Background: We present the case of a 6-y-old boy who was diagnosed with sensory processing disorder with developmental language and learning delay. He was treated successfully with diet and high-dose biotin along with other nutrient support that resulted in resolution of abnormal sensory behaviors and improvement in language and learning.
Case/intervention: The child was diagnosed with a presumed biotin deficiency from organic acids testing which revealed markers that reflected biotin deficiency despite supplementation with 300 mcg daily (AI = 12 mcg/d). Stool markers were also noted for low beneficial biotin producing microbiota. In the course of several months of high-dose biotin supplementation with herbal treatment for dysbiosis, he was able to subsequently transition from special needs classes requiring sensory support into mainstream classes as a neurotypical child with age appropriate language and learning skills and resolution of abnormal sensory behaviors.
Conclusion: This case illustrates the importance of using functional nutrition labs to rule out nutrient imbalances that could be a cause of improper signaling in the brain, which can translate into delayed language, learning, and behavior disorders. Organic acids may reveal a much higher level of need of nutrients, especially when polymorphisms of enzymes are present that may be responsive, as this case demonstrates, to targeted high-dose nutrient therapy.