Mother Warriors [Hardcover]

As I began reading Mother Warriors, the beginning of the book was initially harrowing and inspiring - it was moving to see her talk more extensively about parents' personal experiences with seeing their children regress in their developmental milestones after immunization and slip away into the autism spectrum. However, as I read on, it became apparent that it is a thinly disguised infomercial and that she has now carved out a new lucrative career as an autism spokesperson.

Jenny McCarthy does not disclose in her book that she is a paid spokesperson for Kirkman Laboratories, a supplement manufacturer, that has financial ties to the autism organization Defeat Autism Now (DAN). She was quoted on Kirkman's web site as saying the Kirkman products are the best supplements for autism. She frequently mentions Kirkman products and exclusively promotes Defeat Autism Now organization. She flat out says that every parent with an autistic child must go to a DAN conference. There was also a public announcement in September that she is launching a celebrity brand of autism products.

McCarthy, who has brought Hollywood glamor and marketing tactics to a health issue, has been known to shove people out of the way at autism conferences when pictures are being taken, McCarthy's thin bibliography does not mention other organizations or products, which are often more helpful than the protocols she publicizes.

McCarthy also paints a black and white picture of the Defeat Autism Now organization as being totally helpful, while giving a black eye to the Autism Speaks organization because they primarily fund genetic research into autism instead of the vaccine connection. There is value in determining the genetic links to autism as well as researching the direct impact of the vaccines. I, too, would like to see more research into the vaccine connection. However, publicly running down autism research strikes me as being irresponsible and potentially harmful to progress being made in understanding and treating autism. If McCarthy wants research to fund the vaccine link, maybe she should put some hard work and money she has reaped from autism where her mouth is and start an organization for this purpose.

In her book, McCarthy abrasively and insensitively runs down and dismisses parents whose children have been harmed by the treatments she recommends and whose bank accounts have been drained by inept and greedy medical practitioners, as simply sour grapes.

In wading into the murky waters of autism politics, science, and money in this book, McCarthy is clearly in over her head. DAN, which was founded in part by the late Dr. Bernard Rimland, who was an important and valuable figure in pioneering autism treatments, whom she also quotes, also had financial ties to Kirkman Labs. Rimland, toward the end of his life, was unfortunately also known to slander competing manufacturers, to threaten them to put them out of business (I received this information directly from several supplement manufacturers over the years), and to ban perceived competitors from exhibiting at DAN conferences for years.

McCarthy urges all parents of autistic children to go to DAN conferences. There are other biomedical conferences in addition the DAN conferences that provide information to help autistic children, such as the annual Autism One in Chicago, which, in past, I have found to be much more scientifically impartial and less of an infomercial you pay to attend. Ironically, McCarthy was the keynote speaker at this year's Autism One conference in the spring but this organization is not mentioned in her book's bibliography - only DAN related information.

Although the majority of practitioners following the DAN protocol are WONDERFUL and TOTALLY DEDICATED, and much to be lauded and supported for putting their medical reputations at risk for trying alternative therapies, not all physicians are created alike. Let the buyer beware. Unfortunately, there have also been many instances of individuals touting themselves as DAN practitioners who greatly overcharge for routine tests and mishandle risky therapies, such as chelation, resulting in harm and even death to children on the spectrum. Chelation is the removal of heavy metals such as mercury from body tissues by binding the heavy metals to ingested or intravenously infused substances which are then flushed out of the body, taking the metals with them. Although chelation CAN BE amazingly helpful to SOME children, one should do one's homework and search for the practitioners who are EXTREMELY KNOWLEDGEABLE, CAREFUL AND RESPONSIBLE about monitoring the children and are having a high success rate. Be wise and network with your local autism parents organizations and professionals in your area to determine who is competent.

Finally, McCarthy's bibliography with recommended links is way too thin and betrays her lack of depth of knowledge in the biomedical treatment of autism.

So, read, Jenny's book if you will - for the casual reader it is a page turner targeted for and worthy of tabloid coverage. It hits all the right emotional notes (it wouldn't be a McCarthy book if she didn't refer to her anatomy at least a few times) but unfortunately, it also has that scientific level of depth and research of a tabloid article. Painting things simplistically with broad, sweeping media sound bites may pad her bank account but does not necessarily provide real solutions to real problems. Her advice simply will not work for all children and will harm some. I urge all parents with children on the spectrum to do their homework on available autism treatments and choose wisely where they spend their time and money.

Sue Bennett, Autism Coach

I am one of the thousands of Mother Warriors who Ms. McCarthy spoke with during her tour. In fact, it was one year ago that my son was diagnosed with autism. At that time, I had no knowledge of autism or the possibility of treament. Fortunately for my son, Jenny went on Oprah shortly after he was diagnosed and gave us hope and the information we needed to start the healing process for my son. Our story of autism began when my son went for his 12 month well check. It was December in the NW and he had a bad flu and a high fever. I called to cancel his appointment but the nurse assured me that it was more important to keep his vaccines on schedule and it would be perfectly safe. They told me to give him tylenol and bring him in. He recieved his vaccines including the live virus MMR vaccine along with a flu vaccine containing mercury. That was the beginning of my son's demise into autism. I do not believe one single influence caused my son's autism, however I do believe my son was genetically predisposed (we had some strange markers in his ultrasounds.) I believe his immune system was compromised at the time he recieved the MMR. (His blood work shows he carries abnormally high level of Measles titers.)I know what Jenny talks about is controversial and not all cases of autism are the same, however many of us, a large majority share very similar stories. I wish I could vaccinate my children but it is just not safe for me to do so. I wish they would develop tests to see if a child is more likely to react to a vaccine. I wish there was more funding going towards research and programs for autism. I am so grateful for this book because it is bringing much needed attention to the FACTS about autism and how no one is listening to the thousands of parents who KNOW that vaccines triggered our children's autism and that there are biomedical protocols that are helping our children get better. After only one year of a GFCF and SCD diet along with DAN! protocol, antiviral protocol and homeopathy my son is on the verge of recovery. He has lost all previous symptoms of autism, is social, affectionate and although his speech is still slightly delayed, he is in the early stages of being conversational. One year ago he was non-verbal. He is mainstreamed in a general education preschool and has lost all previous sensory problems. I have gone to hell and back with no help from the government, medical community, insurance companies or anyone else. My son's recovery is possible because of the parents who have come before me leading the way and because of Jenny McCarthy bringing this epidemic to the media. I want to be clear, my child was born a healthy happy baby who met all his milestones. There was a definate clear change after his 12 month well check. We as parents are not trying to "fix" our kids. Our kids are MEDICALLY ill. We have thousands of dollars of lab tests and blood work to prove it. Autism is a medical disorder and when we provide our children with medical care and give them proper nutrition, they get better! I hope this book reaches those affected by autism as well as the naysayers. There is a real epedemic happening with an entire generation of our children and we need to start opening our minds, start a discussion, band together and create change. A huge thanks to Jenny McCarthy. She is our autism Angel and because of her, we have our son back. We are forever grateful!
For those people out there who do not believe Ms. McCarthy, I say, how do you have the right to give your opinions when you have not gone through what all of us parents have gone through?? I wish this book was out when I was first pregnant because it would have made me question vaccines enough to go out and do more research. Now that I have done the research (although after the fact for my children) I am horrified to learn the ingredients in vaccines, the number of vaccines and the rush to get them in our children soley to satisfy the insurance companies. Our children are not guinea pigs and that is the point she is making. Jenny McCarthy is not anti-vaccines but anyone with common sense would not support the ingredients, schedule or methods currently used for vaccinating our children. Don't just take her word for it, do you own research. However, don't judge the biomedical autism community without having any knowledge of our experience. Despite what you may have heard it is not a community full of quacks. There is 70+ years of research, scientific studies, and on going unbiased research that supports the medical links to autism. We as autism families are going to hell and back with NO support from mainstream society and we are still healing our children, instead of judging us and calling us quacks, open your hearts and support us. Open your minds and listen to us and becareful not to be so quick to judge because at these rates it is only a matter of time before autism affects your loved ones. Please read this book with an open mind so one more child does not have to suffer the way mine did.

As a grandmother that is new to Autism, this was the first book I read on the subject. very enlightening. Explained not only some of the characteristics of autism but also let you know where to look for help as the general medical profession seems to turn a deaf ear to parents who know something isn't right but their doctor won't listen.

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