Louder Than Words: A Mother's Journey in Healing Autism by Jenny McCarthy
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Book Reviews of Louder Than Words: A Mother's Journey in Healing Autism
Book Review: Any readers tried her nutrtional suggestions?
Summary: 5 Stars
I recently read the book for pure curiosity. McCarthy's passion really shined through and I enjoyed that. I'm curious to know if any other parents out there have incorporated her nutritional guidelines in your autistic child's life and if it's been helpful? Specifically, the product called ThreeLac by Global Health Trax. Book Review: great read
Summary: 5 Stars
I felt that Jenny shared from her heart the experience of dealing with her son's autism. She shared some great resources for coping with autism and how she feels they affected her son. There is some language in the book, but it doesn't detract from the books value. It just shows the pain and frustration that she went through at the time. This is a book I would read again and I felt my money was well spent.Book Review: A fantastic, easy read for parents of autistic kids, and those with other disabled children
Summary: 5 Stars
Like another reviewer of this book, I am compelled to give my first review on Amazon. However, UNLIKE the other reviewer, I give this book a resounding five stars, and would give it more if I could.
My three year old daughter does not have classic autism, but instead has infantile spasms (a form of epilepsy) and is developing autistic like behaviors. Whether it progresses into autism remains to be seen. There is a close link between infantile spasms and epilepsy, and as a result I've been hyperaware of watching for behaviors and symptoms.
I read this book in one sitting. I was riveted, and felt like I was reading about MY life and MY journey with my daughter and epilepsy. Like McCarthy, I *DID* experience (and continue to experience) the hysteria and absolute disgust and frustration with doctors and medical professionals who shrug us off and have no clue what they're dealing with. Like McCarthy, I *DID* experience a sudden, immediate life change when the seizures started for my daughter. There was no gradual, easing into this life of a disabled child. One day she was fine, the next day...not fine.
I APPRECIATED reading a book by a mother who wasn't fine with the status quo. Who pushed, and pushed, and pushed until she got an accurate diagnosis. Who didn't calmly & peacefully say "Oh, everythign happens for a reason", someone who got angry and demanded the best for their child.
Am I a celebrity of means like McCarthy? I wish! I'm just a regular, average parent who got therapy through Early Intervention, and soon through the School District. Not once did I feel put down by McCarthy or my choices for the therapies we choose for our daughter.
Instead, I felt EMPOWERED to demand research; demand justification for medications used on my daughter. I felt EMPOWERED to find doctors who would work with my DAUGHTER, not just her symptoms. My daughter is a unique individual with unique medical needs. A one-size-fits-all approach won't work for her or for us, and more than anything, I felt affirmed with the knowledge that by advocating for our daughter, I was doing right by her.
I cherish this book almost above any others I've read about disabled children, and encourage any parent who can tolerate and understand the cussing when it comes to their child.
Keep advocating, Jenny! You are appreciated and admired!
Book Review: There are better books out there.
Summary: 2 Stars
I was intrigued by this book when my son started to develop autistic characteristics. I think when you are faced with a life altering issue, you're forced to find solace, enlightenment and a certain sense of similarity with others. You want to know that there's hope out there. And it's easy to do that with a celebrity. They're celebrities, we're supposed to look up to them to a certain extent. I don't get the appeal. They're just another person, that puts their pants on, one leg at a time, like everyone else. But if they can help others, then it's not entirely a bad thing.
That said, I wasn't really that impressed with this book. It is very one track minded. It seemed to be one big venting session. The swearing doesn't bother me as I tend to have a foul mouth myself when I get going, and if that's how you blow off steam, then have at it. This is just her journey. Some are going to benefit, others aren't, it's that simple. In combination with this book, and her interviews, she seems extremely standoffish in regards to her son and his treatment (which is very different from her early non-serious funny days). Maybe that's as a result of a lot of people taking issue with alternative medicine. I don't know. She seems to have her heart in the right place, fighting for greener vaccines, and realizing your potential to not just take your doctor's word as the end all. Being your own advocate.
This book isn't rocket science. It's simple reading from a comedienne and tv personality. I would have appreciated more of a look at her perception of him prior to that fateful morning.
Bottom line, is there are a lot of really great books out there about other everyday people's experiences that are better put together. Buy a bunch of books, take what works from each and discard the rest. There's no one way of doing things. And you'll find as you go on, that your beliefs change.
Book Review: Heartbreaking, Hilarious, Honest...
Summary: 5 Stars
Ms. McCarthy's "Louder Than Words" is a candid and courageous memoir of her journey with helping her son heal from Autism. Her story was horrifying at times and made me laugh out loud at others; told with honesty and humor, Ms. McCarthy tirelessly advocates for her son's well-being and recovery. As a parent of a son with "mild autism", I have searched extensively for current and progressive information to treat my son, biomedically. Similarly to Ms. McCarthy's experience, we have not received useful guidance from the traditional pediatricians that we have consulted with and I completely understand her frustration. However, I am also grateful to a great number of biomedical researchers, alternative health practitioners, and authors who have made complex but useful information available to the public. I also wish to thank Ms McCarthy for bringing awareness to the product Threelac which, as with her own son, has made a significant difference in our son's digestive health, language, focus, and behavior. Our son is recovering from Autism.
There are many many excellent books on the topics of biomedical treatments, digestive enzymes, vaccine toxicity, gluten and casein free (GF/CF) diets, advocacy, behavioral, sensory, auditory, and traditional therapies for Autism that are well-reviewed on Amazon, so I won't reiterate a huge list here. However, here are a few books that stay on my nightstand: "Say Goodbye to Allergy-Related Autism", by Devi S. Nambudripad; "Changing the Course of Autism: A Scientific Approach for Parents and Physicians", by Bryan Jepson; and "Healing the New Childhood Epidemics: Autism, ADHD, Asthma, and Allergies: The Groundbreaking Program for the 4-A Disorders", by Kenneth Bock. The book that prompted us to consult our state's Early Intervention Program (every state has one) when our son was 18 months of age was "The Late Talker: What to Do If Your Child Isn't Talking Yet" by Marilyn C. Agin.
The one book that I wholeheartedly DO NOT RECOMMEND is "The Einstein Syndrome: Bright Children Who Talk Late", by Thomas Sowell, time will tell us about the aptitude of our kids and Sowell's book should not be used as an excuse to delay crucial early intervention.