Louder Than Words: A Mother's Journey in Healing Autism

I absolutely loved this book. It made me cry, it made me laugh, it made me so unbelieveably interested in learning more about autism. I want to thank the author, Jenny McCarthy, for opening up about her incredible journey with her son, Evan. I am currently a preschool teacher, and have worked with some autistic children. After reading this book, I am so encouraged to expand my knowledge on autism, and hopefully move on to work with them more individually.

I strongly recommend this book, to anyone and EVERYONE. I couldn't put it down. I just may read again! =0)

Crucial information to protect innocent children who've become victims of a pschopathic sick-care system and a truly toxic world.

Jenny McCarthy has had to bear the brunt of a huge backlash form the multi-billion dollar medical and big pharma industries. I don't know where she found the courage to go up against these maniacal entities --- but wow, I truly admire this woman!

Don't know why Amazon deleted them. But from the reviews that were here, it seems that people love the book and there were lots of similar stories.

I think Jenny did a great job telling what happened to her son and how she listened to her mommy instinct. The book was hard to put down.

Jenny McCarthy has given the autism community a great gift with this book..which describes in such accessible details a mother's determination to find out the CAUSE of her son's illness (thank God for Google). I sincerely hope her experience with how vaccines wrecked havoc with her son's immune system will be covered by the media--which so often cowers in fear that mothers will start rebelling against the traditional medical community's vaccine (supposedly) "safe" vaccine "schedule" and overuse of antibiotics without addressing the side effect of yeast overgrowth they bring on in vunerable children.
She hits on so many important health issues and problems of ignorance and myopic views in the medical community.
Because this book is about the millionth that I've read on autism (and its biomedical causes) that I found it a very easy read...but I wonder if others will as well? I sincerely hope so.
Her most important point is: do not take any ONE doctor's word, opinion, advice as gospel. No one knows your kid like you do. No one observes side effects like you do. It is heartbreaking that Evan had to undergo so many uneccessary tests (menegitis) and side effects in effort to stop seizures. I so admire that, in her frustration, she finally took the anti-seizure meds HERSELF only to find that she too could barely control her saliva, could not think clearly on them.
On the impact on the families she describes: I am sorry she did not work harder to piece back together her marriage, have more compassion for her husband's grief...her husband takes a lot of hits in the book. I don't blame her for asking him to leave, especially when he sabatoged Evan's diet that she had worked so hard to implement (how maddening that he ignored her warnings that Evan would seize again if his temperature was allowed to rise!) But obviously they were not communicating and got very poor marriage counseling or he would not have made these mistakes, she could have made her case more convincingly to him (if she could not convince Evan's own father, how is she going to convince neurologists/pediatrians of the importance of all she learned?). By definition her (now ex-) husband loves their son as much as she does and is in Evans life forever. Now that the crisis is abated, I hope they've been able to patch their relationship into a better parenting partnership for the sake of their son. (As I hope all parents of children with autism, divorced or still married can.)
I am so happy that Evan's story has a happy ending and I pray that it will get the attention of all the "brain-dead" neurologists who refuse to explore the links between diets and seizures, vaccines and immmune systems gone awry, pharmaceutical side-effects and the every real phenomenomen of the "leaky gut"...yes these are complicated issues, but as Jenny proves, dispairing parents are far more motivated to explore every option to get to the root of the problem, rather than just try to treat the symptoms. No ABA, RDI, Son-Rise, etc therapy in the world can work on a kid that is exibiting symptoms that make him appear "falling down drunk"...like Evan was on certain seizure meds or on a diet that includes problem foods/sugars/yeasts/pesticides/opiates (Although she spares the reader the confusing details of HOW gluten/dairy act like heroine in the leaky gut...)she successfully illustrates that, if only moms will keep exploring what their child's problem food/allergen is, they just might get glimpses into their true child, hiding under the autism).
Thank you Jenny McCarthy...now PLEASE use your celebrity to fight for all the children with autism. I hope to see you testifying before congress and the CDC. No, you're not a doctor, but YOU NOW KNOW MORE ABOUT AUTISM THAN MOST DOCTORS. It will be difficult but please help change the insane vaccine schedule into a more rational one, a slow one that does not assault the infant on day one of his life.
(Those parents who think their child exhibited symptoms "from birth" may have been observing reactions from those vaccines (such as hep B and DTap) which are administered with the child is just 1 day old and 3 months, respectively....But I digress.)
Thank you, Jenny, and keep fighting for your boy. I'm so proud of you! Rest assured, I'm tired after 5 years of this without my son reaching the milestones you describe in Evan ("getting jokes" for example) You've inspired me to keep fighting for my own boy's health --he's now 7-1/2...I can't wait to try the more natural anti-yeast supplement you recommend, for starters. Thank you, and yes, I too believe your fulfilling God's purpose for your own and Evan's life with this book.

I think this was the fastest book I ever read. Great read full of emotion, truth, love, hope, and faith. It is not only amazing that Jenny had the strength to do what she did, it is also amazing that after all she did for her son, she has the strength to go and fight for everyone else's child as well.

LOUDER THAN WORDS is an excellent book to give parents information, strength, hope, faith, and courage. It will no doubt warm your heart, as it did mine. You'll loose your celebrity impression fast and you'll no doubt see an incredably, extraordinary mom full of love, compassion, strength - and much faith![[ASIN:0978833902 Meghan's World: The Story of One Girl's Triumph over Sensory Processing Disorder]]

Diane Renna
[...] Meghan's World: The Story of One Girl's Triumph over Sensory Processing Disorder]]

I have loved Jenny McCarthy since her days on Singled Out, so I have enjoyed reading her 3 previous books. I read this book in one day. Jenny is a very good writer, actress, comedian, but mostly she is a great Mother. It's amazing to me that she was going through all this with her son, not to mention her marriage, when she wrote Life Laughs. She is a brave, courageous woman.
I have 3 daughters, none whom have autism. There are a few kids at their school that I am aware of that have autism. It has always piqued my curiosity to understand autism better. Jenny's book was a perfect fit for me. I have a better understanding of autistic children because of this book.

This book is moving, heartbreaking and inspirational all at once. Truly fantastic...read it all in one night...couldn't put it down until it was finished!