. The book is a collaboration between former playboy bunny turned Mother Warrior
who has recovered her son Evan from Autism and Jerry Kartzinel, MD - a well known Autism doctor, also a father of a child with Autism.In Healing and Preventing Autism
, the duo have compiled a soup to nuts guide about the causes of autism as they see it, an approach to treating it, and ways that it can be prevented for future generations. The book is written in an interview style that is a shared question and answer session with Jenny asking questions, Dr. Kartzinel answering in mostly easy to understand medical and layman's terms. Jenny responding to the good doctor's answers by "dumbing" things down a bit and making analogies as well as sharing Evan's experience. The back and forth banter between the two makes a tough topic like Autism surprisingly easy to read about. She also treats the reader to amusing cartoons that make most political cartoons seem quite tame that attack most mainstream medical doctors and advice. That being said, I chuckled at the art and found them enjoyable. I do not however think our pediatrician nor my family members who are doctors and nurses would care for them very much!While quite a bit of focus in the book is on the damages caused by vaccines, I found that Healing and Preventing Autism was actually quite a bit more well rounded than its predecessors Louder Than Words and Mother Warriors which were heavy in placing the blame on Vaccines. In this 3rd installment, the Jenny and Jerry "dynamic duo" shed light on toxins everywhere from the carpets under our feet, the food we eat, and the family trees we come from that include damaged immune system. Perhaps better titled the book would be: Healing and Preventing our damaged Immune Systems. But, alas, that wouldn't sell as well.
In Healing and Preventing Autism you will find specific examples and recommendations for supplements, special diets, treating leaky gut, how to order blood tests and which ones, specifics about treatments like HBOT, B12, and chelation. You will also find links to websites selling these supplements with Kartner Health (Dr. Kartzinel's supplement company) topping every list. As Dr. Kartzinel was co-author for the book, I can certainly see some nod to his products being given, but after about the hundredth occurrence I couldn't help but find myself seeing the dollar bills signs. Dr. Kartzinel has a waiting list that is 3 years long to get into for treatment, or you can read this just shy of 400 page book and learn how and why he does what he does. I find it troublesome that the book gives specific dosages and instructions on how to do things that should only be done under the strict supervision of a doctor. It is no secret that my son is on the gluten and casein free diet and thriving and that he also takes supplements. I've even gone so far to share some supplements that we've gotten good results with like our Omega3s. But, I don't and won't discuss many specifics of my son's supplements like the doses even with family or my closest friends. When Jenny and Jerry start dishing about doses of things it got a touch uncomfortable for me.
Despite some druthers, there were things that I loved and things that I hated about Healing and Preventing Autism and I found myself finishing it up in about a day (a very rainy day). I recommend the book to families who are just starting or considering embarking on a biomedical approach.
I leave you with these thoughts:
Jenny McCarthy is a celebrity who has a son who is recovering (is recovered?) from Autism. She isn't God and this book is not a bible for Autism. There is no cure for Autism (Only hope for the future). We live in a toxic world. Autism may be preventable to some extent.
And last but certainly not least:
There IS hope for recovery from Autism (in some cases).
Related Links:
Autism Spectrum Disorders Bella Online: A Book Review of Mother Warriors
Are You a Mother Warrior?
Meet My Child Warrior
Epinions Review: Mother Warriors
Epinions Review: Louder Than Words
YouTube: Jenny McCarthy, Jerry Kartzinel, MD on Larry King Live
part 1 part 2 part 3 part 4 part 5
4 comments:
Wow you read it in one day. I read a good review on amazon the other day for this book that was giving it three stars and pointed out the scientific errors and things parents should not follow.
You should do a condensed version on amazon as well.
Does she talk a lot about HBOT? On Ellen she said she uses about 4 or 5 times a week and up to 2 hrs at a time and that Jim is now using it.
How old is Dr. Kartzinel's son?
Are the kids only on the diet or Jenny and the Dr as well?
His son Josh was born in '96 so I guess that would make him 12.
There is like one chapter on HBOT which includes how to get one and the costs and talks about how it helps the mother too because it is anti-aging!
It doesn't say whether everyone is on the diet or not but it does have one chapter about "preventing" autism where it gives some instructions for if you are thinking of becoming pregnant what to do (or not).
yeah, it was pouring rain this week so I got a lot of reading done. This one wasn't too bad because even though it is 400 pages like half of it is lists and charts and drawings! Padded!
Great book review and it sounds like a good book and is obviously very readable if you read it so fast!
While I'm not at all interested in reading any of Jenny's books, I thought you did an excellent job reviewing it.
My son Mr. Busypants has mild autism and we believe he was born with it as we think back to his behavior even as early as the week we brought him home; however, I do fully support the quest of any mother to use biomed, gfcf, or other alternative methods that we haven't felt the need to explore.
Keep up the good writing. Looking forward to your future posts in my reader. Stop by my site if you have a chance.
Take care,
Jeannie
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