Changing the Course of Autism: A Scientific Approach for Parents and Physicians

by Bryan Jepson, Jane Johnson, Katie Wright (Foreword by)

Overview

In Changing the Course of Autism, Dr. Bryan Jepson and Jane Johnson reveal the biological and neurological conditions behind autism spectrum disorders.

Foreword by Katie Wright, daughter of the founders of Autism Speaks

Rather than simply masking symptoms with drugs like Ritalin and Prozac, Dr. Bryan Jepson and Jane Johnson explain that autism can be treated by reducing the neurological inflammation that is part of the disease process. The authors have seen autistic behaviors 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 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, former president and CEO, Autism Society of America

“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 Herbert, M.D., Ph.D., co-author of The Autism Revolution

“The parent of an autistic child, Jepson 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.” —Library Journal

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781591811008
Publisher:	Sentient Publications
Publication date:	10/19/2023
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	386
Sales rank:	797,832
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

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 of the 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 her three children.

Table of Contents

Foreword     xiii
Introduction: Coming to Terms with Autism     1
An Important Note to Readers     8
The Rise and Fall of the "Refrigerator Mother" Theory     11
Kanner's Diagnosis     11
The Refrigerator Mother Theory     17
Progress in Behavioral Intervention     18
Autism Isn't Purely Genetic     20
The Autism Epidemic     24
Concern in California     25
The Mind Institute Study     28
Diagnostic Substitution?     30
What about the Rest of the Country?     31
What about Other Countries?     33
Changes in the Diagnostic Criteria     34
Other Explanations?     35
The Hidden Horde Theory Refuted     37
California Update     38
The Autism Crisis     40
Autism Is a Disease, Not A Disability     42
Autism: An Environmental Illness     42
Disease, Not Disability     44
The Multiple Hit Hypothesis     45
Basics of the Immune System     47
The First Line of Defense     48
The Non-Specific or Innate Immune Response     49
The Antigen-Specific or Adaptive Immune Response     50
Antigen-Presenting Cells (APCs)     50
T-Cells     51
B-Cells     51
Th1 Vs. Th2 Response     53
Other Immune Cells     55
The Problem of Immune Dysregulation     56
Do Individuals with Autism Have Immune Dysregulation?     58
Excessive Inflammation     59
Autoimmune Reactions     60
Food Reactions     61
Abnormal Response to Infections     63
Measles and the MMR Controversy     65
The Epidemiology Wars     67
Biological Plausibility     80
Confirmation     82
Is Autism a Gut Disease?     87
Diagnostic Confirmation of Upper GI Disease     88
Abnormal Stools     89
Autistic Enterocolitis     90
Leaky Gut Syndrome     95
Intestinal Dysbiosis     97
Why Can't They Detoxify?     100
Detoxification 101     100
The Methylation Cycle     101
The Importance of Glutathione     107
Impaired Methylation in Autism     108
Does Mercury Cause Autism?     112
The Mercury Cycle     113
The Toxicity of Mercury      113
The EPA Reports Concern about Mercury     116
Mercury and Autism     117
What is Thimerosal?     123
Thimerosal Studies     125
Further Evidence Against Mercury     140
Where Does Ethylmercury Go?     140
Is Ethylmercury as Bad as Methylmercury?     144
Cell Death in the Brain and the Immune System     146
Thimerosal Inhibits Glutamate Transport     147
Thimerosal Affects Nerve Differentiation     147
Can You Be Genetically at Risk for Thimerosal Injury?     147
Other Effects of Thimerosal on the Immune System     148
Thimerosal Inhibits Methylation     149
Thimerosal Depletes Intracellular Glutathione in Brain Cells     149
Other Effects of Thimerosal     153
Autistic Children and Mercury Exposure     153
Environmental Mercury Exposure and Autism     157
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) Report     159
Autism and the Brain     164
Neuroanatomy (Brain Structure)     164
Abnormal Neurochemistry     166
Seizures     173
Sleep Disturbances     174
The Autism Web-Making Sense of the Disease     176
Treating Autism      181
The Multi-Tiered Treatment Approach     183
Correcting Nutritional Deficiencies     188
Vitamins     190
Minerals     199
Omega Fatty Acids     203
Essential Amino Acids     205
Other Nutrients     207
Providing a Good Diet     209
Treating the Gut     210
Treating Dysbiosis     210
Digestive Enzymes     214
Fixing a Leaky Gut     215
Treating Constipation     215
Treating Reflux     216
Treating Autistic Enterocolitis     216
Detoxification     220
Preventing Oxidative Stress     220
Supporting the Detoxification Pathway     222
Removing Toxins     227
Treating the Immune System     234
Immune System Support     234
Removing Immune Triggers     237
Breaking the Inflammatory Cycle     241
Treating the Brain     246
Removing False Neurotransmitters and Neurotoxins     247
Modulating Neurotransmitters     249
Neurohormones     254
Supply the Brain with Oxygen     256
Treating Seizures      257
Lessons from Israel     259
Parent Ratings of Behavioral Effects of Biomedical Interventions     262
DSM III-R and DSM IV Criteria for Autism     264
Notes     267
Glossary     323
Acknowledgments     341
Permissions     343
Index     349
About Thoughtful House     355
About the Authors     357

Editorial Reviews

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

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

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

'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

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