Children with Starving Brains: A Medical Treatment Guide for Autism Spectrum Disorder by Jaquelyn McCandless Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Children with Starving Brains: A Medical Treatment Guide for Autism Spectrum Disorder
Book Review: Best Medical Treatment Guide for Autism
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the best Medical Treatment Guide for Autism that I have read. It is written by a doctor whose granddaughter has autism. One can feel the passion of her desperate search for help and the sense that "no stone has been left unturned." It is an in depth explanation of anything that might possibly help. I highly recommend this book.
A grandmother, mother and wife of 3 loved ones struggling with this disorder in the form of Asperger's Syndrome
Book Review: Treat autism early
Summary: 4 Stars
This book should be required reading for anyone dealing with autistic children. It begins to unravel the mystery of the condition and to give hope for significant improvement in these dear children.Book Review: Essential for all parents of a child on the spectrum
Summary: 5 Stars
This book has become my new "bible" when it comes to helping my two autistic sons. I have been told for years that there is nothing "medicine" can do for my sons and to just get them some therapy for behavior and speech. I always felt that this was wrong and thank God I kept looking for others who agreed with me. This book is extremely informative. Dr. McCandless is so passionate and driven to help. This is so clear from her writing. The way she presents the wealth of information she has is easy to follow and understand. And although getting started on her treatment plan may seem like an overwhelming task, she has broken it down into steps or avenues to take. You may not want or need to follow all of them. She has also includes hundreds of resources in professionals, institutions, doctors, labs, books, websites, etc. I love this book and greatly thank her for it. I have bought it for everyone in my family to read, recommended it to all the parents I know with children on the spectrum, and requested that all the therapists and teachers (and my pediatrician!) currently working with my sons read it. My husband and I have already been able to improve our sons behaviors by following some of her instructions and that is all I need to believe in it. This is a must have for all people either working with or touched my an individual on the autistic spectrum.Book Review: Life saver for my child with Autism
Summary: 5 Stars
When my child was at 18 months of age, the pediatricians said she may have Autism. The neurologist and ped Psychologist confirmed the same. Peds suggested "Early Intervention", neurologist suggested "Sleep aids", Psychologist suggested "Behavioral Therapy", but all said "there is no medical/biomedical remedy". Then a noble friend recommended this book. We followed just 3 of many good recommendations in the book. This changed not only life of my kid, but all of the family. My message to medical community in US: "Have an open mind, be innovative in thinking, logical and balanced. Don't let corporate pharmas spoonfeed you and influence your thinking." Qudos to Dr.McCandles for her brave adventure.Book Review: Use caution in laying all your hopes on yet another "cure."
Summary: 1 Stars
My almost-6 year old daughter was diagnosed with autism at age 2 and we took a multi-pronged approach, including things like supplements, a GFCF diet, and OT/PT/speech. After a year on the GFCF diet and many specialized supplements and no change in behaviors, we went back to a normal diet with standard vitamin supplements and continued her behavioral therapies.
Our close friends' daughter, now age 4 and also diagnosed with autism, took a similar approach, but even more strict, following the DAN protocol as well as the recommendations of this book, including chelation, a dizzying array of supplements, GFCF diet, OT/PT/Speech, ABA, etc.
While our child has made tremenous advances, or friends' child has not, beyond minor advances related to her age--at 4, she is still non-verbal, far from potty trained, exhibits many repetitive behaviors, and needs constant verbal and visual cues for the simplest tasks.
The point I am trying to make is that every child is different and no one, NO ONE has shown that one course of therapy cures or even convincingly improves a significant percentage of children with autism. Autism, as most of you likely know well, is a catch-all term. Our friends' daughter no doubt has a very different kind of pathology than ours. I have yet to really see a book or study address that fact first and foremost before offering a course of action, rather than immediately launching into predictions of one "cure" for a broad range of issues.
While I do think some of what the author recommends can be helpful (and it really may offer a tremendous help for some children with autism), some of the therapies (like chelation) can be very dangerous--in fact, I have yet to see one of the many families who tried chelation therapy see *any* improvement in their child's symptoms. I have seen more success with GFCF diets (for a small percentage of children), but the greatest success seems to come with comprehensive behavioral therapy.
I certainly understand where families are coming from--I have been there myself, but treating your child like a guinea pig and attempting to "cure" them with multiple substances that have had very little study/peer review in a desperate frenzy of worry is both dangerous to their bodies and destructive to their emotions. As with anything, balance is your approach will serve you and your child well.