About the Book
'Changing the Course of Autism' has the potential to revolutionise the way autism is perceived and managed. Most books on this subject describe educational and behavioural therapies, but autism is a medical disease, not a psychological disorder. This groundbreaking books shows that the disease can be treated by reducing the neurological inflammation that is part of the disease process, rather than simply masking the symptoms with drugs like Ritalin and Prozac. The authors have seen autistic behaviours improve dramatically or disappear completely with appropriate medical treatment. The book reviews the medical literature regarding the biological nature of the disease, including the potential connection between vaccines and autism. This book builds a bridge between the medical profession and parents who are angry at the rise in this disease and the way it is treated. It is the only book on this subject written by an MD who is also the parent of an autistic child. In 2001, the second son of Jepson was diagnosed with autism.
Over the course of that year, he and his wife Laurie began exploring treatment options and found that the medical community knew very little about the cause, the treatment, or the prognosis of this disease. After a year of research, the couple established the non-profit Children's Biomedical Center of Utah. There autistic children could receive the most up-to-date care available. From 2002-2005, Dr Jepson treated hundreds of children on the autism spectrum and the clinic raised awareness throughout the intermountain West concerning issues related to autism and other childhood developmental disorders. Because he was a leading specialist in the field, Dr Jepson was recruited to join the team at Thoughtful House Center for Children, a multidisciplinary clinic dedicated to caring for children with autism and related conditions. The Thoughtful House is designed to integrate biomedical, gastrointestinal, and educational intervention into a coordinated effort, and to use this model to perform clinical research. It officially opened January 1st, 2006, and Dr Jepson is now its Medical Director.
Table of Contents:
Introduction: Coming to Terms with Autism; An Important Note to Readers; The Rise and Fall of the "Refrigerator Mother" Theory; Autism Isn't Purely Genetic; The Autism Epidemic; Autism is a Disease, Not a Disability; Basics of the Immune System; The Problem of Immune Dysregulation; Measles and the MMR Controversy; Is Autism a Gut Disease?; Why Can't They Detoxify?; Does Mercury Cause Autism?; Further Evidence Against Mercury; Autism and the Brain; The Autism Web -- Making Sense of the Disease; Treating Autism; Correcting Nutritional Deficiencies; Treating the Gut; Detoxification; Treating the Immune System; Treating the Brain; Lessons From Israel; Glossary; Index.
About the Author :
Dr Jepson graduated from the University of Utah Medical School in 1995 and completed residency training in Grand Rapids , Michigan in 1998. Board certified in emergency medicine, he lives in Austin, Texas, with Laurie and their two sons. JANE JOHNSON became interested in medical treatment for learning disabilities in 2000, when her son was diagnosed with non-verbal learning disorder (NLD). In her effort to educate herself, she became more and more alarmed at the epidemic growth and prevalence of developmental disorders. She is the Co-Managing Director of the Board of Thoughtful House. She lives in New York City with her husband and their three children. The foreword is by Katie Wright, whose parents, Bob and Suzanne Wright, founded Autism Speaks after Katie's son was diagnosed with autism. As CEO of NBC/Universal, Bob made Autism Speaks the biggest autism organization in the USA, and Katie and her parents have worked tirelessly to raise autism awareness.
Review :
Twenty years ago autism was rare: today it's prevalent, making Changing the Course of Autism: A Scientific Approach to Treating Your Autistic Child even 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 Autism is 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
