Jenny McCarthy Life’s Mission: Autism Awareness

One of the most well-known celebrity autism advocates is Jenny McCarthy. Her personal story of her son Evan’s descent into autism (at 2 ½ years of age) and ultimate recovery has served thousands of moms and dads around the country.  Even with a bombastic personality and outspoken character, she is dead serious about educating parents to take charge of their kids’ health.  She even serves on the Board of Director’s of Generation Rescue, an international movement for researching causes and treatments for autism, which she founded.

Jenny McCarthy has authored a New York Best-Selling book, “Louder than Words: A Mother’s Journey in Healing Autism,” detailing what she has gone through with her son’s diagnosis, and what has worked for her and her son.

One thing that has done wonders for McCarthy’s son was a serious change in diet. She started a gluten free/casein free diet, strict dairy free diet, as well as a no sugar diet with her son and saw almost immediate changes for the better. She also put her son on medication to eliminate the candida in his body and that has also had positive changes.

Jenny also has 2 other best-seling books on autism:

• Mother Warriors: A Nation of Parents Healing Autism Against All Odds
• Healing and Preventing Autism: A Complete Guide

For Jenny McCarthy, autism is a condition that must not only be combated with treatment but also with education. Jenny stresses that parents not feel guilty about their child’s diagnosis, and she also advises them to trust their instincts. Her story of “diagnosis, hope, faith, and recovery– a journey many thousands of parents now face.”

Many celebrity parents of children with autism spectrum disorders are doing a great deal for the autism community through their books, fundraising, foundations and good works.

But, how do you feel about speculations that certain celebrities, such as Bill Gates (who reportedly shows several personality traits typical of those with Asperger’s syndrome) or Andy Warhol (because of his distinctive art and sometimes odd behavior and relationships), or even Albert Eisntein (because he was considered a loner and obsessively repeated sentences), “Could be autistic?”

How about statements that famous figures in history – Mozart and the like – “were probably autistic?”

It’s always nice to have a celebrity in your corner.  As more adults – and children – are diagnosed with forms of autism, probably more big name celebs will join the ranks of the truly diagnosed.

But, what’s your feeling about the claims of celebrities within the autism community?  Is it a good way to raise the profile of high functioning autism?  Or is it exploitative?  Share your thoughts!