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Dr. Mohammad Khan watched helplessly as his son Ahmed, once developing typically, regressed into moderate autism at age two. With a scientist’s mind and a father’s heart, Mohammad embarked on a journey that would eventually lead his family to Braincare Carlsbad and a treatment that would change their lives.
The Regression
“There was one night,” Mohammad recalls, “suddenly he started crying a lot, and from that particular night, I remember, he never stopped.”
After that night, Ahmed’s development declined dramatically. His speech disappeared, replaced by mumbling and nonverbal sounds. Eye contact vanished. Sleep became nearly impossible. As time passed, Ahmed, diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and ADHD, showed little improvement despite their best efforts.
Failed Treatments and Frustration
Like many parents of children with autism, Mohammad and his wife, Amrin, tried everything the conventional medical system offered. ABA therapy was helpful but insufficient, especially during COVID-19 when services moved online. And some prescribed medications produced alarming side effects.
“One medication pretty much made him kind of like a vegetable,” Mohammad explains. “He had no emotions. He was peeing all day.” Another medication made Ahmed extremely hyperactive.
With his background as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and a PhD in Biosciences, Mohammad researched these medications and was shocked. “These are addictive medications. These are drugs which I wouldn’t even give to adults.”
Homeopathic treatments from India provided minimal relief but no significant progress. After years of treatment, Ahmed remained in the moderate autism category with limited communication and increasing behavioral challenges.
Finding Hope at Braincare Carlsbad
After exhaustive online research, Mohammad discovered the Braincare Performance Center. The clinic described a non-invasive treatment targeting brain function that had shown significant improvements for children with autism. This treatment, called MeRT (Magnetic e-Resonance Therapy), is an advanced form of TMS based on precise brain mapping to target specific areas of the brain not functioning optimally.
When they met Dr. Awodele at Braincare Carlsbad, Mohammad was immediately impressed: “He’s completely out of this world. He’s fantastic.” Dr. Awodele explained the treatment process, showed real-life examples of improvement, and detailed how qEEG measurements would track Ahmed’s brain function changes.
Before starting treatment, the family prepared Ahmed by having him practice wearing a cap similar to what he’d be wearing during therapy.
The MeRT Treatment Experience
The staff at Braincare Carlsbad accommodated Mohammad’s work schedule with evening appointments. And they expertly handled Ahmed’s initial non-compliance, a common challenge in the first weeks of treatment.
MeRT therapy directly targets brain function by improving coordination between different regions, which can result in remarkable changes. For Ahmed, those changes began appearing in the second week of treatment.
First, his sleep improved, and his night crying stopped. As therapy continued, his eye contact increased. By the end of the eight-week treatment, Ahmed was following commands and closing his eyes by himself during therapy—something previously impossible.
The MeRT treatment was so comfortable that Ahmed played on his tablet during his sessions.
Continuing Changes
The changes continued well past the initial eight weeks of treatment. And after six months, Ahmed’s transformation was profound. Mohammad notes, “He’s understanding his academics. He’s understanding addition. He’s understanding numbers better. He’s understanding his surroundings.”
Though not yet fully verbal, Ahmed now consistently understands what his parents tell him—a breakthrough that never happened before. His school and ABA therapists also reported dramatic improvements in his behavior and understanding.
A Father’s Perspective
What makes this treatment different, Mohammad explains, is how it addresses brain function. “This is the only therapy that directly targets the brain, and it will improve brain coordination.”
Another crucial difference is objective measurement. “The only way I could figure out if other therapies were working was by his behavioral characteristics. But here we have a proper qEEG medical test which tells you how his brain is coordinating.”
Perhaps most importantly, the improvements continue even after treatment ends. “You’re removing the shackles,” Mohammad says. “Your brain continues to evolve and adapt. Once the shackles are broken, that’s it—your brain is free for that particular area.”
Looking Forward
Mohammad plans to bring Ahmed back for another treatment cycle to see how much more he will be able to achieve.
In his most powerful statement, Mohammad shares: “This is probably the only therapy that I have seen in my nine years of parenthood that has brought change in him. There is a significant, noticeable change. I could say that Ahmed has developed, has achieved a milestone, has grown from last year. He has become a different person.”
A Message to Other Parents
Mohammad advises other parents to educate themselves by examining peer-reviewed scientific publications rather than relying solely on YouTube videos or Google searches.
He emphasizes that MeRT is not an immediate cure—improvements come gradually as the brain adapts. “A lot of people don’t understand that. They expect the switch to turn on immediately.”
For Mohammad’s family, finding Braincare Carlsbad didn’t just help Ahmed; it transformed their future. “These could be wonderful minds who would contribute to the growth and development of society,” he says of children with autism. With effective treatment, these children have the chance to fulfill their potential.
As Mohammad reflects on their journey, his scientist’s precision gives way to a father’s emotion: “Ahmed has evolved. This is the only therapy that worked. And I’m so grateful to have found Dr. Awodele and Braincare Carlsbad.”
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