HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- Four years ago, Valery and Elio Cabrera received a devastating diagnosis: their 4-year-old daughter was severely autistic.

"Patricia had no social skills," said Valery. "She couldn't speak, she couldn't write, she couldn't shower and dress herself."

When conventional therapies failed to improve Patricia's condition the Cabrera's sought out alternatives. "That's when we started reading about stem cells as a possible treatment," said Valery.

But stem cells are not approved for the treatment of autism in the United States, so the Cabreras took their daughter to a clinic in Costa Rica.

After her first treatment at the Institute of Cellular Medicine in November of 2006, the Cabreras said Patricia improved dramatically. Valery said he tested her for compatibility with three different adult stem cell donors. T

"Then, over the course of the three days we were there, she was given injections of several thousand cells," said Valery.

Patricia's pediatrician initially advised the Cabreras against the treatment.

"Every time you put something into your body there's a chance your body will reject it," said Dr. Claudia Herrera.

But that apparently didn't happen with Patricia.

"She's now a completely different girl," said Herrera. "She talks to me, gives me hugs. The first time I saw her I couldn't even examine her without getting a kick or a punch or a cry."

The treatments cost more than $15,000 but the Cabreras said the difference in their daughter was worth every penny.

"So many times parents of autistic children hear there's nothing that can be done. Now that we've seen what stem cells have done for Patricia, we wanted to share our story of hope with others," said Valery.