What is NIDS?
NIDS stands for neuro-immune dysfunction syndromes, a classification for illnesses or disorders related to problems with the complex interactions between the central nervous system and the immune system. Children with NIDS often have a genetic pre-disposition to immune dysregulation. There is often a family association of auto-immune mediated disorders.

Many scientists and researchers believe that NIDS is responsible for the majority of cases of autism, pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), as well as many cases of attention deficit disorder (ADD), attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD).

This has led to the initial medical treatment of these disorders as illnesses and not as developmental disabilities or mental disorders, as once believed.

How many are affected?
More than 3 million children in the United States and many millions more worldwide.

What comprises the NIDS organization?
Founded in 1998, the NIDS Research Institute consists of the NIDS Parents Coalition and the NIDS Scientific Board.

What is the Parents Coalition?
This group is dedicated to increasing the public’s awareness of the connection between neuro-immune and/or auto-immune dysfunction and conditions such as autism, ADD, AD/HD, PDD, CFS and related disorders. Also, the coalition is committed to facilitating access to treatment options and research studies for families and their children suffering from these disease processes.

What is the Scientific Board?
The scientific board is the medical arm of the Institute and is dedicated to accelerating the integration of clinical and research findings to facilitate new immune-modulating therapies in treatment. The NIDS-RI Scientific Board includes leading researchers, professionals and specialists in immunology, infectious diseases, nuclear medicine and pediatrics.

Current projects:
The NIDS Research Institute and Parents Coalition are now raising funds to begin clinical triails for immune modulators and to establish diagnostic and medical services for NIDS patients.

Fundraising goal:
$12 million in 2002 to fund immediate application of new agents for treatment trials. $22 million + by 2005 to fund all programs and on-going support for patients and their families.

Local chapters:
Mobilized parents across the country have begun to form chapters.

Services:
On-line support group, updates on new drug protocols, conferences and more. Also available is a NIDS email newsgroup to exchange ideas about the illness.