Friday, April 12, 2024
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My son was ten years old when I, most fortunately, took him to Dr. MacDonald for manipulative treatment. It was 35 years ago and remains a cherished memory. At the time, I lived near the Upledger Institute in Florida, and my parents (Joseph T and Sheila Rogers, also osteopathic physicians) recommended we try craniosacral therapy for him.
This first appointment was instrumental in the start of my nonprofit organization, the Association for Comprehensive NeuroTherapy (www.latitudes.org), which has helped many thousands worldwide. I have spoken of this incident during every webinar and lecture I gave, and included it in my first book on Tourette Syndrome (Natural Treatments for Tics and Tourette’s: A Patient and Family Guide). In the book, I referred to my boy as “Tim” to protect his identity, and I’ll do so here in this adapted version of our first meeting with Dr. MacDonald:
I was desperate for help when I arrived at the office. We were coping with facial, neck, shoulder, and eye tics, along with mild vocalizations (little sounds that Tim couldn’t help making), obsessions, and more. These problems had come out of nowhere over the previous two years. We’d seen conventional specialists, received a diagnosis of Tourette syndrome, and been told there was no cure. I’d read everything I could find, with no good answers. We were warned that standard drugs for Tourette’s should be used only as a last resort due to detrimental side effects. What could we do?
I can still see Dr. MacDonald standing near his desk. Handsome, physically fit, with a calm and reassuring demeanor. Meanwhile, Tim stood self-consciously in the middle of the exam room, and I sat anxiously nearby. His face was contorted with twitches and tics, and I knew he was trying to control other movements.
Dr. MacDonald began: “What’s the problem?”
My first thought was – Um, is he seeing what I’m seeing?! “My son has Tourette syndrome,” I said.
His tone was matter-of-fact: “No, that’s not what I asked you. That’s just the label he has been given. I asked what the problem is.”
“Oh. Well—he has a lot of tics, and they’re getting much worse," I said, choking up a bit.
He replied, “You need to understand that tics are the body’s way of letting you know that something is wrong. They are a symptom. They’re saying, ‘Something is wrong inside—won’t you fix it?’ The label isn’t important.”
Hope emerged for the first time. Dr. MacDonald added, “I don’t have all the answers for you, but I will stick with you until we find them.” I couldn’t believe he said that! I was no longer on this journey alone. That was the turning point for us.
Dr. MacDonald contacted agencies in search of natural approaches and eventually helped us locate an environmental physician and allergist who showed us how some foods, allergens, toxic chemicals, and nutritional imbalances were causing the tics.
My son was soon on the road to a complete recovery, and I started Latitudes.org to tell others. (Our website includes an article by Dr. MacDonald on treating autism: https://latitudes.org/craniosacral-therapy-and-autism/) I often wished he had not moved so far away so I could have seen him again.
I offer heartfelt condolences, confident that the family is aware of how remarkable Dick MacDonald was. All my kids and I were treated by him, and we had the pleasure of meeting his sweet wife, Pat, along the way. Dr. MacDonald's impact as a teacher and physician will surely continue for many, many more decades. He will be greatly missed.
