Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(53)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

It is obvious that McCandless is passionate about what she thinks about and writes about, but she is buying into Shaw, Rimland and others who favor treating the symptoms of autism instead of being brave enough to really look at the root causes. Lisa Lewis and the diet people deserve no respect whatsoever.

Let's take a deeper look at autism and stop pretending we know all the answers. I have a son who is severely autistic with CD.

Please do yourself, your child, or your patients the monumental favor of reading, living, and practicing this book. Children with Starving Brains is an easy to read and comprehensive guide to the painfully complex issues surounding the causation, gastrointestinal pathology, toxicity, and evaluation process of working with children with Austism Spectrum Disorders.

The book then deals extensively with the steps involved in healing the injuries. Dr. McCandless walks the reader through gastrointestinal healing measures, removing heavy metals, restoring proper immune function, and healing the STARVING brain.

You will shake your head in amazement both at the amount of helpful and hopeful information in this book, as well as in absolute awe at the lack of comprehension that most medical, dental, and nursing practitioners have concerning the contemporary state of causation, pathology, and treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorders.

I work in a practice that has successfully treated almost 100 children utilizing the principles outlined by Dr. McCandless. All the children have improved to varying degrees. Some have almost totally "recovered", others have shown islands of significant improvement, but ALL have responded positively.

This is good, progressive, modern health care. It is not "alternative" treatment. It is correct treatment to address an acute illness or "insult" to a child's entire brain, body, and self. These interventions have also proven tremendously helpful in our treatment of 200 adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

I especially appeal to my nursing colleagues: READ THIS BOOK. In so many situations, We are the professionals advising mothers about conception and prenatal care; administering immunizations; counseling parents about the use of antibiotics; teaching about dental care; providing care in pediatrician's offices, or in our own pediatric, psychiatric, and general health care practices. If we do not avail ourselves of this information, we are part of the problem, and NOT part of the answer. If we are ignorant of the issues surrounding vulnerbility and causation, we are directly contributing to the epidemic of Autism Spectrum Disorders.

In the future, we will look back on the pioneering work of Jaquelyn McCandless, and her colleagues such as Teresa Binstock, and the innovative professionals associated with DAN! and similar organizations,and know that this was indeed a turning point in the history of medicine and nursing.

We have purchased several dozen copies of this book and have distributed it to parents and professionals, and they have been amazed. Parents intuitively know there is much truth to be found in this book. Professionals who read it with an open mind often come around and start to pay attention to data rather than dogma.

Invest a few hours reading this book. It will change the life of someone you love, or someone with whose care and development you are entrusted.

Finally, no doom and gloom. Families with ASD kids - a manual on HOW TO. FINALLY! If you want BIOMEDICAL answers and a clear direction on why and how - this book is for you.

Be sure to provide behavioral and biomedical intervention for your child on the spectrum. Both together make all the difference in the world.

(...)

Thank you Dr. McCandless for this incredible book that guides both parents and physicians in treatment that can make such a difference with our children. The information in this book is priceless for those whose lives have been changed by an autism diagnosis. The explanations and treatment are wonderful for both the lay person and the clinician. My son is recovering so very fast from Autism and it is due to the interventions that are outlined in this book. Dr. McCandless has dedicated her life and practice as a physician to working with autistic children and her commitment and dedication are helping thousands to improve and recover. Thank you Dr. McCandless for this incredible guidebook and for your dedication to helping these children. This book gives both the parent and the physician a clear road map to follow and explains in detail the many complicated "pieces of the puzzle". It is a must read for any family affected by this disease and recommended by many physicians nationwide who work with Autistic children using biomedical interventions.

While reading this book, I managed to plow through all the technical, impersonal,and rather robotic writing. However, as a mother of an autistic son, I found it quite disturbing to read of all the probable "causes" - whether true or debatable - that may have caused my sons handicap while I was pregnant. If one scrutanizes all the toxins, contaminations, vaccinations (infant), viruses and diets that could lead to autism; surely every mother has reason to feel guilt in exposing their child, whether their infant was born with or without a handicap. I believe this book is well researched and accurate in scientific studies. I know, however, the coldness and lack of humanity in Ms. McCandless' writing should be reserved for term papers and science books. I would suggest for parents that are trying to cope as well as learn about autism, energy is better spent reading books with a more uplifting and inspiring tone instead of this - which left a taste in my mouth of what I did wrong and such a strict regimine of "dealing" with this disorder. This is a hard read if you are a parent of a handicapped child seeking information in a sensitive, uplifting fashion.

Children with Starving Brains describes what is wrong with ASD children and what you can do to improve the child's condition even if your child's physician knows very little about autism. It is written in clear and understandable "layman's" terms, making it my most used resource. I highly recommend it to parents and to the child's physician.

Being a parent of a child born "normal" who developed autism, this book has been so helpful in organizing all the issues we must address as concerned parents. By discussing all these issues and ideas, Dr. McCandless helps us make informed decisions about all the possibilities available to help my child on his road to recovery. Thank you Dr. McCandless!

This is a one of a kind resource! My only quibble is with the title. As the parent of two children with learning and sensory disorders, I can attest that the interventions Dr. McCandless outlines in "Starving Brains..." is applicable and ENORMOUSLY helpful for many children who do not have an autism spectrum diagnosis. I'm afraid that parents of children with other neurological compromises will not see the book's relevance to them, and their children will miss out on the possibility of measurable improvement and recovery. Dr. McCandless, THANK YOU!!!!!

This book is empowering. Dr. McCandless clearly outlines the steps that parents can take on their own to begin the healing process for their child. Her experience and the input of her husband, Jack Zimmerman, is deeply touching as they recount their challenges in healing their beloved granddaughter, Chelsey.

Whether you are already working with a physician to restore your child's neurological and physcial health or are just beginning on this journey, I highly recommend this book as your guide. Dr. McCandless concisely written text is easy to understand, practical and provides many references for those who would like to read the original studies on which her work is based.

We have been following Dr. McCandless' protocol for nearly 1.5 years for my ASD son. He has made remarkable progress and we are confident of his full recovery. We could not have done it without the information that Dr. McCandless has provided. Thankfully, Dr. McCandless now devotes most of her time training other physicians so that they can heal ASD kids in their community.

I am a doctor and I use this book with my own son. It really helps.