I have a 27 year old son with Early Infantile Autism. I recently wrote a book to share information about services that families can apply for as well as nutritional and medical interventions that worked to help my son. My website is http://www.autismreality.com and the book is also on eBay and Amazon.com Please take a look.Sincerely, Mary Ann Puckett

Dear Shelby

I find your condemnation of the dietary and biomedical treatments for autism quite concerning. Whilst it is painful enough to find out your child has autism it is even more upsetting to watch them suffering, clearly in pain on a day to day basis and do nothing to try and help them. My son has autism and since I have found out I have put him on the GFCF diet and a nutritionist has advised me of beneficial vitamins and minerals for him. He has improved no end and is so much happier, full of energy and more responsive. Should that not be reason enough to pursue treatment. Surely the happiness of my child is important? Surely if he could choose he would rather not suffer the sensory difficulties that sometimes bother him. I’m sure he would also like to be able to play with the other kids as I often see him on the sidelines, not sure how to approach other children. Other times he is so out of it, that he doesn’t get even close. To suggest that pursuing a treatment for this disorder is anyway cruel and unaccepting of the situation is totally out of order.
My son has just had further tests which have identified heavy metal toxicity and deficiency of vitamin B12 – funny that, same old pattern – perhaps there could be a cure after all. Get your head out of the sand Shelby, these families need support not criticism.

Since her son is now on a gluten & dairy free diet, did her pregnancy cravings for bread, as described in her book “Belly Laughs”, have adverse effects on her unborn son? (Can you jump to the conclusion then if you have cravings for bread, dairy products, and severe constipation during pregnancy, that it’s an indication your child could be autistic?)

Since when is this a fact: ” The fact that Jenny put Evan through chelation therapy by the advice of a DAN! doctor is plain disheartening.”?

Jenny didn’t chelate her son. There is no mention of her doing chelation on her son in her book or in any interviews.

Where is the reference for “One DAN! doctor performing chelation therapy killed 2 young boys in his office, yet he is still recognized as a doctor by their institution.”?

Regarding, “so if anyone here is thinking of a contacting a DAN! doctor please do your research or feel free to email me.” For what? Unsubstantiated claims about DAN! and Jenny?

It’s fine if you or anyone else don’t agree that autism is treatable or with the interventions that Jenny used, but let’s stick with documented facts in the debate.

I just have to say to everyone that has posted thus far, I am very disapointed, to say the least, at all of the derogatory comments made in regards to treatment. As a mother of a child with Autism, I try whatever I can to try and make that one difference in his life that will help him become that person that is trapped inside. Whether it is biomedical, behavioral therapy, and any other modalities, I can not believe that any other parent would honestly post something derogatory about another parents desperate means to help their child. Again, as a parent of a beautiful child with Autism, I can say that I have tried the DAN protocol and I can see a difference with my son. Every child with Autism is different and who is anyone to say that what happens to my child or say Jenny’s child isn’t really happening. The reason they say that Autism is a spectrum disorder is that – it is a spectrum. So, what works for my child may not work for yours. But I would think, as a parent, that I would exhaust all means to help my son. It is so disheartening to listen to parents and/or “therapists” discuss vaccinations, environmental triggers, etc. Why harp on the cause when you are faced with the challenge – why not exhaust all of your energy on helping your child see the beautiful world through your eyes and bring him into our dynamic world – instead of keeping them trapped in the static world that so many of them live in. Just my 2 cents – but I BELIEVE that my son is on the road to “recovery” – “remediation” – or whatever you want to call it. Labeling is just that – a label – and I am here, on this earth, to “save” my son.

You have to keep in mind that you are reading interviews with Jenny McCarthy and they are only snippets of conversations, and they are alos the writer’s interpretations of what she said.

With that said I just finished reading Jenny’s book, “Louder Than Words” and let me tell you that she believes there is no “cure” for autism. However, she does believe in therapy, and healing a child. I have seen a lot of interviews with her and she makes it a point to say that she is not a Dr, is not saying that there is a cure, and just because something worked for her child does not mean that it will work for all children. All she is doing is sharing her experience in hopes of raising awareness for autism.

Autism rates are on the rise at an alarming rate, and that has to be blamed on something. We are all fooling ourselves if we can not see that all of the chemicals, additives, and crap that we subject our bodies to are not part of the problem. Some people choose to go the medical/drug route, while others prefer a more natural approach. People need to do what they feel comfortable with, but attacking Jenny McCarthy for her opinions is ridiculous. Go read her book first before you start making assumptions about what her true message is. Her heart is in the right place, and instead of us all wasting our time and energy fighting about our own personal opinions we should put our energy into fighting for our children.

In fact I even said in my first post…
“the majority although yes maybe a few are in for good reasons” and i even said do what you wish for your children but research it and as long as you have comfort in the treatments and what you’re doing to your children, don’t defend it.

My bad, he wasn’t my son. Too bad I work 5 years as their full time nanny everyday from 8-9 from before his diagnosis and after. I was just a part of that family so I really don’t appreciate that comment. I was there more than the parents on most days and helped the kids learn much of what they know today. Even their parents give me credit like a second parent. I was in the midst of the family and saw financies, expenses, lab tests, etc. Thanks though

Look at the lab results our kids get and you will see that there are real deficiencies that need to be addressed. And call me silly but I would rather try vitamins and dietary intervention than toxic drugs like Risperidal and Ritalin. More aggressive treatments are available, and yes, you have to do your homework. There are treatments I will probably never try, but I can’t pass judgement on those parents who have severely affected, non-verbal kids, because I have never walked a day in their shoes.

Parents are “desperate” because their regular doctors refuse to listen, to take them seriously, to maybe admit that they *don’t* know everything.

Yes, there is no cure for autism, and no one ever said there was. Just because Jenny represents TACA (Talk About Curing Autism), everyone thinks she is talking about a “cure”, but even she says there is none, so lets not waste time arguing about that. We would like to find one, but until the medical commmunity gets on board, we will not even come close.

And until then, there are doctors (whose *own* kids have recovered & who have treated hundreds if not thousands who have recovered) who will try to help us make our kids’ days just a little bit better than they were yesterday. Shame on you who know nothing about having a child with autism (and no, working with one does not count), judging the choices and decisions of us who live with this tragic condition 24/7/365. Until you have experienced it “up close and personal”, you will never understand the hopes and dreams we have for our kids, and how unattainable they seem.

I for one am thankful that there are doctors and researchers who are willing to think “outside the box”. Just like any doctor, there are unethical ones out there. To lump every DAN! doctor into that category is irresponsible and uninformed. I am sorry if you have had a bad experience, but don’t accuse the Autism Research Institute and DAN! of being scam artists. That could not be farther from the truth.

As a wife and mother, I am surrounded by ASD (Autistic Spectrum Disorders)in my life.
Both my husband and my 15 yr old son are dxed with Aspergers Disorder and I have a 4 yr old who is still questionably on the spectrum.
I have been advocating for my teen since his dx in 3rd grade, even longer when he was initially thought to have simply audio processing delays.
I am always researching and reading – to better educate myself of the possiblilities out there.
I was given a number to contact a local DAN physician regarding a revealing discovery after some dental work that my teen had – and an exposure to nitrous oxide, which for 48 hours left my son acting and functioning for the 1st time in his life – as a neuro typical teen.(He is extremely high functioning, main streamed, bright and handsome – but has many social and communication issues that cause him much anxiety on a daily basis.)
They discussed many ideas and plans – to a costly sum of money that would not be covered by our insurance.
The physician was quick to say in a condescending tone ‘I don’t accept medical insurance.’ WTH?!?!?
What kind of reputable doctor says this to a prospective patient?
I explained that we were a one income family (I am on disability and my husband works as a retail cashier)and that we could not afford the fee’s he was discussing.
He had sounded so determined to help my son during our conversation, that I thought there was something we could work out.
Once he heard that we could not afford the fee’s – even in payments – his tone changed and he became dismissive and abruptly ended the conversation.
I was shocked!
I had heard such wonderful things about this doctor. I would NEVER have thought that finances would have stood in the way of him treating/seeing my son!
Since then I avoid the DAN physicians – and supporters, because anyone else I spoke to afterwards, made me feel inadequate, because I wasn’t willing to rack up thousands of $ of expenses.
My son is doing very well in high school and is a great kid.
He has finally opened up socially and started making friends for the first time in his life!
I would love to see him not have to be inhibited or anxious – to be able to think, respond and speak as quick as the next person.
Yet – even though research has found a difference in the physical width of the brain stem of those with ASD’s and neurotypical folks – I am not so sure I would want to ‘cure’ him.
Only the symptoms that make life unbearable at times for him.
Every other part of his unique and special aspects of his personality – I wouldn’t change for all the money in the world.

Shelby, you say, “Their son is doing wonderfully.” Maybe all this stuff that you think is so crazy has helped him. Also, you can’t judge the whole DAN! movement by one family.

Linda, you say, “it seems to me that people whose children are diagnosed with autism are so desperate for a reason and a cure, that they’ll start believing things that aren’t logical or scientifically sound. silly things like vaccines are dangerous and chelation therapy is can cure autisitic kids.” The people I know who believe these things don’t believe them because they are desperate. They believe in chelation because they have seen chelation make dramatic positive changes in their children. They believe vaccines do harm because they saw their children react to vaccines with high fever, seizures, screaming all night, and/or lethargy, and then descend into autism.

A Person With ASD, you say that “I have never once thought of myself as “suffering” from it. It can be very difficult at times, yes, but it is not something that I “suffer” from.” Clearly, if you can write well and don’t suffer from GI and immune system disorders, you are not suffering like some kids with autism I know, who cannot learn to read and write and speak in full sentences and/or who have chronic allergies and/or inflammatory bowel disorders. Please don’t criticize parents for trying to help their suffering children and for recognizing their children’s suffering.

Nausicaa, you say that Jenny is “deluding herself”. She is out there because she has seen her son get a lot better. Have you read her book? Do you know what she went through and how much better things are now? She is speaking from real experience, not delusions.

I do not believe there is or will be A single cure for autism. Autism is complex and multifactorial. The parents I know whose children have gotten a lot better have attacked autism from many angles, and little by little have restored balance to their children’s bodies and brains.