Jenny McCarthy, Autism Mother
September 18, 2007 by Kristina Chew, PhD
Filed under Health
Being an autism mother these past ten years, I have learned a lot of things I would not otherwise have: epigenetics, hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), what “stimming” is, why bread without wheat just isn’t the same, how to have a conversation with a tall 10-year-old using less than a dozen words (”Farm Families,” “tape,” “iPod,” “give,” “pig,” “meow,” “baby,” “two more”). With Charlie teaching me and challenging me, my education continues.
There is one more item to add to the list of “what I know because of autism.”
I know who Jenny McCarthy is.
She’s an autism mother, same as myself. She has a website (well, this is a blog, technically, but I also have a website, of a very modest sort.) She has written a book, just out today, Louder Than Words: A Mother’s Journey in Healing Autism (here I am different: I am just working on Chapter 1 of my book, and I tend to think of living with autism more than healing it—McCarthy has taken her son to a DAN! doctor—but I digress).
What about McCarthy’s being on MTV and the 1994 Playmate of the Year? No idea. (I had to look those facts up on Wikipedia.) I was in graduate school then reading a lot of books and I didn’t have a TV set.
Actually, we don’t have a TV set in our new place. Our TV is in storage and Charlie does not call for it, nor watch too much if a TV is on; I don’t miss it; Jim wouldn’t mind seeing some baseball games; he manages. McCarthy has a number of TV appearances scheduled in the upcoming weeks (starting with Oprah)—let me know what you think.
My education continues.
“But you seem to think that everyone is wrong but you.”
Actually, Diane, if you’d been following my arguement, you’d realise that I’ve expressly stated the exact opposite. Part of your sarcasm in this thread has actually been based on those statements, so it’s very confusing how you’ve managed to arrive at the opposite idea to the one any attentive reader would know you’ve read. It’s almost as if you’re deliberately trying to make me out to be some bad-guy for some sort of personal pleasure.
I only think you and Jenny are wrong. Dr Offit or , say, Thompson et al. and the numerous other experts who have intensly studied this topic, can be as right as they want to be.
I’d recommend that you check to make sure that you’re not attributing your own attitude and beliefs about other people onto me.
In the meantime, this is wasting the time of all the people subscribed to this thread. I’m going to call quits on it until this needless sidetracking stops.
Night.
Robin H. Morris,
I really liked your comment.
A little perspective goes a long way. Thanks.
Thanks Regan,
Perspective is an arduous noun. It is tough to be clear headed when emotions run high. We tend to be myopic without even recognizing it.
Steve Smith….well, I am a bit speechless. I never used artificial sweeteners, hard drugs, or exercised, however my son has autism.
The only latitude I have for your theory of addiction is that years ago, it was brought to my attention that some of the kids in my son’s special ed pre-school class were in fact crack babies. Their neurological impairments definitely mimicked autism. It was a long time ago and I am not certain where exactly those children ended up. Crack addiction might give credence to your comments, but as far as I’m concerned, that’s about it.
Regards,
Robin
Robin, I love your post; thank you! Steve, sorry but again, no exercise/diet pill addiction here; I actually SHOULD get more addicted..LOL
So, I just finished reading Jenny’s book. NO, I did NOT purchase it, but instead borrowed it. I found it a very easy read and enjoyed the comfort of reading about all common things we all go through as autistic parents.
I determined a few things from reading it. First, as a pediatric nurse, I immediately thanked God that I never had to deal with Jenny as a parent. She hit the medical community with an attitude of negativity. From Evan’s onset of seizures and she was only accepting of those in the medical community who believed as she believed and now to only to those who buy into her autism philosophy. As I finished the book, I realized that Jenny needed this quest…because her career was dead, her marriage was dead and she jumped on the autism train to ride it for whatever financial benefit she can draw from it. I am sickened to see her continue to call Evan cured, yet she will go on to mention some “quirk” he has that clearly indicates he is no more cured than my child or any other autistic child.
I still believe we are dealing with different diagnosis with our kids; not all autistic children are the same and until researchers focus on that, I’m afraid we will continue to be frustrated.
Jenny’s son had seizures and then quickly regressed. Jenny’s son, in the time immediately following the onset of his seizures, exhibited what we call, postictal signs; the negative effect of seizures and anti-seizure medication on the brain. It seems to me that her son became “cured” once the seizures were controlled, thus what she is saying he is cured from may not have been autism, but latent effects of seizure activity. Before anyone jumps, I am not saying her son does not (excuse me, DID not) have autism, but he had seizures AND autism. He son had gut issues, thus the diet anti-yeast treatments helped.
Then there’s my angel. I saw signs at four months of age (poor eye contact). He never regressed, just did not progress typically. No seizures, no gut issues. The diet did nothing but make him mad and frustrated. I think we are dealing with different issues; different diseases here. To keep grouping all kids with autism into one lump for research is an unjustice. Asperger kids are not the same as non-Asperger kids. Autistic kids with secondary issues, such as seizures, are not the same as those with no secondary issues. Pointing a finger at immunizations does not address the problem either; my son was autistic @ 4 months of age. In no way do I believe immunizations caused his autism.
If we cure our kids of autism, have we accomplished the goal of turning our special children into what society expects? Mine is happy…the happiest kid I know. I pray I never find a cure for his happiness.
If Jenny was truly an advocate for autism, she would quit pushing the anti-vaccination campaign and instead she would advocate research not just on what she believes, but on what is proven; that all autistic children are different and therefore to “cure” autism will require different approaches for the different types.
n4k,
Thank you for your comments.
I have scrolled some of the multifaceted comments on this post and I am compelled to relate a conversation I had this morning.
I have a friend who has Lyme disease. She is convinced, by specific facts that many neurological disorders are Lyme based. Apparently there are significant findings in California.
The charge is that some children inherit Lyme through their mothers (in utero). Jenny McCarthy’s child had seizures etc. Could he have Lyme based autism, after all, they live in California.
This is an area that I have no basis for intelligent discussion, it’s just a thought.
xR
Resilient,
I’m guessing (keyword) that the parallel between symptoms of Lyme’s Disease and Autism are drawn because of the area of the brain that is affected. Both diseases (I hate calling autism a disease, btw) cause cerebral cortex and cerebral white matter enlargement, thus you would find some overlapping symptoms. Since we see no similarities in the latent effects of the two (ex: with lymes arthrits, infection, death), then I seriously doubt they are one in the same or even related. Also, we would see regional peaks of autism. I’m in Alabama, another lyme dz risk state, but have never been symptomatic of such. Seizures in autistic children also do not raise or fall by region.
It SEEMS to me that the autistic children who have seizures are often those who regressed, not those like my son who did not meet milestones in the first place. Again, just my gut feeling following observations.
n4K,
It’s funny how semantics get to our core…I dislike the term “disorder”, as if one could simply tidy my son up and all will be well. The word “disease” has an illness connotation to be sure, I just don’t know.
The Lyme-Autism issue is addressed in a website with stories:
http://www.lymeinducedautism.com/findalymeautismdoctor.html
It’s all new to me, but people are committed to uncovering the effects of Lyme. The downside to Lyme disease is pretty devastating, so I can’t argue with their zeal. I just can’t talk intelligently abut the lyme-autism connection.
Regards,
Robin
For some reason in my above post, I took it upon myself to rename Jenny’s son. I have no clue where “Evan” came from, that should have said, “Charlie”. My apology to Jenny…LOL
This started for me in the 1980’s. When I saw Jenny on national T.V., I sat and cried. I thought to myself finally…someone of importance. Although my journey with autism has never hit home, there were so many families around me one after the other, that was hit in some way with a condition of the vaccinations. In the 70’s and 80’s it was mostly SID’s. In three separate occasions, people I knew lost there children to SID’s shortly after receiving the first vaccinations. Autism had not been termed yet, but even then I knew there was a link. I started to research vaccinations and came across a great informational article suggesting that we should wait at least 2years before administering shots to our children. Childrens immune systems are not fully established until the age of 2 and boys maybe 4 from what I understand. Back then we did not have the 22 required vaccinations as we do now. The article read that the Japanese did a test on this and saw a 50% reduction in SID’s.
You have to ask yourself why is that autism diagnosis is more common that ever and getting worse, why? You don’t hear of SID’s as often as you did back then and it can’t be that the baby was laid on it’s back or front that caused it. They have a natural reaction to fight for breath.
So in light of the latest finding, if it’s not the vaccination (which they cannot prove either) which is the common ground in all autism cases, then what is it?
One other thing I would like to bring up……my friend called me when her children got the chicken pox and told me she did not understand why her children had gotten the virus. Well, I said that they won’t tell you that regardless of vaccines your child will still get the viruses but “not as bad” of an out break. In the words of Miss Jenny “bull****”. Miss Jenny, the next time you have the opportunity would you please tell the moms and dads out there that there children will still get these illnesses with or without the vaccines. Keep it going, I think I heard something crack!!!!
Lovin you Miss Jenny in Texas
Just a quick question. I see Dr Russell Baylock’s name, columns and he is part of Newsmax. I have to tell you that I am very suspicious about all his miracle cures and out of the norm advice. Could you enlighten me about him and your experiences with his suggestions? I would appreciate finding a sight that has blogs that would offer others experiences with his practice and advice so I could feel better about trying any of his suggestions.
You should be proud of what you are doing for Autistic children …all of you. Your efforts must help others that deal with autism. We have a nephew that is autistic and my son was severely hyperactive so I have a lot of appreciation for your loving work with your children.
Thanks in advance for any help you can be regarding Dr Baylock.