When a nonspeaking autistic child can't reliably tell you their stomach hurts, they're exhausted, or something feels different, how do parents make sure everything happening in their body isn't simply attributed to autism?

Greer McGuinness, registered dietitian, functional medicine practitioner, founder of Biomedical Healing for Kids, and autism mom, joins Sarah Kernion to explore that question. Greer shares her son's developmental regression, her search for answers, and why she began looking more closely at nutrition, gut health, testing, and co-occurring medical concerns.
They discuss the tension between conventional and functional medicine, individualized care, caregiver observation, and why supporting a child's health doesn't require rejecting or trying to “fix” who they are.
The question underneath it all: Are we looking at the whole child?

In This Episode
00:00 When everything gets attributed to autism
01:31 Greer's son's early development and regression
04:45 Receiving an autism diagnosis and questioning what changed
05:34 Following the traditional autism therapy path
06:23 The friend who introduced Greer to biomedical conversations
07:48 Studying functional medicine and autism research
09:16 Beginning supplements and noticing changes in her son
10:36 Using data to track progress
12:03 Where Greer starts with families: nutrition and gut health
13:17 Co-occurring medical conditions versus “just autism”
14:54 What do we actually know about the gut and autism?
15:42 Why Greer wants conventional and functional medicine to work together
16:40 Supporting health versus trying to “cure” autism
18:20 Profound support needs and communication
20:00 Why another family's success doesn't predict your child's response
20:38 When a popular protocol made things worse for Greer's son
21:40 Parent intuition, experimentation, and discernment
22:35 Working with conventional and functional practitioners
24:11 Why parents often look to doctors for permission
25:03 When Greer disagreed with her developmental pediatrician
27:30 Standard of care versus individualized care
28:27 Looking at an autistic child's health isn't the same as trying to fix autism
29:47 Greer's resources for families
Topics Discussed
Profound autism, nonspeaking autism, developmental regression, functional medicine, biomedical approaches to autism, nutrition, gut health, gut microbiome, feeding challenges, constipation, sleep, co-occurring medical conditions, supplements, individualized care, caregiver observation, parent advocacy, conventional medicine, functional testing, autism research, and whole-child health.
Key Questions Answered
1. How can parents distinguish autism-related differences from possible medical problems?
2. What does a biomedical or functional medicine approach to autism actually mean?
3. Where does Greer suggest families begin when exploring whole-child health?
4. Why does she focus on nutrition and gastrointestinal health?
5. What can constipation, sleep changes, feeding issues, or behavior potentially tell parents?
6. Why can the same supplement or protocol affect children differently?
7. How can parents document changes rather than relying solely on memory?
8. Can conventional and functional medicine work together?
9. How can parents advocate when their clinician disagrees with an approach they want to explore?
10. Can parents accept their autistic child while still investigating pain, discomfort, or co-occurring health problems?

Resources

Greer McGuinness holds a Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics, is a Registered Dietitian, Certified Detox Specialist, Certified Master Herbalist, Certified Lyme Specialist, and a Certified Mental Health Specialist. Based in New York, she owns Biomedical Healing for Kids, a virtual Private Practice. As a dedicated professional with almost 20 years of experience, Greer has made significant contributions to the field of pediatric health. Her expertise lies in detoxifying toxins, enhancing gut health, and optimizing nutrient status. As a published researcher, she has focused on Autism and alternative medicine, showcasing her commitment to exploring innovative approaches to healthcare. Greer is a trailblazer in her field, having developed the pioneering Detoxing Toxins in Pediatrics course. Through her Rebalance Roadmap, she empowers parents and healthcare providers to safely and effectively detoxify toxins in children. By incorporating biomedical testing and integrative treatments, she aims to facilitate the advancement of children's developmental abilities, enabling them to lead active and healthier lives. Greer's passion for holistic health and her dedication to pediatric well-being make her a respected figure in the realm of nutrition and alternative medicine.

Follow Greer McGuinness and Biomedical Healing for Kids for education about nutrition, functional medicine, gut health, laboratory testing, and her approach to supporting children with autism and other complex needs.
Explore Greer's free Biomedical Workbook and ebooks, including information she provides for parents who want to learn more about laboratory testing and questions they can discuss with their child's healthcare providers.

For evidence-based information about autism and co-occurring medical conditions, families can also consult resources from the American Academy of Pediatrics, National Institutes of Health, and their child's licensed medical team before making significant dietary, supplement, or treatment changes.

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