Parenting

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Can kids recover from autism? Jenny McCarthy says yes

Photo Credit: Alexander Tamargo/Getty Entertainment

Photo Credit: Alexander Tamargo/Getty Entertainment

Hollywood celeb Jenny McCarthy appeared on CNN yesterday to discuss the link between autism and vaccines. McCarthy's son, Evan, was diagnosed with autism in 2005 and she believes it was triggered by vaccinations. She's been vigilant in her efforts to educate people about a link between vaccines and autism.

But after her interview on CNN, she might be spending more time talking to folks about how her son no longer has symptoms of autism.

McCarthy claims that Evan, now 6, has recovered from autism "like thousands of other kids who are doing it." She said he responded to biomedical treatment, which included a special diet, vitamins and supplements. Biomedical treatment, she said, is healing "a vaccine injury."

McCarthy wrote about her son's recovery from autism in her book, Louder Than Words: A Mother's Journey in Healing Autism.

I really want to believe that autism can be cured. But I feel like the scientific community would be shouting from the rooftops if such a possibility existed.

Many Shine users have posted about their own journeys with their autistic children. I'm curious what you think about Jenny McCarthy's statements. Do you believe autism can be cured?
 
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Comments 11-20 of 620
  • Isabel's Avatar
    Posted by Isabel Thu Oct 2, 2008 8:14pm PDT

    i am very familiar with autism, i have one at home and for a FACT i will tell you autism do not have a cure for now. but hopefully one day will be find it. I read her book and it is great book in the way that it help you as a manual of what to look for you kid. she talk about some diet and different methods that can help you child to have a better way to live and thats it. by the way there is so many kids who can lead close to a normal life, it does not mean they are cure.

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  • laura's Avatar
    Posted by laura Fri Oct 3, 2008 6:23am PDT

    Here's a quick reality check: normal people can actually know better than doctors sometimes.

    Doctors know what they've been taught and their own experience. They will follow the rules, thinking inside the box. It's not bad. It's just the way they are trained. Regular people will try anything, even if it sounds crazy, and amazingly, sometimes they find a cure. If you don't believe me, look up the movie Lorenzo's Oil. A normal family discovered a cure for a devastating disease that doctors refused to consider.

    I'm not saying Jenny is right. I'm saying she's open-minded, and a lot of doctors aren't. If they are so sure, why don't they test the methods she used and prove them wrong? That's called the scientific method, people. Test a theory based on evidence.

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  • beaustudio30's Avatar
    Posted by beaustudio30 Fri Oct 3, 2008 6:30am PDT

    I have been working with young children for 20 years and have seen a dramatic increase in the diagnosis of this disease. It is serious, and in many cases, life-altering to a large degree. My understanding is that autism alters the brains ability to process information correctly. I can't see how this could be reversed by diet... or anything short of a miracle. I am willing to read more on this. It would be an amazing thing if true.

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  • Goddess's Avatar
    Posted by Goddess Fri Oct 3, 2008 6:46am PDT

    It would be wonderful if there was a cure.

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  • al's Avatar
    Posted by al Fri Oct 3, 2008 7:11am PDT

    It is so funny that I read this. I have been reading a lot about this topic lately. It is probably because, of her crusade to prove a "cure" for autism. My son was diagnosed with it last March. I do believe diet and what you eat helps make the days better. I don't believe that is a cure. What if the child stops eating it or is willing to accept it? My child is a very picky eater. Any types of shots or other medicines are a chore to give him. It would be a task everyday to get this diet in him. And, imagine the cost of it! I just can't imagine an autistic teenager or adult living everyday on such a strict diet like that. Maybe I do not have enough Knowledge on the matter yet. I just know that my child never ate milk products and I took a lot of sugars and most artificial flavored foods out of his diet and his behavior and the focus he has is much better then before. He also gets OT and special instruction through early intervention. The therapies and schedules makes him seem like he is a child without the diagnosis of Autism.

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  • B's Avatar
    Posted by B Fri Oct 3, 2008 7:14am PDT

    aaronkun, mr. neurologist.....you're the one who is full of crap. You should know that mercury is a NEUROTOXIN...IT KILLS BRAIN CELLS!!! And isn't the measles part of the MMR a live virus vaccine? What do you think happens when kids who have malfunctioning methylation processes get these shots? The measles virus ends up in different organs and causes havoc in the body.

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  • sunny's Avatar
    Posted by sunny Fri Oct 3, 2008 7:19am PDT

    oh WOW another celebrity getting press for something she doesn't know much about .. i've worked with kids under the autism spectrum for years and doesn't jennie think that if there was a cure others would've found out about it by now??

    did the kids i've worked with have special diets?? yes they did and some of them were absolutely ridiculous .. did it help behavior?? no it did not .. it only made them more and more frustrated as they aggressively (yes kicked, bit, pulled hair) tried to get the food that they wanted ..

    jennie needs to get a clue .. i'm speculating here but it seems like her son has (or had as she's putting it) a mild form of autism (maybe aspberger's) and was having some behaviors because he was drinking too much kool-aid so she cut that crap out of his diet and now he's come down off his sugar high ..

    jennie has NO IDEA what it's like to work with kids day in and day out who are so trapped in their own world that nobody can break through .. kids who are so prompt dependent that they won't eat unless you tell them to or kids that are so obsessed with water that they can't walk by a bathroom without bolting in there to turn the faucets on or kids that destroy their families homes because you won't let them watch their barney video for the umpteenth time ...this is the world of autism that not everybody sees and I DOUBT JENNIE'S SEEN IT ... NO IDEA ..

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  • MochaMama42's Avatar
    Posted by MochaMama42 Fri Oct 3, 2008 7:22am PDT

    Well, I don't think it would hurt to have a diet/vitamin regimen.

    I think if scientists/nutritionists/doctors really stressed healthy eating, vitamins, less synthetic drugs in our system, most of what we know as medicine would take a huge hit.

    I think in this instance, like so many others, you just have to find what works for your child and lifestyle.

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  • candlegurl31's Avatar
    Posted by candlegurl31 Fri Oct 3, 2008 7:24am PDT

    i have an 11 year old autistic son who can walk, talk, read , and learn in school just like jenny mcarthy's son. but i want to promote EDUCATION

    i am so happy that changing her childs diet has helped him be able to lead a more normal life but autism is forever. how do you change who you are? i wish i new somw magic way that i could cure my son. do you not think before jenny mcarthy other parents have struggle, cried, grieved and done everything in thier power to cure autism? jenny macarthy is rich she can afford those bio medical cures. my son has been in school since he was 3. education is the key, along with diet, and strong parenting. i do want to say that i am happy that jenny mcarthy has paved a way for all struggling parents of an autistic child. now we know we are not alone.

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  • JeanneMommy's Avatar
    Posted by JeanneMommy Fri Oct 3, 2008 7:27am PDT

    The thing is, the definition of Autism is a moving target. Children use to be classified as "slow." Now they have autism. The truth is we know very little about autism. This means, we know little about treatment and causes. People feel safer when something scary is in their control and knowledge. I believe Jen and other parents are blindly throwing rocks at the vaccines. What they really need to do is raise money for research instead of condemning vaccines and exposing ALL our kids to potential death from the lack of protection.

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