Changing the Course of Autism: A Scientific Approach for Parents and Physicians
Twenty years ago autism was rare: today it's prevalent, makingChanging the Course of Autism: A Scientific Approach to Treating Your Autistic Childeven more essential to any public or college-level health collection. This book challenges many conventional beliefs about autism's origins and diagnosis, and suggests it has roots in the environment. Chapters cover nutritional and disease models of autism and offer important medical insights on autism's many influences. It's a key autism survey any serious health collection needs; particularly those catering to parents.(Midwest Book Review, September 22, 2007)Once viewed as rare and unusual, autism is now considered an epidemic with the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention findings reporting that one in 150 children in the United States now has autism. The parent of an autistic child, Jepson (founder, Children’s Biomedical Ctr. of Utah) encourages physicians and parents to view autism 'as a medical illness, not just a behavior disorder.' He discusses the neurological, gastrointestinal, genetic, and environmental issues that complicate our understanding of autism. His book is meant to be used as an overview for the layperson, not as a step-by-step guide on how to treat autism. Although there are agreed-upon common treatment approaches, each autistic child is unique. Jepson makes clear that with proper medical oversight, the autistic child can improve, often dramatically. Recommended as a comprehensive reference resource on autism in consumer health collections.(Library Journal, 05/01/2001)'Calling it a developmental disorder is like calling a brain tumor a headache. Autism is merely one symptom of an underlying disease process that affects the immunological system, the gastrointestinal system, and the toxicological system, as well as the neurological system.'If you've searched for biomedical treatments, chances are you've encountered a glaring lack of knowledge or even outright skepticism. Dr. Jepson wrote this book to help overcome such obstacles.Changing the Course of Autismis radically comprehensive. Dr. Jepson has consolidated all the current research on thimerosal, immune system dysfunction, gut disease and environmental toxins. He explains the biochemistry of autism and discusses how biomedical treatments work. His goal is to educate mainstream physicians about the medical basis of autism, but he also writes for parents so they can understand the biological rationale behind the treatment strategies for their children.The scientific information is extensive but there is plenty of understandable content and readers can skip to whatever sections suit their needs. Dr. Jepson has truly created an indispensable one-stop reference for autism's biomedical issues.(Autism/Asperger's Digest Magazine, November 1, 2007)This book will be the new PDR of autism for parents and physicians. Incredibly well referenced and easy to understand, it challenges long-held beliefs about this condition and introduces us to the new medical model of autism. An important book that every professional and family member who deals with autism must own.(Lee Grossman, president and CEO, Autism Society of America)Dr. Bryan Jepson demystifies the disorder by providing the most up-to-date information on symptoms, detection, diagnosis, treatment, and the impact of the disorder on families of individuals with autism. Based on Dr. Jepson’s extensive research and clinical observations, this book answers myriad questions about autism with authority and compassion.(Doreen Granpeesheh, BCBA, executive director, Center for Autism and Related Disorders)The idea that the suffering of autism could be rooted in environmental injuries poses a huge challenge to medicine, science and society. Opening our hearts and minds to fresh thinking is the only way forward. Dr. Jepson's information-filled book moves the reader through the discomfort of painful news to a framework for constructive responses.(Martha R. Herbert)