The company's approach is still relatively new and not widely known, meaning many experts in the field of childhood development have not vetted its effectiveness.īrain Balance says its nonmedical and drug-free program helps children who struggle with ADHD, autism spectrum disorders and learning and processing disorders. The company says it is currently taking in over $50 million in annual revenue.Īlthough Brain Balance isn't the only purveyor of alternative approaches for developmental disorders in the U.S., the scale of the enterprise sets it apart. In the dozen years since its inception, Brain Balance says, it has helped roughly 25,000 children. Natalie had stumbled upon one of 113 Brain Balance franchises across the country. " It will completely, absolutely, 100 percent change your life" "Maybe we found a solution that wasn't going to be about medicine. Best of all, it didn't involve prescription drugs. Natalie says the program claimed to help with disorders ranging from dyslexia to ADHD and autism. Then one day, as Natalie roamed the aisles of a gluten-free expo in a Chicago suburb not far from where the family lives, she came across a booth for a Brain Balance Achievement Center. The fear of psychotropic drugs led the family to pursue alternative treatments for autism. (To protect their privacy, we are only using Natalie's and Stephanie's first names. Why would you give it to a 7-year-old?" Stephanie wondered after the doctor's visit. "Prozac is a very powerful drug for adults. For both parents, medication wasn't an option.
"That was when both of us fell apart in that meeting," Natalie says. When a doctor eventually confirmed he had an autism spectrum disorder, the diagnosis came with a suggestion: Perhaps the boy would benefit from Prozac when he turned 7.
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