Richard Linsk, MD, PhD, PC
Our goal is to get you better. We treat the problem, not the symptom.
Our Services include:
Biomedical and behavioral approaches to the care of children and adults with psychiatric and developmental disorders, such as autism, ADD, mood disorders, and behavior problems.
Defeat Autism Now! (DAN!) approach to healing autism.
Care of chronic fatigue disorder, fibromyalgia, endocrine imbalances, weight loss, allergies, and gastrointestinal disorders using natural and nutritional approaches.
Dietary and behavioral coaching for children with autistic spectrum disorders.
Child Services
Allergies and Intestinal Disorders:
Alternative therapies will be considered for children with allergic disorders including,
- eczema
- chronic runny nose
- recurrent ear infections
- asthma
- chronic diarrhea and constipation
- food intolerance
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Neuro – Psychiatric Disorders:
We provide both biomedical and conventional care of children with neuro-developmental disorders such as autism and ADHD/ADD. We stress the importance of nutritional interventions for the treatment of most neuropsychiatric and behavioral disorders.
In almost all cases, biomedical approaches need to applied together with behavioral interventions in order to maximize the effectiveness of each.
The use of pharmaceuticals, including stimulants, Prozac, and other psychoactive medications, will be considered for selected cases.
Parenting coaching and behavioral counseling are available
General Services
Our team treats and often resolves medical, physical andemotional complications associated with:
- Neurodevelopment Disorders: AUTISM, ADD/ADHD, and DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS
- Behavioral and Mood Disorders: DEPRESSION, OCD, ANXIETY, SLEEP PROBLEMS
- Functional Disorders: FIBROMYALGIA, CHRONIC FATIGUE, and IRRITABLE BOWEL
- Immune System Disorders: ALLERGIES, ASTHMA, ECZEMA, CHRONIC INFECTIONS and FOOD SENSITIVITIES
We employ a wide variety of evidence based and complementary approaches, including:
- DIAGNOSTIC TESTING FOR DIGESTIVE PROBLEMS, TOXICITY, AND METABOLIC DISORDERS
- ALLERGY ASSESSMENT, CUSTOMIZED DIETS (GFCF, SCD, LOD, FEINGOLD)
- HBOT, HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS, HOMEOPATHY, NUTRACUETICALS
- MEDICATION TAPERING, TRANSITION TO NATURAL REMEDIES, DETOXIFICATION,
- BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS, FAMILY COACHING, PSYCHOPHARMACEUTICALS
- OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, INTERACTIVE METRONOME
- THERAPEUTIC LISTENING, EEG NEUROFEEDBACK
- DEVELOPMENTAL TESTING, PSYCHOTHERAPY
We believe that by working as a team we provide you and your family with the best care available.
Definitions
Here are a few definitions to help explain how we practice:
Conventional medicine is built on the diagnosis/treatment model of health In many ways, conventional medicine divides people into in each of these organ systems. Often pharmaceuticals are then prescribed determined by the patient’s diagnosis. Conventional medicine often has difficulty approaching patient’s without a diagnosis.
Functional medicine assumes that many diseases are caused by certain common, underlying metabolic, infectious, and inflammatory processes. Functional physicians often recommend dietary interventions to remove irritants and recommend nutritional supplements and herbal preparations to support normal function.
Autism is a description applied to some children and adults with significant abnormalities in socialization, language, and behavior. Autism is not a diagnosis. Dozens of factors can contribute to autistic symptoms and there are dozens of approaches to treat these symptoms.
Asperger syndrome is a distinct pattern of phenomena characterized by relatively normal language development, deficiencies in social function, unusual interests, and clumsiness. Asperger Syndrome can be associated with other identifiable conditions such as ADD, anxiety, and depression, and often treating these symptoms can significantly improve quality of life.
ADD/ADHD is called “Attention Deficit Disorder with or without hyperactivity”. A more appropriate name would be “Attention Dysregulation Disorder”. Like autism, ADD is defined by symptoms, and probably reflects a variety of conditions that interfere with effective regulation of the brain. In many cases, the same nutritional and biomedical therapies that bring relief for children with autism, bring about significant clinical improvement for children with ADD. When needed, medications can also bring about significant improvements in ADD symptoms. The most serious and common complication of ADD is failure, and early failure can have a significant impact on the rest of a child’s life. Optimal ADD therapy often combines medication, dietary interventions, nutritional supplements, brain training, and behavioral coaching.
Behavioral disorders are defined as behaviors that result from interactions between the child and his environment. They are a reflection of temperament, tolerance of environmental stimulation, and parenting style. The understanding of behavioral disorders depends on the accurate observation of the circumstance surrounding the behavior and the emotion exhibited by the child. Behavioral disorders often respond to parenting coaching, sensory interventions, and possibly modulation of temperament with supplements, nutritional interventions, or medication.
Dr. Linsk earned his PhD in Genetics from the University of California, Berkeley and an MD from Columbia University. He did his residency training in Pediatrics at Columbia University and the University of Michigan. He is a former faculty member at the University of Michigan and has been practicing general pediatrics since 1997. He started caring for children with autism in 2003. He is board certified in Pediatrics.
Dr Linsk believes that many of the common symptoms experienced by children such as runny noses, bowel problems, and behavioral problems can be caused by their diet, and that changing the diet can be more effective than medication in many cases. This is especially the case among children with autism. He treats children with autism, ADHD, and allergies with a combination of diet, nutritional supplementation, and in some cases, pharmaceuticals. He also enjoys coaching parents of younger children with behavior problems, and being a general pediatrician.
Dr Linsk is married and has two teenage boys and enjoys running, walking, and talking with children and parents.
Life Skills Program:
Sharon Bergman has a background in psychotherapy and holds a MA degree in clinical and humanistic psychology. She has been working with special populations including autistic spectrum disorders, ADHD, mood disorders, and clients with learning disabilities for over twenty years. She has worked in clinical, educational and community based therapeutic programs. An emphasis on brain based and research based approaches is evident in this work, always making the client and client’s family a primary part of the team and focus. Over the last decade Sharon has diversified her work expanding into the areas of learning consulation and Neurofeedback. She has trained with the All Kinds Of Minds Institute, Dr. Greene of The Collaborative Problem Solving method, Balametrics and carious Neurofeedback trainers including Sue and Siegfried, Othmer.
She utilizes Neurodevelopmental, biomedical and brain based models to develop comprehensive treatment plans through assessment and innovative treatment techniques. As a specialist in neurofeedback and a certified practitioner in The Listening Program, she can meet a variety of concerns in a learning and treatment approach to enhance life skills and functioning.
Ms. Bergman has two children, a Daughter age 14 and a Son age 11. They enjoy nature and are very active in the 4-H Youth Development program.
Assessment programs include:
ASD Packet: an intake form and a PDDBI parent and teacher to monitor observable phenomena in the Autistic Spectrum
ADHD/Learning Challenges Packet: an intake form and checklists designed to look at issues surrounding attention, distractibility, impulsivity and other challenges in the learning environment.
Other Special Needs Packet: an intake form and checklists based on specific concerns including a general brain checklist.
You will need to bring the completed forms to your appointment as well as any previous evaluations done.
