Wow, who would have thought Jenny McCarthy could stir up such a hornets nest regarding Autistic Spectrum Disorders.  I am hearing a lot of rhetoric about her not being a scientist and that she is not qualified to write a book about Autism.  I think any parent of an autistic child is qualified (and could) write a book about their life with an autistic child.  The book she wrote is called “Louder Than Words” and she offers her story regarding treatments that were successful in helping her son thrive after being diagnosed with Autism. 

In the book she advocates dietary changes and other therapies that were effective with her son.  She also shares her life stories and trials that many parents can relate to - and does so in a humorous way!  I have discussed these dietary changes in prior posts but the main two she discusses are the elimination of dairy and wheat products.

I’m constantly in awe of the backlash that the cynics feel obligated to spread.  Why is the idea that natural and non-invasive remedies that may be beneficial in treating this disorder so threatening to them?  Although recommendations such as elimination diets may not work for every patient they are definitely worth trying.  It’s not like eliminating dairy and wheat from the diet for a trial period is on par with trying some experimental drug that ends up getting yanked due to its side effects and toxicity. 

One thing I have learned in practice is that I don’t argue with results.  There are so many case studies that demonstrate the positive outcomes with dietary changes and supplemenation that you can’t ignore these stories.  Give them a try and if it doesn’t work continue pushing that door open until you find a treatment or combination of treatments that do help.  I applaud Jenny McCarthy for standing up to the establishment to share her story and provide educational options for parents and patients dealing with this condition!