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Mạnh hơn cả lời nói
… Một buổi sáng, Jenny McCarthy đang uống tách cà phê thì cảm thấy có điều gì bất ổn. Cô liền chạy vào phòng Evan - cậu con trai hai tuổi và phát hiện cậu bé đang bị co giật. Từ giây phút ấy, Jenny phải lao vào cuộc phiêu lưu về y học. Hết bác sĩ này đến bác sĩ khác đều chẩn đoán sai bệnh của Evan. Evan phải trải qua bao giai đoạn đau đớn, nguy hiểm đến tính mạng mới có một bác sĩ phát hiện ra: Evan bị bệnh tự kỷ. Mặc dù cuối cùng cũng có thể chẩn đoán đúng bệnh của con trai nhưng Jenny không biết phải làm gì tiếp theo. Cô cũng nhanh chóng nhận ra chỉ có một mình cô mới đủ quyết tâm chữa khỏi bệnh cho con trai, hoàn toàn không thể trông chờ từ sự trợ giúp nào khác. Jenny thấy cô phải trở thành một thám tử. Cô nói chuyện với rất nhiều bác sĩ, các bậc phụ huynh, các cơ quan chính phủ, các quỹ tư nhân, và cần thiết phải “kiếm được bằng giáo sư” qua việc nghiên cứu trên Google. Cuối cùng, cô phát hiện ra cần phải có sự kiết hợp chặt chẽ giữa trị liệu hành vi, ăn uống và uống thuốc bổ sung khác mới có thể chữa khỏi bệnh tự kỷ cho Evan. Và giờ đây, trong cuốn sách này, cô đã tạo ra một lộ trình giúp cho các bậc phụ huynh cũng đang lo lắng khi đứa con thân yêu có dấu hiệu của bệnh tự kỷ…
Nếu chúng ta vẫn thường cho rằng các bà mẹ là những người quá nghiêm khắc và khắt khe thì Jenny McCarthy sẽ là một thái cực hoàn toàn ngược lại. Trong cuốn sách này, cô đưa chúng ta vào hành trình của người mẹ đương đầu với việc chẩn đoán và chữa trị bệnh tự kỷ cho con trai mình. Chính trong hành trình này, chúng ta sẽ phát hiện ra rất nhiều thứ. Chúng ta hiểu cảm giác của bậc làm cha làm mẹ khi chứng kiến giấc mơ của mình tan vỡ. Chúng ta nhận ra môt chuyên gia y tế cần phải có cử chỉ bên giường bệnh như thế nào. Chúng ta học về hàn gắn, hi vọng và niềm tin. Chúng ta nhận thức được về căn bệnh và hiểu những người có hoàn cảnh tương đồng có thể giúp nhau như thế nào. Chúng ta biết tới nhiều phương pháp chữa bệnh khả quan khác nhau.
Tuyệt vọng, mâu thuẫn, yêu thương, hài hước, buồn giận, trắc ẩn, phấn khởi và hi vọng chỉ là một vì xúc cảm mà Jenny chia sẻ trong cuốn sách này. Mối giao cảm giữa Jenny và con trai mình mạnh mẽ đến nỗi cô thực sự đã đau đớn quằn quại khi con cô bị như vậy, dù lúc đó cô đang ở xa hàng trăm dặm. Jenny giàu tình yêu thương, nhân hậu, chở che và năng động trong cơn khủng hoảng đó. Mối giao cảm và bản năng người mẹ của Jenny đã tạo nên tình mẫu tử. Thưc sự, đó không chỉ là “hơn cả lời nói” mà phải là “mạnh hơn cả lời nói”.
Đem cả tâm hồn mình để chia sẻ câu chuyện của bản thân, Jenny McCarthy chắc chắn sẽ giúp được những ai có người thân mắc bệnh tự kỷ hoặc các chứng rối loạn phát triển trí tuệ khác. Nhưng Jenny có lẽ còn làm được nhiều hơn thế. Hi vọng hành trình này cũng sẽ có ảnh hưởng tới những người không chịu tác động trực tiếp của bệnh tự kỷ.
- “Jenny McCarthy đưa chúng ta tới hành trình của một người mẹ trong việc chẩn đoán và điều trị bệnh tự kỷ cho con trai. Chúng ta hiểu cảm giác của một bà mẹ khi chứng kiến những mơ ước của mình tan vỡ. Chúng ta biết về căn bệnh và nhận ra cách những người đồng cảnh ngộ có thể giúp đỡ nhau. Chúng ta cũng hiểu ra rằng có nhiều phương pháp điều trị khác nhau rất khả quan. Chúng ta học được về hàn gắn, hi vọng và niềm tin” – Javid Feinberg, Tiến sĩ y học, Giám đốc bệnh viện Tâm lý học thần kinh Resnick, Đại học California, Los Angeles.
- “Jenny đã làm một việc không thể tin được trong hành trình chữa bệnh cuả Evan. Chính Evan cũng buộc phải trải qua một hành trình đầy nguy nan để chiến thắng bệnh tật. Bệnh tự kỷ không kết thúc bằng cái chết, Nó là điểm bắt đầu cho hành trình về với niềm tin, hi vọng, tình yêu thương và sự phục hồi” – Jerry J. Kartzinel, Tiến sĩ y học, Viện Nghiên cứu về Trẻ em, Mỹ.
Nếu chúng ta vẫn thường cho rằng các bà mẹ là những người quá nghiêm khắc và khắt khe thì Jenny McCarthy sẽ là một thái cực hoàn toàn ngược lại. Trong cuốn sách này, cô đưa chúng ta vào hành trình của người mẹ đương đầu với việc chẩn đoán và chữa trị bệnh tự kỷ cho con trai mình. Chính trong hành trình này, chúng ta sẽ phát hiện ra rất nhiều thứ. Chúng ta hiểu cảm giác của bậc làm cha làm mẹ khi chứng kiến giấc mơ của mình tan vỡ. Chúng ta nhận ra môt chuyên gia y tế cần phải có cử chỉ bên giường bệnh như thế nào. Chúng ta học về hàn gắn, hi vọng và niềm tin. Chúng ta nhận thức được về căn bệnh và hiểu những người có hoàn cảnh tương đồng có thể giúp nhau như thế nào. Chúng ta biết tới nhiều phương pháp chữa bệnh khả quan khác nhau.
Tuyệt vọng, mâu thuẫn, yêu thương, hài hước, buồn giận, trắc ẩn, phấn khởi và hi vọng chỉ là một vì xúc cảm mà Jenny chia sẻ trong cuốn sách này. Mối giao cảm giữa Jenny và con trai mình mạnh mẽ đến nỗi cô thực sự đã đau đớn quằn quại khi con cô bị như vậy, dù lúc đó cô đang ở xa hàng trăm dặm. Jenny giàu tình yêu thương, nhân hậu, chở che và năng động trong cơn khủng hoảng đó. Mối giao cảm và bản năng người mẹ của Jenny đã tạo nên tình mẫu tử. Thưc sự, đó không chỉ là “hơn cả lời nói” mà phải là “mạnh hơn cả lời nói”.
Đem cả tâm hồn mình để chia sẻ câu chuyện của bản thân, Jenny McCarthy chắc chắn sẽ giúp được những ai có người thân mắc bệnh tự kỷ hoặc các chứng rối loạn phát triển trí tuệ khác. Nhưng Jenny có lẽ còn làm được nhiều hơn thế. Hi vọng hành trình này cũng sẽ có ảnh hưởng tới những người không chịu tác động trực tiếp của bệnh tự kỷ.
- “Jenny McCarthy đưa chúng ta tới hành trình của một người mẹ trong việc chẩn đoán và điều trị bệnh tự kỷ cho con trai. Chúng ta hiểu cảm giác của một bà mẹ khi chứng kiến những mơ ước của mình tan vỡ. Chúng ta biết về căn bệnh và nhận ra cách những người đồng cảnh ngộ có thể giúp đỡ nhau. Chúng ta cũng hiểu ra rằng có nhiều phương pháp điều trị khác nhau rất khả quan. Chúng ta học được về hàn gắn, hi vọng và niềm tin” – Javid Feinberg, Tiến sĩ y học, Giám đốc bệnh viện Tâm lý học thần kinh Resnick, Đại học California, Los Angeles.
- “Jenny đã làm một việc không thể tin được trong hành trình chữa bệnh cuả Evan. Chính Evan cũng buộc phải trải qua một hành trình đầy nguy nan để chiến thắng bệnh tật. Bệnh tự kỷ không kết thúc bằng cái chết, Nó là điểm bắt đầu cho hành trình về với niềm tin, hi vọng, tình yêu thương và sự phục hồi” – Jerry J. Kartzinel, Tiến sĩ y học, Viện Nghiên cứu về Trẻ em, Mỹ.
200 pages, Paperback
First published September 17, 2007
63 people are currently reading
1095 people want to read
About the author
Jenny McCarthy
47 books265 followersJennifer McCarthy is an American model, comedian, actress and author. She first appeared in Playboy magazine in October 1993 and was named Playmate of the Year in its June 1994 issue. She later began a career in television and film and has recently started writing books dealing largely with her pregnancy and motherhood of a child with autism.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 560 reviews
stricken
July 14, 2014My contempt knows no limits: "healing" autism, my ass
July 17, 2008
horrible, biased, awful. so many better books out there on Autism that are actually helpful and don't go about looking for a "cure", but rather helping your child reach his/her full potential. Last book you should read if you want to waste your time reading it at all.
May 5, 2014
I have always strongly disliked Jenny McCarthy, not as an actress or anything but as a person. I think she is completely uninformed and ignorant of so many things and, indirectly, causes harm to others. I find her whole campaigning again vaccines and claims to "curing" her sons autism, cruel and, quite honestly, dangerous. It's people like this woman that made diseases that were nearly extinct start rising again and that are harming other people and children. Ignorant people like this woman obviously have no idea of the concept of "herd immunity". But hey, obviously the welfare of other human beings means nothing to this lady or else she wouldn't be writing this sort of rubbish knowing that, as a person in the public eye, people will actually pay attention.
First of all, this book has no research involved, whatsoever (except Google, which she happens to love so much). I wish people would realize that the doctor that came up with the connection between vaccination and autism did not only not have enough proof to support his claims and ended up denying them himself, as was also stripped of his medical license. No mention of that, uh, McCarthy?
In the book McCarthy supports several of her claims and medical choices because she had a "feeling in her gut". What? Does that even count as an argument? This is funny because the woman that has lots of "feelings in her gut" had no feeling whatsoever during the long period of time her son displayed strong and classic signs of autism and only when he got diagnosed made a correlation between the two.
This is the same person that displays a "holier than you" attitude towards other moms that didn't buy into the nonsense she did, at a certain point she even says "Some moms don't believe than maybe that's the reason their kids don't get better". Say what? How dare she imply that she loves her son more than other mothers love their sons?!
Then she actually complains saying that "no one understands how hard it is" for her. I find this revolting. She is a woman, a working woman and mother yes, but she most definitely has privileged means compared to most mothers. This woman actually flew to her son on a private jet several times. How many mothers have that option? Does she want the readers to sympathize with her situation, really? When she has it a lot easier than most people? This book is a complete self-pity fest.
It is also selfish and unappreciative of other people how she exposes her case, almost claiming to having found a cure for her boy. What about giving others false hope? What about considering the degrees of autism?
At a certain point she even says that finding out the cause and cure for autism is more important than trying to counteract global warming...
All that being said, she can get her point across and is good at reaching people through the emotions she expresses. Which is not a compliment. Lots of emotions and zero content means nothing. She is a complete mooch of other people's emotions and hopes; she is selfish and ignorant.
First of all, this book has no research involved, whatsoever (except Google, which she happens to love so much). I wish people would realize that the doctor that came up with the connection between vaccination and autism did not only not have enough proof to support his claims and ended up denying them himself, as was also stripped of his medical license. No mention of that, uh, McCarthy?
In the book McCarthy supports several of her claims and medical choices because she had a "feeling in her gut". What? Does that even count as an argument? This is funny because the woman that has lots of "feelings in her gut" had no feeling whatsoever during the long period of time her son displayed strong and classic signs of autism and only when he got diagnosed made a correlation between the two.
This is the same person that displays a "holier than you" attitude towards other moms that didn't buy into the nonsense she did, at a certain point she even says "Some moms don't believe than maybe that's the reason their kids don't get better". Say what? How dare she imply that she loves her son more than other mothers love their sons?!
Then she actually complains saying that "no one understands how hard it is" for her. I find this revolting. She is a woman, a working woman and mother yes, but she most definitely has privileged means compared to most mothers. This woman actually flew to her son on a private jet several times. How many mothers have that option? Does she want the readers to sympathize with her situation, really? When she has it a lot easier than most people? This book is a complete self-pity fest.
It is also selfish and unappreciative of other people how she exposes her case, almost claiming to having found a cure for her boy. What about giving others false hope? What about considering the degrees of autism?
At a certain point she even says that finding out the cause and cure for autism is more important than trying to counteract global warming...
All that being said, she can get her point across and is good at reaching people through the emotions she expresses. Which is not a compliment. Lots of emotions and zero content means nothing. She is a complete mooch of other people's emotions and hopes; she is selfish and ignorant.
November 6, 2012
Jenny McCarthy should really shut her mouth unless she's going to call this a work of fiction. And I would really caution anyone reading this if you're looking for hope for your autistic loved one. First of all she claims her son is "cured." Really? Then perhaps she should market that, because medical professionals haven't been able to do that yet. I would encourage her to take her son off all the MANY therapies he's on, & then see how "cured" he is. You didn't cure him Jenny, you're simply managing his symptoms. And again, she did it through MANY different types of therapies that most parents don't have access to. If we all had her kind of money, then perhaps we could "cure" our kids too. Her book is unrealisitic & full of false hope, & made me extremely angry while reading it. I would reccomend this to no one.
March 26, 2008
"If someone you love is diagnosed with autism, Louder Than Words is the first book you should read." So far from the truth. This is probably one of the last books you should read. Jenny McCarthy's book is her personal story of her journey in dealing with her son's autism. It offer little factual information on autism or on ways to treat it. For me, this book was a 200-page rant. It was whiny and full of swear words. While I appreciate Jenny's struggles, she comes off as extremely self-righteous in the book. No one could possibly feel what she felt, understand what she was going through, or do what she did. Jenny, there are mothers dealing with autism all over the world, and they don't have close to the resources you had. I was especially bothered by her love of finding things out by Googling them. For Jenny, if it was on the internet (and said what she wanted to hear) it must be true. I won't even get into the nonsense about Indigo and Crystal children.
I do not mean in any way to diminish the pain and fear that Jenny felt, or the struggles that she went though with her son. All mothers of children with special needs should be applauded for their strength and courage. However, this book is simply the story of one family's experiences with autism. It's not the book you should pick up to learn about how to help someone with autism.
I do not mean in any way to diminish the pain and fear that Jenny felt, or the struggles that she went though with her son. All mothers of children with special needs should be applauded for their strength and courage. However, this book is simply the story of one family's experiences with autism. It's not the book you should pick up to learn about how to help someone with autism.
December 13, 2008
Never before have I tried to read a book so full of misinformation. It is PAINFUL and CAUSES ME TO FROTH AT THE MOUTH. Want *real* information? Read Paul Offit. Check out the Autism Diva's blog. Visit the James Randi site (http://www.randi.org/site/). Listen to the Skeptic's Guide to the Universe. But please, do NOT believe this woman. It is offensive, scientifically fallacious, and downright *wrong*.
September 8, 2010
I should start this review stating that I am a Speech Language Pathologist working in the schools and I work with kids who have Autism and their families.
I went into reading this book completely preparing to hate it, having previously heard the Author's point of view about the cause of Autism and that it can be "cured." After reading the book I am in two minds. It was written by a good parent with the intention of giving others Hope. But, we should not forget: she is NOT a medical or other professional working with Autism.
She followed her gut looking for a cure. I caution all parents to use well documented research and safe therapies rather than simply following their gut. These treatments will not work for every child and aren't appropriate for every form of Autism. Some alternative treatments can be harmful. Not all people providing these treatments are medical doctors and parents should always proceed with caution. One treatment mentioned in the book (but not stated as tried), Chelation therapy, has been documented to be fatal or cause kidney failure.
While it's important for parents of children who have Autism to have hope, I caution them that Evan may be an atypical case. Not all families are financially and realistically able to provide the treatments that Evan received. Not many "breadwinner" parents can only work 3 days a month and support their family.
Additionally, Evan's diagnosis of Autism could have overshadowed the potential effects of epilepsy. I have no information directly about how the two diagnoses interacted in Evan's treatment, but only Autism is mentioned outside of medication for the seizures. But - we should not forget that Evan had a TWENTY minute seizure and that could have caused some brain damage. Additionally, seizure medications can dramatically affect an individual's behavior (i.e. the exorcist and the zombie?!?!). Fortunately, our brains can be pretty miraculous and the neural plasticity (that allows people to recover from brain injury) could be responsible for his dramatic improvements. Evan could have had a high functioning form of Autism. He could have suffered some sort of brain injury related to a seizure and his brain healed to some degree. When this happened his Autism appeared to be "cured." When in reality Evan may have returned to high functioning form of Autism (his remaining obsessions with escalators and difficulties with abstract langauge.)
A side note for parents: wait lists can be extremely long for most things related to autism. You can always request an evaluation from your public school to see what services your child qualifies for. I still recommend getting put on the wait list. Not all kids qualify for therapy in schools. Some kids also can qualify for both.
I went into reading this book completely preparing to hate it, having previously heard the Author's point of view about the cause of Autism and that it can be "cured." After reading the book I am in two minds. It was written by a good parent with the intention of giving others Hope. But, we should not forget: she is NOT a medical or other professional working with Autism.
She followed her gut looking for a cure. I caution all parents to use well documented research and safe therapies rather than simply following their gut. These treatments will not work for every child and aren't appropriate for every form of Autism. Some alternative treatments can be harmful. Not all people providing these treatments are medical doctors and parents should always proceed with caution. One treatment mentioned in the book (but not stated as tried), Chelation therapy, has been documented to be fatal or cause kidney failure.
While it's important for parents of children who have Autism to have hope, I caution them that Evan may be an atypical case. Not all families are financially and realistically able to provide the treatments that Evan received. Not many "breadwinner" parents can only work 3 days a month and support their family.
Additionally, Evan's diagnosis of Autism could have overshadowed the potential effects of epilepsy. I have no information directly about how the two diagnoses interacted in Evan's treatment, but only Autism is mentioned outside of medication for the seizures. But - we should not forget that Evan had a TWENTY minute seizure and that could have caused some brain damage. Additionally, seizure medications can dramatically affect an individual's behavior (i.e. the exorcist and the zombie?!?!). Fortunately, our brains can be pretty miraculous and the neural plasticity (that allows people to recover from brain injury) could be responsible for his dramatic improvements. Evan could have had a high functioning form of Autism. He could have suffered some sort of brain injury related to a seizure and his brain healed to some degree. When this happened his Autism appeared to be "cured." When in reality Evan may have returned to high functioning form of Autism (his remaining obsessions with escalators and difficulties with abstract langauge.)
A side note for parents: wait lists can be extremely long for most things related to autism. You can always request an evaluation from your public school to see what services your child qualifies for. I still recommend getting put on the wait list. Not all kids qualify for therapy in schools. Some kids also can qualify for both.
August 2, 2011
I am ashamed to say that I actually wasted time and money on this book. Jenny McCarthy is a moron! Her son doesn't even have autism, he has Landau-Kleffner syndrome which is often misdiagnosed as autism. Also her claims of "curing" autism are ridiculous and disgusting! She has encouraged the untrue belief that vaccines cause autism, they have been proven NOT to have ANY link to autism! As for her claims of her son being a "crystal child" and her being an "indigo mom" they just prove just how ignorant Jenny McCarthy really is as this is often what mother's say of their children when there is signs of mental illness or some other personality trait that they may consider "imperfect" otherwise. In other words, the whole concept of crystal children is just excuses for their lack of commitment to their child's recovery. I have a son with autism whom I accept as having autism, I don't think my son is a crystal child because he's NOT! Denial is a horrible thing but promoting it is worse, Jenny McCarthy should be ashamed of herself! It's not enough that she was spreading her legs in playboy but she has to wreak havoc on innocent people's lives by giving out false information that has caused more harm to children in need of real treatments and therapies.
April 1, 2009
I knew at the outset of reading this book that I did not agree with Jenny McCarthy's opinions on the causes and treatments of Autism but I'm a firm believer that you can't argue your own point well if you don't know the opposition. Also, as a mother of a son with Autism myself, I thought I would AT LEAST find some passages, some experiences, some emotions in common with her...something that would touch me and make me say "I know exactly how she feels." It didn't happen. The only thing that I got out of reading this book was raised blood pressure and a ten-fold frustration at the number of parents out there who will continue to listen to her and risk their kids safety by refusing vaccines and trying risky, costly, and ineffective treatments. I strongly encourage anyone that has read this to also take a look at the other side by reading Autism's False Prophets by Paul Offit.
May 31, 2009
Because I work with parents of kids with autism, and Jenny McCarthy's name is out there in the autism world, I thought I should read this book. In all fairness, I have to admit that I went into the book expecting to thoroughly dislike it, and I wasn't disappointed. For one thing, Jenny McCarthy is a terrible writer. She swears far too much, and much of the book feels like an irrational, self-centered rant. Granted, I don't have kids, let alone a child with autism, so maybe I shouldn't judge. One thing I can say for sure, though, is that having a child with autism does not make Jenny McCarthy an expert on how to treat autism. Her book is based on Google research and her own experience (which she freely admits), and she makes no effort to look at the scientific research behind any of the autism treatments. Her son sounds like he's doing amazingly well, but most kids with autism don't make that kind of progress that quickly, and most parents don't have the resources that Jenny McCarthy does. Much as she tries to paint herself as a normal parent, she's not, and I wish she would admit it. (Most parents can't buy a hospital-grade heart monitor or get a next-week appointment with one of the nation's top specialists or hire a private plane to get back home.) I would never recommend her book to a parent, not even just to read about another parent's experience with autism. Not only is it not helpful, but it's potentially harmful because it promotes the idea that vaccines lead to autism. There are much, much better books out there!
October 21, 2008
My little boy was recently diagnosed as being on the Autistic spectrum and it's a scary, confusing and overwhelming thing to have to deal with...especially in the beginning. My husband and I have spent untold amounts of money already on therapy, therapeutic/adaptive toys, sensory paraphernalia and we've spent countless hours reading "how-to" books, on the phone arranging for services and arguing with our insurance company.
What a breath of fresh air to read a book by a mother who's been there! It made me feel a little less manic when I read that she did the same things we're doing now...and to laugh and cry with a knowing nod at some of the things she's been through with her own son.
A must-read for parents whose lives have been blindsided by ASDs.
What a breath of fresh air to read a book by a mother who's been there! It made me feel a little less manic when I read that she did the same things we're doing now...and to laugh and cry with a knowing nod at some of the things she's been through with her own son.
A must-read for parents whose lives have been blindsided by ASDs.
February 17, 2008
While McCarthy provided brief descriptions of various treatments (ABA therapy, GFCF diet, and supplementation), she spends much more time blaming God, the medical community, and her ex-husband for Evan's autism. This poorly written book reads more like a rant or distasteful monologue. While I am not defending or excusing the medical community for their slow responce to Autism or the general refusal to link the possibility of vaccines to autism, profanity, name calling, and blaming will not serve to improve the medical response. However dialogue, data collection, funding research will get us closer to understanding the cause and treatments accessible to all children and families with autism.
October 21, 2007
I saw Jenny McCarthy talking about this book on Oprah so I bought it. I have not read any of Jenny's other books, but I was very interested in learning how autism effected her life.
I have to say, Jenny McCarthy is a very dedicated mother who was going to stop at nothing to find out what was wrong with her son and how to "fix" it. I thought her journey, from the initial incorrect diagnosis to the numerous breakthroughs Evan completed was both heartbreaking and hopeful.
At age 2.5, Evan is discovered in his room seizing and Jenny immediately is thrust into a world of terror and incorrect medical diagnoses until she begins to push for the answers. The road leading to Evan's diagnosis of autism is a difficult one, with Jenny fighting with her pediatrician and a neurologist, who both think his problems are epilepsy and do not feel it is necessary to do any other tests. Jenny's marriage becomes more strained as the months go by and she discovers that her and her husband have very different ways of dealing with the stress of Evan's illness.
Jenny, finally, arrives in the office of a very brilliant doctor who takes one look at Evan and tells Jenny he's autistic, not epileptic, and he begins a new treatment for Evan as well as encourages her to continue to fight for her son. She does. She uses Google for research and meets other mothers with autistic children, and finds hope in their stories.
Jenny is very upfront and in your face with this story, and she is very honest. I remember Jenny from her MTV days and never realized there was more to her than that MTV persona. This book gave me a completely new idea/opinion of her as well as gave her all of my respect. I think anyone, whether they have children or not, would learn a lot about life, faith, love, and autism from this book. I do not have children of my own, but one day I might and with the statistics being so high, 1 in 150 diagnosed with autism, I think it would be absolutely ridiculous for me to put my head in the sand and think "It won't be my child". It pays to be diligent in the world of parenting, and Jenny was very diligent. She brought her son through some very dark days and he is getting better. Her love and her faith helped her pull through those hard days and nights. Her strength is something I envy and it is that strength that I think all autistic children and parents of autistic children need from those around them: their friends and family. That's definitely the message I got.
I have to say, Jenny McCarthy is a very dedicated mother who was going to stop at nothing to find out what was wrong with her son and how to "fix" it. I thought her journey, from the initial incorrect diagnosis to the numerous breakthroughs Evan completed was both heartbreaking and hopeful.
At age 2.5, Evan is discovered in his room seizing and Jenny immediately is thrust into a world of terror and incorrect medical diagnoses until she begins to push for the answers. The road leading to Evan's diagnosis of autism is a difficult one, with Jenny fighting with her pediatrician and a neurologist, who both think his problems are epilepsy and do not feel it is necessary to do any other tests. Jenny's marriage becomes more strained as the months go by and she discovers that her and her husband have very different ways of dealing with the stress of Evan's illness.
Jenny, finally, arrives in the office of a very brilliant doctor who takes one look at Evan and tells Jenny he's autistic, not epileptic, and he begins a new treatment for Evan as well as encourages her to continue to fight for her son. She does. She uses Google for research and meets other mothers with autistic children, and finds hope in their stories.
Jenny is very upfront and in your face with this story, and she is very honest. I remember Jenny from her MTV days and never realized there was more to her than that MTV persona. This book gave me a completely new idea/opinion of her as well as gave her all of my respect. I think anyone, whether they have children or not, would learn a lot about life, faith, love, and autism from this book. I do not have children of my own, but one day I might and with the statistics being so high, 1 in 150 diagnosed with autism, I think it would be absolutely ridiculous for me to put my head in the sand and think "It won't be my child". It pays to be diligent in the world of parenting, and Jenny was very diligent. She brought her son through some very dark days and he is getting better. Her love and her faith helped her pull through those hard days and nights. Her strength is something I envy and it is that strength that I think all autistic children and parents of autistic children need from those around them: their friends and family. That's definitely the message I got.
July 20, 2010
This book was a little bit strange to me. I am really interested in autism as I am a teacher and come across children with autism frequently. I thought it might be interesting to read a celebrity's account of her son's autism. The beginning of the book was really good and drew me in to her story. But then she started to get a bit pushy about her ideas about the origin and treatment of autism. It almost seemed like the book was pushing a very specific agenda. Also, I was very confused about her definition of "God". One minute she is talking about God in a Christian/Catholic sense and then she is reading tarot cards, asking Mormons to pray over her son, and looking at various Eastern religions. I realize that there are many people who believe that all roads lead to God, but I was just caught off guard by her switching back and forth between very different religions with very different beliefs. Overall, I didn't consider the book to be a waste of time and her love for her son is very evident. However, I don't think I would necessarily recommend this book to others.
September 28, 2015
Sorry Jen McArthy but I hated the whole concept of this book especially and including the title! We would ALL move mountains to "heal" our children. Every family that faces this starts on a journey which was chosen for them. A journey with so many twists and turns and ups and downs it's almost impossible to explain. Books like this one call into question the "right" way to care for your child with autism. It is divisive and I believe knowing the outcome socially of such books quite cruel. Raising children with autism is isolating enough without claims of a non-existent "cure".
April 5, 2012
Story of a Mother Dealing with Discovering her Child Has Autism: Two Stars
The first fifty pages were all pre-diagnosis of Jenny McCarthy's child, Evan. It was really focused on the fear and confusion of a parent going through something awful. Evan was having seizures constantly, with no seeming reason. After the diagnosis, it took a bit of a nose dive as the book seemed to be become about what was wrong with Evan and what Jenny was doing about it. There was very little focus on how Evan was actually doing, unless something was wrong. When a child has autism things are not wrong 24/7, especially when it is a fairly "typical" case as Evan's seems to be.
Misinformation: Zero Stars
I give her props for trying everything under the sun to help her son and I'm thrilled that Evan has learned to cope with his autism, but she has not healed Autism. She has found diets and behavior plans that help him, but it is not gone.
Please, parents of children with autism: listen to your doctors, not to a porn star with a "Google doctorate"! I'd think this would be a no-brainer, but I suppose since she's still famous it must be said.
The first fifty pages were all pre-diagnosis of Jenny McCarthy's child, Evan. It was really focused on the fear and confusion of a parent going through something awful. Evan was having seizures constantly, with no seeming reason. After the diagnosis, it took a bit of a nose dive as the book seemed to be become about what was wrong with Evan and what Jenny was doing about it. There was very little focus on how Evan was actually doing, unless something was wrong. When a child has autism things are not wrong 24/7, especially when it is a fairly "typical" case as Evan's seems to be.
Misinformation: Zero Stars
"Many moms I talk to believe too much of what their pediatrician says and still want to vaccinate."
"By the end of the book, you will see that I should have a doctorate in Google research, what with all the time I spent online trying desperately to understand what was happening to my baby."
I give her props for trying everything under the sun to help her son and I'm thrilled that Evan has learned to cope with his autism, but she has not healed Autism. She has found diets and behavior plans that help him, but it is not gone.
Please, parents of children with autism: listen to your doctors, not to a porn star with a "Google doctorate"! I'd think this would be a no-brainer, but I suppose since she's still famous it must be said.
July 26, 2014
Wow, after reading all of the hate reviews I feel as if there is something wrong with me. I enjoyed the book. If nothing else it brings me hope. I have two grandsons on the spectrum. M is right in the middle and Z is an Aspie. M was 3.5 years old and wasn't talking. He had been in therapy for almost a year. My chiropractor asked me to bring him in to see if he might possibly be able to help. I did and my chiropractor worked wonders. Two days later M's speech therapist and counselor were taken aback by his improvement. I'm not saying that this would work for everyone, but it did for M. Not only can he carry on conversations but he fully understands what he is saying. Ms McCarthy doesn't claim her path will work for everyone or that vaccinations are wrong for everyone. Perhaps some should pay closer attention to what she is saying. This being said, I cannot understand the hostility in the reviews. An open mind leads to miracles. M celebrated his 5th birthday last month and I attribute his progress to my daughter's persistence and love, Easter Seals and the many who have helped in treating him (and his brother)to my chiropractor.
April 27, 2022
Please don't read this book.
This book only perpetuates dangerous stigma around autism and dangerous misinformation. It makes many absurd claims that are far removed from science. As written I the introduction (not by her but obviously supported by her):
"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"
The way she describes her son is also upsetting
"He was still acting a bit kooky—and borderline annoying"
And:
"I’m happy to report that the psychotic portion of Evan disappeared completely."
Describing someone as psychotic is incredibly offensive to begin with let alone an autistic child.
She claims to deserve a google doctorate but if I presented the level of misinformation she shares I would have failed my classes automatically.
"I decided to start doing some research—and by research, I mean Google. By the end of the book, you will see that I should have a doctorate in Google research"
She also uses the r word (a slur for people with mental disabilities) multiple times and has a real disdain/hatred for disabled people.
"My father was also still living in Chicago but was blind in one eye, and I didn’t want two special-needs people living in my home."
She also thinks autistic people can't or shouldn't reproduce (wtf) and says it's an epidemic akin to cancer or aids (it's not) which is harmful and scary to see written in a book meant for parents of children diagnosed with autism. Just a reminder autistic kids grow up to be autistic adults!! And they can have their own kids (and they can have sex).
I have so much more to say but this review is already to long. PLEASE please look elsewhere. Listen to autistic people themselves and doctors!
Someone I love: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMLsNday8/
This book only perpetuates dangerous stigma around autism and dangerous misinformation. It makes many absurd claims that are far removed from science. As written I the introduction (not by her but obviously supported by her):
"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"
The way she describes her son is also upsetting
"He was still acting a bit kooky—and borderline annoying"
And:
"I’m happy to report that the psychotic portion of Evan disappeared completely."
Describing someone as psychotic is incredibly offensive to begin with let alone an autistic child.
She claims to deserve a google doctorate but if I presented the level of misinformation she shares I would have failed my classes automatically.
"I decided to start doing some research—and by research, I mean Google. By the end of the book, you will see that I should have a doctorate in Google research"
She also uses the r word (a slur for people with mental disabilities) multiple times and has a real disdain/hatred for disabled people.
"My father was also still living in Chicago but was blind in one eye, and I didn’t want two special-needs people living in my home."
She also thinks autistic people can't or shouldn't reproduce (wtf) and says it's an epidemic akin to cancer or aids (it's not) which is harmful and scary to see written in a book meant for parents of children diagnosed with autism. Just a reminder autistic kids grow up to be autistic adults!! And they can have their own kids (and they can have sex).
I have so much more to say but this review is already to long. PLEASE please look elsewhere. Listen to autistic people themselves and doctors!
Someone I love: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMLsNday8/
May 26, 2014
A well written enjoyable read. This is not really supposed to be a "how-to" book, which is nice after reading a large amount of very medical books on autism. Jenny does an awesome job of expressing her personal struggles with her sons diagnosis, family relationships, and treatment. I read her baby books which were funny and kinda silly, but I have a new found respect for her and when you read this book you can tell this is coming from a more genuine place. My favorite quote from the book "... I asked "Why do you like watching ceiling fans so much?" He answered, "Because when it goes round and round, it makes me feel good inside." This would not be the first book I gave someone with a newly diagnosed child, but it is a fantastic read for anyone who loves a child that has been struggling with autism for a year or more (if your still telling yourself Einstein didn't talk till he was 4 this book is not for you)!!!!!
October 3, 2019
I was born autistic; so was my twin brother; so was my father; so was my grandfather; so was my great grandfather. Autism is over 80% genetic. This book repeats lies that have been debunked and refuted for over twenty years, and there is *ZERO* legitimate excuses for the writer to repeat those lies.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 23, 2021
2021 me didn’t agree with 2012’s me opinion so I’m removing my review so people stop liking it 😅
April 11, 2025
Obtained this book for free years ago and wanted to read out of curiosity into her mind and her beliefs about autism. It was about what I expected. There are a few helpful tidbits regarding behavior therapy and the importance of the brain-gut connection, but her rhetoric around vaccinations and non evidence-based treatments is dangerous. She literally cites “Google” as her source multiple times. She also inaccurately applied the terms “psychotic” and “obsessive compulsive.”Other than that, I find her personality to be rather insufferable. How can you consider yourself an author when you use words like “gotten?” Will destroy.
January 20, 2008
My brother is one of the hundreds of thousands of Americans with autism. I don't believe that he would have responded to any of the treatments that worked for Jenny, rather he's making some progress with lots of therapy and a constantly evolving cocktail of behavior modification meds. The fact is there's many different varieties of autism, and her son Evan's journey is quite different than my brother's. But as McCarthy says, this book isn't about a cure for autism, it's about having faith and never giving up hope, and it's this part of her character and her story that I have the most respect. I think there's no way she could have described the personal anguish that beset her at every turn, and if she had spoken only about this it would have been unbearable to read. What my parents went through and what Jenny went through is nothing less than a nightmare. That's why I'm so glad that she wrote about her experiences; I can't agree more with her that the services and information that are so desperately needed by parents of autistic children are not readily available, not readily apparent, and often hidden by layers of bullshit. Jenny tells it like it is, not to make a dramatic story but to try to make a wake-up call, and to give inspiration and resources to all the parents of autistic children. Just as McCarthy doesn't care what it takes to help her son, I don't care how hard she pushes this book and uses every ounce of celebrity she can muster to raise awareness. Oh, and by the way, you can read this book in one sitting.
December 30, 2020
I felt for Jenny at the beginning of the book as she agonized over her son having seizures and being so medically fragile.
After a diagnosis the book changed and seemed to be more about all the therapies she paid for, the wait lists she skipped over and the “worlds famous” Doctors she got in to see immediately bc of her money and connections.
Thin cliches about autism moms (parenting is hard and autism is expensive).
Add in some tarot cards, a weird side note about “indigo and crystal children” and the fact that most of her information came from google —it’s hard to take seriously.
I actually rolled my eyes when she decided SHE was “going to be the voice of autistic mothers”, that SHE had discovered THE reason for autism—therefore she had found “the solution” to “pull him out of autism”.
She says several times in the book “if this so true why isn’t it on the evening news?”—maybe because she didn’t actually discover a “cure” for anything.
She used her money and fame to obtain and pay for intense early interventions.
Most of the book ends up being quite simple and the “what to do” help list at the end would be impossible for most people : see a list of specialists, get a range of tests done, pay for x, y, z therapies, hire a lawyer as an advocate.
After a diagnosis the book changed and seemed to be more about all the therapies she paid for, the wait lists she skipped over and the “worlds famous” Doctors she got in to see immediately bc of her money and connections.
Thin cliches about autism moms (parenting is hard and autism is expensive).
Add in some tarot cards, a weird side note about “indigo and crystal children” and the fact that most of her information came from google —it’s hard to take seriously.
I actually rolled my eyes when she decided SHE was “going to be the voice of autistic mothers”, that SHE had discovered THE reason for autism—therefore she had found “the solution” to “pull him out of autism”.
She says several times in the book “if this so true why isn’t it on the evening news?”—maybe because she didn’t actually discover a “cure” for anything.
She used her money and fame to obtain and pay for intense early interventions.
Most of the book ends up being quite simple and the “what to do” help list at the end would be impossible for most people : see a list of specialists, get a range of tests done, pay for x, y, z therapies, hire a lawyer as an advocate.
July 27, 2011
I'll admit that I was a bit skeptical, a bit hesitant before I read this book for the first time, but so much about Jenny's son Evan resonated with me and reminded me of my own son that I knew as I read it that she was onto something. Her descriptions of Evan--such as him letting the other kids take toys right out of his hands, and the uniqueness of his hand flapping all reminded me of my son. I knew that she was describing a very similar little boy and I grew hopeful that my son could reach the same outcome. This is the book that started us on the pathway for biomedical interventions and yes, my son is doing remarkably well. Thank goodness for Jenny McCarthy and her bravery in putting her life story before the world. She has helped my own son remarkably and I know countless others.
January 23, 2011
My journey was with a son who had Crohn's, not autism, but the book still struck a chord with me. Especially the accounts of their experiences with traditional medicine.
Even if you fall into the group of people that stop short of calling these therapies "cures", it cannot be denied that alternative treatments can cause disease to take a different, lighter form that no longer resembles the originally expected course and outcome. This book appropriately gives hope to people who want to overcome. It can be done.
Even if you fall into the group of people that stop short of calling these therapies "cures", it cannot be denied that alternative treatments can cause disease to take a different, lighter form that no longer resembles the originally expected course and outcome. This book appropriately gives hope to people who want to overcome. It can be done.
April 16, 2012
Once you get past the swearing and whining, you find a mother that genuinely loves and cares for her child -- a mother who would do anything to end his suffering. Absolutely clueless about autism and medicine, Jenny McCarthy does a lot of research to discover how she can help her child. I was a little frustrated at some of the things she was saying, but I loved how she continued to stress that it is important to find out the WHY and help that rather than just using "the doctors band-aid" to cover up an issue. By the end of the book, I liked her a lot better than when I started.
December 15, 2015
This was a big disappointment for me. I had read in a couple of reviews that it had some language but I didn't expect it to be so much. Mainly f bombs at that. I felt like the whole book was about making herself sound like a saint and that any one who does any less than her must not love their child as much as she loves hers..because she will do ANYTHING to help her son. Well yeah I would do anything to help my son but unfortunately I can't afford $4000 per week on treatment. The only page I found useful was the last 2 or 3 pages that had websites to visit for some actual information
October 11, 2012
She knows how to work her audience, but her science is horrible! She conflates her sons other medical issues with autism, thinks it's possible to be "not autistic anymore," and is using doctors from groups like Talk About Curing Autism Now and Generation Rescue. (She's pretty heavily involved in Generation Rescue, and they run a conference in which bleach enemas were recently suggested as an autism treatment.) She writes well enough, but the book and her ideas are dangerous!
December 13, 2012
This book carried a lot of interesting and valuable information. I don't think that I will go through as many extremes as she since my son is low on the Autism Spectrum, but I will look into the diet for sure.
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