book data
291 ratings,
4.07
average rating, 113 reviews
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published
September 23rd 2008
by Dutton Adult
binding
Hardcover
isbn
0525950699
(isbn13: 9780525950691)
description
Stories of hope and recovery from a nation of parents of autistic children, by the high-profile, bestselling author of Louder Than Words.
When Jenny M...more
When Jenny M...more
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avg 4.07
editions: all | this edition
editions: all | this edition
I don't have an autistic child, or a developmentally challenged child. I'm also not a fan of Jenny McCarthy's -- I've never seen her interviewed nor read a book of hers before her first book about her son's autism. But you don't have to be a fan or a parent with a disabled child. All mothers will appreciate McCarthy's story of fighting the medical establishment in order to find help for her son, Evan.
McCarthy's prose is easy to read and vivid in its descriptions. I could readily imag...more
McCarthy's prose is easy to read and vivid in its descriptions. I could readily imag...more
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I have a lot of respect for Jenny McCarthy. I went into this book expecting to totally disagree with her. After having read it, I have a different perspective. Part of the problem is that autism is such a huge spectrum of disorders, and my daughter doesn't fit any of the characteristics that her son, and most of the other kids mentioned in the book, do. So I can't say whether or not vaccines might cause autism, although I'm fairly certain that they did NOT cause my daughter's autism. But I ...more
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Read in December, 2008
An extremely fast read. I admire Jenny's dedication and determination to help her son; she is a remarkable mother. From reading this book I believe there is a extremely strong link between digestive problems and autism. People need to realize that in order to get a child mentally healthy you have to get them physically healthy (Maslow's hierarchy). I also think there is some kind of link between immunizations and autism. I believe children that have a weakened immune system, or a hereditary...more
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Read in March, 2009
As a mother of an autistic child, I was hoping to gain much more insight from this book than I actually did. I understand that the author has had to fight for everything she's achieved with her son, but I didn't need to read the f-bomb all the time. And I couldn't help but think throughout that I'm sure she comes across as a hot-tempered warrior mom, and I don't think that's a wise approach.
That said, I asked my husband to read the book also. We've debated on whether to put our son o...more
That said, I asked my husband to read the book also. We've debated on whether to put our son o...more
Read in January, 2009
Jenny had me bawling by page three! I identified with the parents in this book so much. It was pretty informative and straight forward. I learned some new stuff I didn't know about biomedicine. A good resource for links and information. I really love what she's doing and wish more celebrities would take a stance on vaccination publicly. I need to read her other books now.
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Read in May, 2009
I didn't expect to like this because it's an actress who has lots of fame and found a cause in her son's illness. But while listening to it, I find she knows her stuff and she referred to others who have had experiences similar to hers, interviewed doctors, and explained facts. I think she wrote this after some other books that she wrote earlier that blamed vaccines more in depth. This book basically said that autism is not "caused" one 100% by vaccines, but that vaccines do need to ha...more
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Read in April, 2009
Since I read and enjoyed Jenny McCarthy's other books, I figured I would try this one when I stumbled upon it at the library. At first,I was kind of turned off because I knew Jenny's stance on vaccines being a contributing factor to autism. As this was not my belief, I thought this book might be a little too "crunchy" for me. But once I got into it, I thought it was actually really inspirational. Even though I felt terrible for the stories contained, it really had a positive outloo...more
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Read in November, 2008
i'm interested to read this one. the school of autism theory is divided between grassroots groups (and many parents of autism-spectrum children) that think autism in children has increased largely because of mandatory vaccination schedules for young children. doctors and scientists point to other biological, genetic and environmental factors, pooh-poohing the vaccination theory. i've worked with children who are autism-spectrum, and while i find the pharmacological/scientific theory the MOST ...more
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Read in December, 2008
This is an extremely powerful book and one that is very near and dear to my heart. Jenny McCarthy, once again, is able to give a voice to the parents who KNOW in their hearts that their children were harmed by vaccines, and what they have done in order to help their children recover from autism. We are not crazy, we are not delusional....we know our children better than anyone else and we know when something has changed in them. Leaky gut syndrome is real and the vaccine schedule must be chan...more
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Read in March, 2009
This is an amazing read and so easy to get in to. I know there is a lot of controversy over whether vaccinations really have anything to do with autism. Some, especially those that have anything to do in the medical field are usually the first to deny any correlation. However, once you read this book I think you would feel differently. The argument is more that some children are more susceptible then others due to infections and toxins that already exist in their bodies. Because of these weaknes...more
I do not have an autistic child and I have not had to deal with development issues for my child, but I found this book interesting in the demonstration of how the consumer (patient) has to fight to be heard when dealing with healthcare, As a nurse, I marvel at what I have to do to get what I need in the healthcare arena - this book showed how we all need to be involved and invested in family health needs on every level. What do people do who are unable to navigate the system? Thanks to Jenny ...more
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Read in November, 2008
An interesting book. Jenny writes in an "in your face" style, stating her facts, challenging her antagonists, and tossing the gauntlet to anyone who calls her bluff. The real life stories are compelling and give hope to those who's children have been diagnosed with autism.
She states it's like a cancer, in that sometimes the chemo and radiation will cure, but not always. If I had a child with autism, this would certainly be an avenue I would follow up on. She includes a bibl...more
She states it's like a cancer, in that sometimes the chemo and radiation will cure, but not always. If I had a child with autism, this would certainly be an avenue I would follow up on. She includes a bibl...more
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Read in December, 2008
Once again Jenny McCarthy sheds a lot of light on the autism/vaccination controversy. She nevers says autism can be cured, but she does say her son and many children like him have recovered from the symptoms through diet control and supplements. It is incredible to read her story and the story of other "mother warriors" who fought for their children even when doctors told them there was nothing they could do. I admire that she is giving power back to the moms who feel powerless (and...more
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Read in February, 2009
What a book. Wow. I just can't explain this one. Jenny Mccarthy and all of the mothers that she deams warriors in this book are truly amazing to me. I think she is a truly courageous woman as are all of the other people out there who have special needs children. I learned soo much from this book. It actually scared me to pieces, after having already vaccinated my daughter who is almost 21 months old. I was incredibly ignorant to Autism, but this book has taught me so much and has opened my eyes ...more
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Read in February, 2009
Thank you, Jenny, for making this book happen!!! A gem to any parent and gonna-be parents! I read this whole book in 8 hours--I could not stop! The book encourages the broader medical community to get on board with parents actual experiences. These warrior parents are doing the investigating and treating their kids on their own with the help of DAN! doctors!!! Very empowering stories that will take you on an emotional journey that you couldn't imagine unless you have been through it yourself! An...more
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Read in November, 2008
Jenny McCarthy may be right or she may be wrong about the causes and treatments for autism (there is a passionate debate about this subject and, demonstrably, one size does not fit all), but she is certainly glad to name and shame, whether she's taking on the American Academy of Pediatrics, Autism Speaks, or Barbara Walters. America likes giant-killers, and she has a strong, likeable voice. I say, fight on, Jenny and Evan.
Also, the parents' stories are well-told and they will make...more
Also, the parents' stories are well-told and they will make...more
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I read both this book and her previous book(Louder than Words) about her and her son's struggles with health and identifying and treating his autism. They are both easy reads and thankfully I don't have autism in the family but know many who do. Jenny Mc Carthy's previous book details her struggles to save her son's life (he has many seizures) and then identify his autism and then put him on the road to recovery (I'm not sure if she calls it cured). This book deals with the many other mothers ...more
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Read in October, 2008
recommends it for:
parents, people who love children
Pretty much everyone who knows me knows that I do NOT do serious books, movies, or even TV. I feel that life has enough challenges to justify my entertainment being purely entertaining. Or at least subtlety disguising the thoughtful stuff in between the adventures or humor. But I started out reading Jenny's books long before anyone, certainly Jenny herself, ever considered that she would have so much serious information and so many life-changing experiences to convey, and I knew I had to stick w...more
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Read in December, 2008
This book highlights autism from the perspective of a mother with an autistic son who is told there is no hope for help. However, with determination and sheer willpower, she is able to recover her son from the clutches of autism and bring him back into the world of the living through the use of biomedical science. This book is filled with stories from mothers and fathers of autistic children who have lived through sheer hell and helped their children recover by using the most unconventional of m...more
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Read in January, 2009
I have tried to hate this woman, but for some reason I can't. When I found out her son had Autism and she wrote a book about it, I honestly thought-"Oh poor you, you have a special needs child. Join the club lady! What makes you think your situation is any different from anyone else's?" But despite my reservations about her at first, I like what she has to say. She is a voice of reason in the chaotic world of Autism and the doctors and parents who try to deal with these children. (...more
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