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Louder Than Words: A Mother's Journey in Healing Autism | 
 enlarge | Author: Jenny Mccarthy
Publisher: Dutton Adult
Category: Book
List Price: $23.95
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Avg. Customer Rating:  249 reviews
Sales Rank: 8019
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 224
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 8.4 x 5.8 x 0.9
ISBN: 0525950117
Dewey Decimal Number: 618.92858820092
EAN: 9780525950110
ASIN: 0525950117
Publication Date: September 17, 2007
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Product Description
If someone you love is diagnosed with autism, LOUDER THAN WORDS is the first book you should read.
One morning, Jenny McCarthy was having a cup of coffee when she sensed something was wrong. She ran into her two-year-old son Evans room and found him seizing. In that moment, Jenny went from being the mother of an average toddler to being in the midst of a medical odyssey. Doctor after doctor misdiagnosed Evan untilafter many harrowing, life-threatening episodes laterone amazing doctor discovered that Evan is autistic.
Though Evan finally had a diagnosis, Jenny didnt know what to do next and she soon found herself alone without any resources except for her determination to help her son. Jenny eventually realized that shed have to become a detective. She spoke with many doctors, parents, governmental agencies, private foundations, and essentially earned a Phd in Google Research. At last, she discovered an intense combination of behavioral therapy, diet, and supplements that became the key to saving Evan from autism. And, now in this book, she creates a roadmap for parents who are concerned about their own child.
Jenny does more than just reveal the winning formula that worked for Evan. Her story shares the frustrations and joys of raising an autistic child and shows how with love and determination a parent can shape their childs life and happiness.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 244 more reviews...
 Mother of Son just diagnosed as ASD August 21, 2008
As a mother of a little boy who was just diagnosed, I thought Jenny is right on with everything she says that she did to help her little boy in this book! I don't know why the first reviewer found this book so offensive because I found it be the very opposite of that. I found this book as a source of inspiration and hope-especially with a diagnosis that can leave you feeling helpless and alone. There is help and out there and you can get that help to help your son/daughter. I really loved Jenny's passion when talking about her son, and I could totally relate to alot of the things that she went through while searching through the medical community to find out what exactly was wrong with her son. I also loved the "What to Do Pamplet" at the back of the book so that she can try and help some of us who have just received our diagnosis and need to know where to go. All in all, this book was helpful and inspiring that I too can pull up my sleeves and help my child with as much vigor and passion as Jenny has with her son!! I give this book two HUGE thumbs up!!!!
Best Book I have ever read! August 7, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I finished reading Jenny McCarthy's book "Louder Than Words: A Mother's Journey in Healing Autism" and I have to say it was one of the best books I have ever read and I am so glad I read it. I read it in a day because I could not stop. It was so good, sad, educational, and some parts were even a little funny because of course Jenny McCarthy can find a way to make you laugh even when talking about something as serious as her child having autism. Her humor is truly a gift. It helps lighten the mood when reading so it is not the most depressing thing you have ever read and you can get through it because the whole situation is heartbreaking but she is so positive and has such a wonderful attitude which is what helps so much in healing her son.
I had a couple reasons for wanting to read this book, one being I had read her other books: Belly Laughs, Baby Laughs, and Life Laughs and of course gained an interest in what was going on with her and her baby but also because with Autism now effecting 1 in 150 children I figured I should learn more about it because it might someday effect one of my children (I currently have a 3 month old and she is my first child) or if not surely the child of someone I know. I did not even know anyone with Autism, I only knew people that knew people who had Autism, or so I thought. I recently learned I actually know some people whose children have a form of Autism and I did not know it until now and I told them about the book already. I realized after reading the first two pages that I did not know much at Autism at all. Actually just reading the title made me realize I didn't know much because I did not think it could be healed. I always heard there is no cure, which technically there is not yet, but there are things you can try that work for a lot of children, especially if it is caught and addressed very early, and although they may never be completely healed they end up living almost normal lives. I also wanted to read the book because I was very curious about something that in the 1970's only affected 1 in 10,000 children now effects 1 in 150 and they are still not sure what the cause is. Jenny says in the book that this is something we should be concerned about more than global warming because if it keeps increasing and ends up being almost every child, what are people going to do, stop having kids? At this rate, I think we should be more concerned about this.
Another thing I learned about Autism from this book is there are many forms. Some kids have severe cases and some have mild cases even before treatment (some go from severe to mild with treatment like her child). Also, Jenny believes, and I agree with her, that Autism does not seem to be one disease/disorder. It seems to be several problems children have that have been given one name which is another reason children with Autism are so different. I think it is basically a lot of problems children are having and they don't know what is wrong so if they have certain symptoms they call it Autism. One reason she has so much success in healing him is because she doesn't just do things to cover up the problems with a temporary bandaid, she always ask herself what is causing the problem and tries to eliminate the cause.
She does not think that vaccines cause Autism but does believe there is a link there and so do I. She believes some kids are born with weaker immune systems and can't handle the vaccines. She is still for giving children vaccines of course, but thinks they should do something like maybe a test beforehand to determine the effects it may have on a child and she is also for greening our vaccines, which is not in her book, but I read on the internet that her and Jim Carrey are currently urging congress to makes vaccines safer because they have so many dangerous things in them. After reading several of her books, I personally think it also has something to do with an injury to the head her son received while she was giving birth to him. He had to wear a helmet for a short time as a baby to correct the shape or his head which was misshaped due to the difficulties in labor which resulted in a c-section and she talks about this in her Baby Laughs book not this book but I see a link because in this book the first sign of Autism her son has is seizures and the one thing they would always ask her at the hospital when he had a seizure was did he suffer an injury to the head and she would of course say no and did not understand why they were asking that until she later found out that injuries to a certain part of the brain cause seizures of course. I don't know if she ever even linked the two together but I did after reading both books.
I would highly recommend this book to everyone because I think everyone should be educated on the subject but would especially recommend it to anyone who has a child with Autism because most doctors, including Jenny's just basically send you out the door with the comment "I'm sorry but your child has Autism" like there is nothing you can do and she found out from other parents with Autistic children that there are some things you can do, or at least try. If it were my child, I would try everything just like she did whether it worked or not, at least you are trying and there is some hope instead of just giving up. I think the book she has coming out next month, which I also plan on reading, would be even more help to parents with Autism though because she wrote it due to the response she got from other parents with Autism after reading her first book and things they did to heal their child so in that book she shares their stories since each child with Autism is different and the new book also gives you an update on how her son is doing now.
Excellent Read!! Loved the personal account! August 4, 2008
I do not have a child with autism, nor am I a professional, but I am a psychology student and EXTREMELY fascinated by Autism. This book gave great insight to a personal struggle with a child with autism, and I loved this book!!
A Mother's Story, Not A Medical Journal July 21, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Some things which should be noted about this book before going into it.
1. At no point does Ms. McCarthy claim to be a medical expert. Indeed, she goes out of her way to note her lack of medical qualifications and notes that this book is just a journal of her experiences as she grew into being the mother of an autistic child.
2. She does not claim that mercury vaccines are responsible for causing autism. She only mentions mercury once and that is to mention the theory and say that more research needs to be done to confirm it one way or the other.
3. The therapies she uses for her son are expensive and well outside the means of most families. But most therapies are, especially those dubbed experimental by HMOs and the health-care providers that most of us go through. Again, McCarthy notes this.
4. McCarthy does use a lot of salty language. This shouldn't be a surprise for anyone who is familiar with her comedy but it seems to be enough to inspire some parents to ignore the message and give it a 1 star rating besides. If this bothers you, you don't have to read the book. But don't go out of your way to trash it.
All in all, I found this book to be enjoyable for what it is - a first-person account of a young woman growing up and developing into a mother and a better person. And however you feel about Ms. McCarthy's comedy (I personally can't stand it), you have to admire her desire to try and share her story and give the parents of autistic children the respect that they deserve with her charity work.
Totally Impressed!! July 21, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
My respect for Jenny McCarthy has increased ten fold after hearing about and then reading her story. I first 'met' Jenny McCarthy back when MTV was still in its first stages and never would have guessed! Yes, I admit, I probably would have judged her on first impressions back in those days but she has taught me a valuable lesson. What a wonderful beautiful mom she is! I heard of her story when I caught a few moments of a TV interview when the book first came out. I was instantly touched and rushed out to purchase the book. My heart breaks for the struggles she and her son have faced. Her courage, determination, and love for her son have shown the world one person CAN make a difference and there is always hope.
I hope others will read of their journey together and be inspired as well. Jenny and her son certainly touched my heart and have made me more aware of nightmare families dealing with Autism can face. May those with the ability to limit those nightmares be inspired to do so as well.
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