Mother Warriors: A Nation of Parents Healing Autism Against All Odds (Hardcover)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: mother warriors, kids with autism, biomedical treatments, Autism Speaks, Mother Warrior, American Academy of Pediatrics (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Comedic actress turned autism activist, McCarthy returns with another emotional and personal book that details other parents' struggles to heal their children with autism. McCarthy explains to doubters that no two children heal the same way and offers plenty of evidence to prove her point. Tavia Gilbert gives an inspired reading that brings a human face to the amazing recovery stories. Never editorializing or overly emotional, Gilbert relates these stories without sounding manufactured. The stories speak for themselves, and Gilbert is the perfect conduit to relate the complex medical language that pops up throughout. A Dutton hardcover. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Product Description

Stories of hope and recovery from a nation of parents of autistic children, by the high-profile, bestselling author of Louder Than Words.

When Jenny McCarthy published Louder Than Words, the story of her successful efforts to save her son, Evan, from autism, the response was tremendous. It hit #3 on the New York Times bestseller list; and Jenny and Evan were featured on the covers of several magazines, including People. But what she hadn’t anticipated was the overwhelming response from other parents of autistic children, who sought her out to share their stories.

No two autistic children heal in exactly the same way. And in her new book, Jenny expands her message to share recovery stories from parents across the country. Mother Warriors, shows how each parent fought to find her own child’s perfect “remedy of interventions” and teaches parents how to navigate safely through the many autism therapies.

Along the way, Jenny shares her own journey as an autism advocate and mother as well as the progress of her son, Evan. Emotional and genuinely practical, Mother Warriors will inspire a generation of parents with hope.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Adult (September 23, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525950699
• ISBN-13: 978-0525950691
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (112 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #26,103 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #47 in	Books > Health, Mind & Body > Personal Health > Children's Health > Autism & Asperger's Syndrome
  #79 in	Books > Health, Mind & Body > Personal Health > Children's Health > Special Needs Children
  #84 in	Books > Parenting & Families > Special Needs

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

171 of 245 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Irresponsible, Offensive Infomercial, October 1, 2008

By	Common Sense Mom "common sense mom" - See all my reviews

As I began reading Mother Warriors, the beginning of the book was initially harrowing and inspiring - it was moving to see her talk more extensively about parents' personal experiences with seeing their children regress in their developmental milestones after immunization and slip away into the autism spectrum. However, as I read on, it became apparent that it is a thinly disguised infomercial and that she has now carved out a new lucrative career as an autism spokesperson.

Jenny McCarthy does not disclose in her book that she is a paid spokesperson for Kirkman Laboratories, a supplement manufacturer, that has financial ties to the autism organization Defeat Autism Now (DAN). She was quoted on Kirkman's web site as saying the Kirkman products are the best supplements for autism. She frequently mentions Kirkman products and exclusively promotes Defeat Autism Now organization. She flat out says that every parent with an autistic child must go to a DAN conference. There was also a public announcement in September that she is launching a celebrity brand of autism products.

McCarthy, who has brought Hollywood glamor and marketing tactics to a health issue, has been known to shove people out of the way at autism conferences when pictures are being taken, McCarthy's thin bibliography does not mention other organizations or products, which are often more helpful than the protocols she publicizes.

McCarthy also paints a black and white picture of the Defeat Autism Now organization as being totally helpful, while giving a black eye to the Autism Speaks organization because they primarily fund genetic research into autism instead of the vaccine connection. There is value in determining the genetic links to autism as well as researching the direct impact of the vaccines. I, too, would like to see more research into the vaccine connection. However, publicly running down autism research strikes me as being irresponsible and potentially harmful to progress being made in understanding and treating autism. If McCarthy wants research to fund the vaccine link, maybe she should put some hard work and money she has reaped from autism where her mouth is and start an organization for this purpose.

In her book, McCarthy abrasively and insensitively runs down and dismisses parents whose children have been harmed by the treatments she recommends and whose bank accounts have been drained by inept and greedy medical practitioners, as simply sour grapes.

In wading into the murky waters of autism politics, science, and money in this book, McCarthy is clearly in over her head. DAN, which was founded in part by the late Dr. Bernard Rimland, who was an important and valuable figure in pioneering autism treatments, whom she also quotes, also had financial ties to Kirkman Labs. Rimland, toward the end of his life, was unfortunately also known to slander competing manufacturers, to threaten them to put them out of business (I received this information directly from several supplement manufacturers over the years), and to ban perceived competitors from exhibiting at DAN conferences for years.

McCarthy urges all parents of autistic children to go to DAN conferences. There are other biomedical conferences in addition the DAN conferences that provide information to help autistic children, such as the annual Autism One in Chicago, which, in past, I have found to be much more scientifically impartial and less of an infomercial you pay to attend. Ironically, McCarthy was the keynote speaker at this year's Autism One conference in the spring but this organization is not mentioned in her book's bibliography - only DAN related information.

Although the majority of practitioners following the DAN protocol are WONDERFUL and TOTALLY DEDICATED, and much to be lauded and supported for putting their medical reputations at risk for trying alternative therapies, not all physicians are created alike. Let the buyer beware. Unfortunately, there have also been many instances of individuals touting themselves as DAN practitioners who greatly overcharge for routine tests and mishandle risky therapies, such as chelation, resulting in harm and even death to children on the spectrum. Chelation is the removal of heavy metals such as mercury from body tissues by binding the heavy metals to ingested or intravenously infused substances which are then flushed out of the body, taking the metals with them. Although chelation CAN BE amazingly helpful to SOME children, one should do one's homework and search for the practitioners who are EXTREMELY KNOWLEDGEABLE, CAREFUL AND RESPONSIBLE about monitoring the children and are having a high success rate. Be wise and network with your local autism parents organizations and professionals in your area to determine who is competent.

Finally, McCarthy's bibliography with recommended links is way too thin and betrays her lack of depth of knowledge in the biomedical treatment of autism.

So, read, Jenny's book if you will - for the casual reader it is a page turner targeted for and worthy of tabloid coverage. It hits all the right emotional notes (it wouldn't be a McCarthy book if she didn't refer to her anatomy at least a few times) but unfortunately, it also has that scientific level of depth and research of a tabloid article. Painting things simplistically with broad, sweeping media sound bites may pad her bank account but does not necessarily provide real solutions to real problems. Her advice simply will not work for all children and will harm some. I urge all parents with children on the spectrum to do their homework on available autism treatments and choose wisely where they spend their time and money.

Sue Bennett, Autism Coach

53 of 81 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Someone with a Neurobiology Background, October 1, 2008

By	Neuroboy (United States) - See all my reviews

8 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars From Someone with a Background in Neurobiology, October 1, 2008

As someone with a degree in neuroscience, I can say with all certainty that McCarthy's arguments are ridiculous. For one, numerous studies have been conducted that show that vaccines ARE NOT a cause of autism. Rather, the "regression" to which she refers often occurs over a parallel time course with a pediatric vaccination schedule. Her argument that the biomedical field is conspiring to keep vaccinations unsafe is also unfounded. Children that do not receive vaccinations are at a substantially increased risk to develop diseases that potentially fatal. I doubt that Ms. McCarthy has a simple cookbook cure for measles and rubella as well. Finally, the idea that simple adjustments in diet can overcome a condition that is known to be significantly genetic in etiology is also nonsensical. The DNA in each of our cells, and the structures in our brains do not adapt simply in response to a reduction in gluten, etc. At no point has McCarthy supported any of these claims any sort of scientific evidence. The only evidence shown is purely of the purely anecdotal, observable type.

It is natural and entirely understandable that parents or family members with an autistic child would be open to anything that may help the condition. Unfortunately, any "miracle" cures, as suggested by McCarthy, have no scientific basis whatsoever. One can choose to take their advice from a former Playboy model, or they can choose to take it from scientists and physicians with years of experience and legitimate scientific evidence to support their theories. There are a number of good academic resources available online, that may help to point you in the right direction.

Hopefully, treatments for autism will continue to improve and its pathology will be fully realized in the near future.

5.0 out of 5 stars Jenny McCarthy book, August 22, 2009

By	Clarence Or Judi Turner "sensible shopper" (Frankfort, KY USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Mother Warriors: A Nation of Parents Healing Autism Against All Odds (Paperback)

I bought this book for my daughter who is pursuing a degree in Special Education. She enjoyed the book very much.