A mom's divisive stance on autism treatment -

The Baltimore Sun published reporter Julie Deardorff's story from the Chicago Tribune about actress Jenny McCarthy and her personal experience with
autism. There is an important message here for parents about how autism can be treated and these kids recovered. The Baltimore Sun omitted several
important comments. We were told that Evan was diagnosed with autism after seizures at age three, but the phrase "something McCarthy believes was triggered by vaccines" was left out. At the end of the article another statement was absent: "It's not just that she is voicing the same thing parents have been saying for years ("We vaccinated our babies and something happened") on high-profile programs such as The Oprah Winfrey Show and Larry King Live."

Many thousands of people are familiar with Jenny McCarthy and her story. It is an important point that Jenny feels her son was damaged by the vaccines he received. Why did the Baltimore Sun feel the need to censor any reference to vaccines and autism?


Anne McElroy Dachel

Chippewa Falls, WI



Member of the board of A-CHAMP

Member:

National Autism Association (NAA)

Generation Rescue

Before anyone begins with any new spiritualistic new-age shit it would be nice to have some focus on whether or not chelation has some benefits to autistics, cuz I learn that the stuff like Jenny McCarthy markets is quackery from my schoolbook in science.

Ivar, I just finished reading Jenny's book. Once I started I couldn't put it down. This is my families story right down to the seizures and the incompetent, non-caring medical community. Now multiply my reply by a couple million and you have #5 on NY Times best seller list. Ivar, you are a complete idiot. Find somebody else to harass!

Ivar wrote:

Before anyone begins with any new spiritualistic new-age shit it would be nice to have some focus on whether or not chelation has some benefits to autistics, cuz I learn that the stuff like Jenny McCarthy markets is quackery from my schoolbook in science.

It really do you know. My schoolbook states that a common thing seen in many forms of alternative medicine is talk about "energy" and all the positive and negative "energies".

I am angry because autistics deserve better.

What happened to my post?
It wasn't that offensive and really I should have the right to be angry at people who let offensive statements like:

“Autism, as I see it, steals the soul from a child; then, if allowed, relentlessly sucks life’s marrow out of the family members, one by one..”

... into a book and also uses their wealth to manipulate the media into believing that autistic people need some kind of unproven treatments to live happy lives.

People in the autistic community are extremely angry at McCarthy.

Thank you for the positive article about Jenny McCarthy and what she is doing for the world of autism. My son's story is so similar that thought you might be quoting me when you wrote, "Jenny's story is my story."

I am so happy to report that my son's autism is disappearing as we treat his many medical needs (that mainstream medicine is blind to). We still have a long way to go to heal his gastrointestinal disorders, but he's in a typical preschool with fading support. He is doing exceptionally well and testing in the low normal range for language (at age 27 months, he still had ZERO words and no eye contact).

Mothers like Jenny and me are eager to get pediatricians up to speed on the biomedical treatments that help our kids. We want every family to be given hope and treatment by their regular doctor. Your article helps us get a step closer.

Thank you!
Holly Riley
Mom of Quinn, age 4, recovering from autism

Seems like you people didn't know of biomed before you read that book. It's well known that most of the DAN! treatments have no benefit for autistic children whatsoever. Infact you find pretty much the same stories about improvement in children who have received other unproven treatments like neuro-acupuncture and homeopathy, aswell as those who have not received any treatment at all.

"Mainstream treatment" is really just meant as a last resort for people with severe behavioral problems, and I don't mean things like hand flapping. Some doctors and parents might have misunderstood that.

Most of the stuff supporting Biomedical interventions are exaggerated.

Most of the stuff against biomedical interventions are ALSO exaggerated.

I recommend people get educated especially about the research coming out in the last couple of years. Biomedical has been getting a boost from research that is from secondary sources. Non DAN/biomedical researchers have published research on gastrointestinal issues, immune issues and on pre and post natal chemical and hormonal exposures that correlate to increased incidents of autism.

There have also been articles critical of biomedical and questioning how much, if any, real effect it has.

There is still big gaps in our knowledge of ASD. My advice is to run away from anyone who claims to know all the answers.

Yeah, heh, like me who really just obsess about the whole thing.

Note that I don't know much about mainstream treatment, I've just never heard it getting used on anyone I know here in Norway aswell as read http://autism.about.com about it, a brilliant resource for perspective I must say.

Ivar wrote:

Yeah, heh, like me who really just obsess about the whole thing.

http://autism.about.com about it, a brilliant resource for perspective I must say.

Your perspective is helpful to me. I know kids with ASD but the only adults I know are the ones I have had as mental health clients and I was treating them for those issues and not the ASD. That has probably done me more harm than good in knowing what 'normal' adults with ASD are like!

Never read her book. Saw her on Oprah. My son (3 and 1/2) was diagnosed the week before, and I tried the GF/CF diet, starting THAT DAY. It is a pain in the butt, and expensive, and seemed to do nothing for my child. 3-4 weeks later, I started noticing his eye contact was better than my 5 and 1/2 year old's, and he was interested in speaking, or at least participating in social engagement. He also started asking questions of people (not just 'where are we going?'). Someone could say that it is something else (3 weeks of speech therapy?), but I swear that it's the diet. I would have never gone there if it wasn't a buzz in the media. So, I thank Jenny McCarthy for her timing and her passion.

I am the reigning 2008 Ms Arizona Plus America. My platform is: Challenging America to Recognize and Understand Autism. " One spcial person, one special ability, one special interest but catches your attention in an even more special way."

This was a very interesting article - can't wait to read her book.

There is no doubt autism has increased dramatically. Yes it is an epidemic. Even Eric Fombonne is scratching his head. Having worked in pharma industry for past 20 years i can tell you clearly vaccination is playing a huge role. Why, well let me inform you that out of 100,000 to 500,000 batch of vaccin only and only about 50 to 100 unit are sampled for quality, purity, strength and sterility. Inform yourself after your health agency issuing medical license establishment.

And, jenny is telling the truth in her book as well.

I think someone said that there is four aspies in the "1 in 150" figure for every autie, and we know many who received a diagnosis of schizophrenia before they got an autism diagnosis today.

There is ALOT more general knowledge about autism, that is nothing to deny.

other than schizophrenia and Mental Retardation, kids were diagnosed ADHD and by golly, my kid would appear that way depending on how many eyes balls were added to the room. for alot of kids, no one bothered to look deeper before saying ADHD~ so those rates will somewhat reflect a correct diagnoses
no one seemed to jump up and down and call the enormous rise in the 1970's and 80's of ADHD an epidemic- I bet they all had autism disorder's.

Ivar T wrote:

I think someone said that there is four aspies in the "1 in 150" figure for every autie, and we know many who received a diagnosis of schizophrenia before they got an autism diagnosis today.
There is ALOT more general knowledge about autism, that is nothing to deny.

Several children have died in the past several years after being chelated for "detoxification treatment." Leaching out minerals from a child, which should only be used in cases of extreme toxic exposure (such as levels of lead or mercury 20-50 times higher than what these "treatments" call for, can deplete crucial calcium, potassium, magnesium, etc. There is zero evidence that using chelation for trace levels of metals can help anything. It's quack science, and it can be deadly.