Children with Starving Brains: A Medical Treatment Guide for Autism Spectrum Disorder

by Jaquelyn McCandless, Jack Zimmerman (Contributor), Teresa Binstock (Contributor)

Children With Starving Brains is a message of hope in the midst of a worldwide epidemic of autism, ADD and ADHD. This is the first book written by an experienced clinician that gives a step-by-step treatment guide for parents and doctors based on the understanding that ASD is a complex biomedical illness resulting in significant brain malnutrition. Genetic susceptibility activated by "triggers" such as pesticides and heavy metals in vaccines can lead to immune system impairment, gut dysfunction, and pathogen invasion such as yeast and viruses in many children. Dr. McCandless, whose grandchild with autism has inspired her "broad spectrum approach," describes important diagnostic tools needed to select appropriate treatment programs. Her book explains major therapies newly available and identifies safe and effective options for parents and physicians working together to improve the health of these special children.

Genres: Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Health, Parenting, Nonfiction, Education, Self Help

428 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2002

Reviews

[Libby]

If there was something you could do to improve the quality of life of your child with ASD that was not proven with extensive medical research but that was very low risk for any adverse side effects - would you take the chance and do it? Maybe nothing would happen, maybe only small changes...but if you never try anything you will never know. This book is an excellent guide for understanding the complex medical issues behind ASD's. The Biomedical approach to healing ASD's contains many, many therapeutic approaches and can seem like a jungle, this book does a good job of making a pathway through that jungle. Each child has a different set of challenges and therefore requires different biomedical treatments. There is no one cure-all solution but if you spend the time checking out your childs individual body chemistry issues and working out patterns then you can tailor the treatments to suit their individual needs and stand a much better chance of seeing improvements.

I am not going into the politics surrounding the Biomed approach, all I know is that after several years of treatment my daughter has gone from a child that did not speak, make eye contact or interact at all into a relatively "normal" child who looks me in the eye every day and tells me that she loves me before giving me a huge hug and running off to play. That is my proof and is to me worth any trial.

[Mahbub]

Newer books cover the subject in greater detail and clarity. The 'Latest Development' section contains few new treatments, that was new to me. Overall a great book on biomedical intervention for autism.

[Devi]

Informative, an eye-opener for parents. Yet, you still have to be critical that not all situations are applicable to your (child's) specific conditions.

[C.]

Biomedical treatments

[Deborah]

You are what you eat, and autistic children have extreme nutrition deficits. This is a fabulous reference book.

[Kristie]

A comprehensive overview of alternative treatments and therapies for autistic children, including the reasoning behind it, the evidence for it, and the potential for success.

[Chantal]

Written in 2002...