This is from a mom who wants to remain anonymous, but wants to share her story in hope it may help others…
My 15 year old son was diagnosed with autism, at the age of 4. I’ll digress a moment, as I share our bumpy journey of how we finally got to Dr. Hirani’s practice. Thank goodness, we found her!!
My son was prescribed Ritalin at 4, and had an immediate side effect (foamed at the mouth) and the doctor said “we can try something else.” Over the next 10 years we were caught up in a cycle of hope and adding, subtracting, upping, stopping, starting a variety of medication(s) nearly 20 of them, which all culminated with my son ending up in the E.R. He had a very serious reaction to a cocktail of medications and needed emergency care. He was admitted to the hospital for a week, so they could “fix his medications.”
Watching him struggle through devastating side effects to new medications while in the hospital, is something no parent should ever have to witness and no child should ever have to experience. Sadly it is not uncommon to be hospitalized for medication adjustments. Who knew. I met many other young patients while my son was hospitalized, who were also getting their meds “fixed.” Some of the kids sounded like mini-psychiatrists; rattling off their medication side effects. One sweet girl asked what med. my son had been on and replied, “oh that one made me depressed.” I am not against medications, they help many people, but there should to be a balance in treatments and a real respect for risk verses benefit.
I had almost given up hope to find the appropriate care for my son and thankfully, (another mom named Kim) recommended us to Dr. Hirani. Her son has made miraculous progress under Dr. Hirani’s care, so I felt very confident trusting Dr. Hirani’s expertise when treating my son. When I met Dr. Hirani, it was such a relief that she did not sweep my concerns about side effects under the carpet, which is what had happened with other doctors prior to working with Dr. Hirani. Imagine telling a psychiatrist that you were concerned because your child said he felt like he wanted to die (and had just started a Blackbox medication with suicidal thoughts warnings on the box) and she replies: “He’s frustrated because he has autism.”
Thank goodness I got my son to Dr. Hirani!! Experiencing her genuine compassion was so healing in itself! Most importantly, she was able to get my son on track to healing after reviewing his lab work and doing an extensive interview and an intake exam. My son is on a prescription medication, currently, and Dr. Hirani is open to a “hybrid” approach, which many doctors are not, as they are either in one camp or the other when it comes to medications and a holistic approach. Dr. Hirani welcomes feedback, and if something is not working, she will brainstorm for seeking solutions when needed. Dr. Hirani attends medical conferences and shares her knowledge about current research, giving presentations in her office. I found that very to be a an empowering opportunity to learn more about my son’s medical conditions and listen to other participants ask questions and share their progress and be encouraged with learning about their and success in healing.
Although there is no cure for autism, yet, Dr. Hirani’s unique and professional medical approach has made a positive impact on my son’s health. He is calmer, healthier, and most of all happier!!! He is getting B’s in general education classes in High School! Since he has been off stimulants he has gained (much needed) weight and grown 4 inches.
I highly recommend Dr. Hirani to anyone who wants a doctor who cares about treating the whole child and truly listens to you, and addresses your child’s (and/or your own) needs!!
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