Medical & Health Episodes

Sudden Autism Behavior Changes? It Might Be Catatonia What happens when your child, teen or adult suddenly changes? Increased aggression, freezing, loss of communication or unusual behaviors can feel like regression or “behavior issues.” But in some cases, it may be something far less recognized: catatonia in autism. In this episode of Autism Labs, host Mike Carr shares a deeply personal perspective as a parent of a 36-year-old son with profound autism. Drawing from real-life experience and r...

Sleep challenges in autism aren’t just difficult, they can be life-altering. In Part 2 of this Autism Labs conversation, Dr. Muzammil Shafi, a neuroradiologist and father of a profoundly autistic son, shares the real-world impact of severe sleep disruption on behavior, caregiving, and overall quality of life. From melatonin and pharmacological interventions to the emotional toll of chronic sleep deprivation, this episode explores how families navigate one of the most common and least understo...

In this powerful episode of Autism Labs, host Mike Carr speaks with Dr. Muzammil Shafi, a board-certified radiologist and neuroradiologist and a father of a profoundly autistic son. Dr. Shafi shares both his medical expertise and lived experience navigating autism diagnosis, sudden developmental regression and the long-term realities of caregiving for a nonverbal child. The conversation explores early autism signs, loss of speech after initial progress, medical uncertainty, gut-brain connections...

Are we focusing on the wrong starting point in autism care? In this episode of Autism Labs, host Mike Carr speaks with Dr. Theresa Lyons a Yale-trained scientist, PhD and autism parent about why health may be the missing piece in autism support. While many families begin with therapies like ABA or structured education, Dr. Lyons explains how underlying health challenges such as gut imbalances, infections, sleep issues and nutritional deficiencies can significantly impact behavior, learning an...

Many families are told that autism is something that inevitably gets harder over time and that there’s little they can do beyond behavioral therapy and medication. But what if that narrative is incomplete? In this episode of Autism Labs, Mike Carr speaks with Dr. Theresa Lyons, a Yale-trained scientist, founder of Navigating Awetism and mother of a non-speaking autistic daughter. Drawing from both scientific research and lived experience, Dr. Lyons shares a new perspective on what’s possible and...

Sleep is one of the biggest and most exhausting challenges for families living with autism. In this episode of Autism Labs, host Mike Carr shares 8 real-world strategies that have helped his son sleep over the past 30 years. This isn’t a clinical checklist. It's a lived experience. From physical and mental exhaustion to sensory tools, supplements and unexpected approaches like letting your child self-regulate at night this episode explores what actually helps (and what doesn’t). If you’re rai...

In Part 2 of this powerful Autism Labs conversation, Mike Carr sits down with Glenn Carter (Board Certified Behavior Analyst with 15+ years of experience) to explore one of the most complex topics in autism care: the relationship between medication, behavior, and everyday life factors. Many families rely on medication to manage aggression, focus, or sleep challenges. But as Glenn explains, without clear data and defined goals, medication can become a cycle of side effects rather than solutions. ...

Most autism families don’t struggle with commitment. They struggle with coordination. After decades of clinical experience, pediatric neurologist Dr. Dilip Karnik saw a consistent gap: parents are left to manage complex care systems without the tools or support they actually need. In this episode of Autism Labs, host Mike Carr sits down with Dr. Karnik and his team to explore a new AI-powered platform designed to centralize autism care and support decision-making in real time. This conversati...

What should parents and caregivers believe when they hear a new claim about autism treatment? After more than 35 years raising his son Michael, who has severe autism and complex support needs, Mike Carr shares what his family has learned about navigating autism research, treatment claims, caregiving and everyday support. In this episode, Mike discusses commonly asked questions about vaccines and autism, acetaminophen/Tylenol during pregnancy, leucovorin, cerebral folate deficiency and folic a...

Autism 1 in 31: What Does It Mean for Profound Autism Families? Autism prevalence has changed significantly over the past several decades, but what do those numbers mean for families living with profound autism and significant support needs? In this episode of Autism Labs, Mike Carr examines the latest CDC autism prevalence data and reflects on his family's experience raising a son with profound autism. The CDC's Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network estimated that a...