a month for 18 months! ----Jenn

Everyone get behind Tori and support this wonderful idea!

I love Tori's idea and I support it. I have a son I want to get Biomedical treatment for but can not afford to shell out all the money at one time. She has given me some wonderful advice on where to go for info and I am thankful. I truly believe 1000's of families are not wrong. If something is working for all these children with Autism then why are so many against it. I want to help my son feel better and have endless happiness. I am hoping to see some more support for Tori's wonderful idea.

If people do not have money how will they repay this loan if they cannot afford to repay their credit cards.

This is a fabulous microlending idea. Of course, we need to study these biomedical aproaches, but just because the studies have not been conducted doesn't mean the approaches don't work. Historically, people are always guinea pigs (see the brown/black lung movements in the South), then grassroots people testify/organize and THEN the medical community starts testing. In the early 1990s, the medical community claimed that repetitive motion injuries weren't real! As a social scientist studying statistics at a major university, and with a master's degree from Harvard, I know that we need rigorous studies - they are in the works at places such as UC Davis and elsewhere. Meanwhile, I'm not going to wait the years it takes to finish the studies and wait for the results to be published in a peer r…moreeview journal before I take (and have taken) to recover my child with Aspergers, a form of high functioning autism. It's working for my son and fully support this program. Good luck!

There's a reason these treatments aren't covered by insurance. It's because they're ineffective. Sure, as with anything, you can find the stray proponent claiming these treatments were the end all but by and large, these are ineffective. It's far more effective to modify the home and family's social environment and practices. And yes, some dietary changes may be in order. Some autistics have dietary issues but alleviating them will not change the course of autism per se.

I think this program is wonderful and have been pleased to keep up with a friend through her blog how this treatment has changed the life of a little boy I used to spend time with regularly. While I thank God my own family doesn't have to deal with these extra challenges, I praise Him for the work of doctors and therapists willing to go the extra miles to help other children. I am happy to support Lend4Health because I know we're really making a difference.

jshneidy: you may have been looking for information in the wrong place. May I suggest you take a look at the Autism Research Institute website (www.autism.com), and more specifically this link http://www.autism.com/dan/scientificfoundations.htm. You will find a wealth of information there. And to specifically address your ending question. If I met and talked with hundreds and hundreds of parents (probably thousands by now as there are many parents that treat their children with autism using biomedical approaches) and heard them describe their childrens' improvements and saw the documented improvements in a variety of lab tests, then I would seriously explore the treatments tried by those parents. And I wouldn't give a rodents' behind about whether or not the treatment was based on …more"science", as my experience is that the outcome of "science" is only as good as the integrity and mindset (especially open and unbiased) of the sponsor (as big bucks tend to put a certain spin on studies) and the researchers.

I could support this idea if there were scientific studies supporting biomedical treatment versus behavioral treatment. I checked the Organization for Autism Research website www.researchautism.org and could not verify the efficacy of biomedical treatment. Funds should go to families utilizing scientifically proven methods. If a child has leukemia, would you give him a treatment that wasn't based on science?

This is a great idea and our loan changed our lives! I will be forever grateful!!!

Good luck!

My son has improved so much with biomedical interventions and chelation. It was expensive. Fortunately, we could pay for our treatment without losing it all. I know I'm in the minority and I think this is a great idea. I think there should also be an option to just gift money for those who don't wish repayment, who are simply touched by a story and can afford to help.

A beautiful idea and it's helping actual families. As several have noted, these treatments work. I have proof in the form of my own child who has improved so greatly since his diagnosis Feb 08. I used to have to go to school for weekly meetings just to keep everything on track and keep him in regular classes. Now they can't believe he's the same boy. 'B' average and actual friends! I'm so happy to see that this 'idea' has become real help for a number of families. I have great hope that Ideablob will help Tori take this to the next level and reach more children and the parents that love them.

Tori's creation of Lend4Health is a biomed's parents greatest dream come true. Biomedical treatments are very costly and many parents are left wondering what options they have to sucessfully recover their children. Tori is their hope. Please vote to make everyone's dreams come true!

This idea deserves support and I encourage all to give it support in every way.

We are also a family who have been helped by Lend 4 Health, without it we wouldn't have been able to afford the testing needed for our son, we're dairy farmers and so if insurance doesn't cover it, we just don't have it to spare. This is a program that will succeed since we all just want help to heal our kids, we're not looking for a hand out, just a little help. TORI ROCKS!!!!!!!

When you have an innovative, successful, useful idea that also fills a need in society that helps children who cannot always help themselves, you have a winner! This is it, Lend4Health is all of the above - I wish them the best of luck in this endeavor.

We have been helped by Tori's brainchild. Our loan was met and we are on our way to betterment for our son. It is totally legit and a wonderful blessing. For those who may not know--yes many have health insurance, but once most find out autism is also a diagnosis--they reject the claims. Also, services such as speech therapy stop when the child is "school age". Many of our children are in special classrooms because their communication skills are still not at age level. Insurance companies believe that it is the schools responsibility. School systes are suffering budget wise and they simply cannot offer enough therapy to make the strides we need. If voting for Tori's idea is the only contribution you can make--it will make a world of difference to many families. Did you know that…more autism is more prevelant than all child cancers and juvenile diabetes COMBINED? Autism receives less than 5% of the funding the previous two illnesses receive. The insurance coverage issues will take years to resolve, Tori can help us all NOW!

I 100% support this idea and would love to see Tori's receive some assistance to move this already proven idea to the next level.

This is a fantastic idea & so helpful to families that are frequently at the end of their (financial) rope. No bank in the world is going to lend money for "supplements and assorted therapies", but that's what these kids need.

I completely support Lend4Health! This is a wonderful idea that has already proven itself invaluable to the autism community. By voting for this idea you are inching Lend4Health closer to being able to help far more kids and families than they already have. So come on! What are you waiting for? Click that thumbs up button can case your vote!

This is such an awesome idea. I know there are so many families out there that need that little bit of help to help their children. I have been lucky enough to be able to manage and wish I could do more for others. This program has enabled me to help with what I can. I know these biomedical programs work as my daughter has improved 100 times in the last two years. Please give your vote for this and help the children who suffer from Autism.

FantastiC Idea! So far, my boys have be loaned almost their full request, and we do not know how else we would have paid for the needed testing! This is a FANTASTIC idea, which would be able to help SOOOOOO MANY families in need of help to cover the treatments that are helping our kids recover! Why insurance companies are only paying for 'therapies' that dont work, or even recognizing the need for ANY therapy is totally terrible! SHAME ON THEM! Its time for us to just do it for eachother. I plan on being part of Lend4Health for a long time, not just because we are being loaned money, but because the concept is FANTASTICna d the need is GREAT....just paying it forward!