In 2021, she came across a notice in the Federal Register recruiting participants for a double-blind clinical trial led by Dr. Richard Frye.

“It was like something clicked. He went from one or two words to full-on sentences within six months.” -- Kathleen Schnier

The pediatric neurologist was studying whether leucovorin could help autistic children with cerebral folate deficiency — or a shortage of vitamin B9 in the brain.

Researchers believe up to 70% of autistic children have antibodies that block the transport of folate into the brain, leading to these deficiencies and contributing to speech delays and behavioral challenges. //

With his new ability to speak, Nathaniel finally found a way to express what had been locked inside for years.

“The TV in my brain, I can say it in my mouth,” Kathleen remembers her son telling her. “It was always there, he just couldn’t say it.”