Could Folate Be the Missing Key in Your Child's Progress
Demystifying PANS/PANDAS Podcast
Nancy O'Hara MD
Demystifying PANS/PANDAS Podcast
Nancy O'Hara MD
By McKenzie Beard
Published March 19, 2025, 6:00 a.m. ET
There is new hope regarding a possible treatment for autism, and it is being spearheaded by a doctor in the Phoenix area.
Child Neurologist Richard Frye has been testing the generic drug Leucovorin as a way of helping folic acid get through to the brain. Folic acid is essential for brain development. Dr. Frye said many patients saw significant improvements in their language skills.
"It's not just talking, but, what we found in our testing is that they were able to understand language in a more complicated fashion and understand the social nuances of language," Dr. Frye said.
Dr. Frye has published his findings in a book, as well as in peer-reviewed studies, and he hopes for additional outside research to confirm and expand on what may be a promising new treatment. FOX 10's Ellen McNamara has more.
(This video is provided for educational and informational purposes only, and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. The information provided should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, and those seeking personal medical advice should consult with a licensed physician.)
A neurologist in Arizona says the generic drug leucovorin help children with autism absorb folic acid, allowing their brains to develop in a more neuro-typical way. The FDA has not approved the drug for this purpose though.
By Dr. Céline Gounder
Updated on: September 24, 2025 / 7:50 PM EDT / CBS News
Interview with Dr. Richard Frye, a pediatric neurologist and internationally recognized autism researcher, about Folinic Acid, Leucovorin and Autism. Dr. Frye focuses on the biological aspects of autism, including folate pathways, the immune system, metabolism, and mitochondrial function.
Posted by: Potomac Psychiatry
Posted on: April 13, 2023
Frye, RE. The Autism File: Biomedical Update. 2015. pp. 28-34.
Frye, RE, Casanova M, Brown GL, Martin V, Edelson S, Coben R, Lewine J, Rossignol D, MacFabe D, Slattery J, Adams JB. Autism Science Digest: The Journal of Autismone. Issue 5. pp. 4-10.
Frye, RE, Slattery J, Adams JB. The Autism File: Biomedical Update. pp. 24-29.
Frye, RE, Rossignol D. Autism Science Digest: The Journal of Autismone. Issue 2. pp. 9-15.
Frye, RE. Autism File: Autism & Treatments. 2017. pp. 25-29.
Posted by: TACA Now Blog
Posted on: March 29, 2023
Rossignol, DA, Frye, RE. Autism Science Digest: The Journal of Autismone. 2011. pp. 21-27.
Frye, RE, Rose S. Autism File. June-July 2017. pp. 18-21.