When Joelle Golden's five-year-old son, Liam, was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder - a severe developmental disorder that, according to the Centers for Disease Control, now affects one in 150 children - she was devastated. However, she also was determined to help her then two-year-old son overcome the disorder.
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In addition to educational services, Golden sought the expertise of doctors who incorporated alternative or complementary therapies that, according to Golden, were crucial to her son's recovery. And now, in an attempt to assist other families in helping their child reach their greatest potential, Golden created The Golden Fund for Autism, a non-profit organization that aims to assist families who do not have the financial resources to participate in such therapies. The organization also is raising funds for a new study to be completed by the Columbia University Medical Center and the Long Island Spectrum Center, which will evaluate the use of alternative therapies in the treatment of children with autism.