by Bryan Jepson, M.D.
with Jane Johnson
Foreword by Katie Wright, daughter of the founders of Autism Speaks
- Spectrum magazine's featured book for June/July!
- Chosen as a finalist in ForeWord Magazine’s Book of the Year competition. Winners will be announced on 5/29/08.
Reviews
"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 disorder 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, Ph.D., BCBA, Executive Director, Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD)
"This book would have answered so many of my questions. It is my greatest hope that pediatricians all over the country read this book with an open mind."
-Katie Wright, daughter of the founders of Autism Speaks
"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, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School
"To effectively treat children with autism, parents and physicians alike must understand the disease process. Jepson and Johnson have done a huge service to families and the medical profession by collecting a mass of information and making it available to all. We will be in their debt for a long time to come."
-Rick Rollens, parent and co-founder U.C. Davis M.I.ND. Institute
Autism Asperger's Digest: "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."
Midwest Book review: "Changing the Course of Autism takes the bold stance that autism is not solely caused by genetic factors, but rather a combination of genetic and environmental factors - an abundance of toxicity in the environment combined with autistic individuals' reduced ability or inability to detoxify. The sudden epidemic of autism in today's society (1 in 150 children has been diagnosed) underscores that environmental factors must be at work, since a disease that is solely genetic is not likely to produce a similar surge. Chapters further explore possible environmental causes of autism, and ways to treat autism and help children recover. Written in plain terms for parents, caretakers, and medical personnel alike, Changing the Course of Autism is an absolute must-read for new or expecting parents with a history of autism, or who wish to prepare themselves to defend their child from an onslaught of environmental toxins in today's unfortunately polluted world. Highly recommended."
Library Journal review: "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."
-James Swanton, Harlem Hosp. Lib., New York
Medical Veritas review: "This book will engender a greater change by revolutionizing thought, in a credible format that will garner the attention of the establishment medical community, the media, government officials, and insurers. Although these groups are not the primary audience, they are the audience that most needs to read this text. All medical students that rotate on my service get a copy of this text to impact their understanding of the greatest long-term medical crisis the current generation faces. Dr. Jepson is helping educate these younger healthcare professionals about the situation potentially before some of them face this issue square in the face as parents themselves."
-Edward Fogarty, M.D., University of North Dakota School of Medicine
Read the entire review
Kindred Magazine (Australia) review: "As the title suggests, this book is written from a scientific perspective and much of the content is quite dense. Despite that, it still manages to engage the reader as the author gives the history of the rise of autism in the Western world.
Jepson is a doctor with the ability to explain the medical complexities involved in the diagnosis and treatment of autism that will be much appreciated by the average reader. The book addresses the issues of toxins and heavy metals and also explains what makes a person with autism different physically.
The reader also learns how autism is a medical disease and is treatable if looked at from that perspective. This book will give the people who care for and live with someone with autism more than hope; it will give them the knowledge they need to help improve their lives."
-Michele Dennis
"'Changing the Course of Autism' is well written, balanced, and persuasive. Prompted by a recent barrage of public service announcements sponsored by Autism Speaks, in late July I headed to the local Barnes & Noble to locate the "best argument" I could find in the current autism / vaccination debate. Of all the options, I found your book to be the most promising. I freely admit that I was (both by nature and by training) skeptical of many of the claims that I had heard.
During my military service, I personally administered hundreds of vaccinations -- and oversaw the administration of more than 10,000 doses of a wide array of vaccines including yellow fever, typhoid, Japanese encephalitis, plague, etc. My first child (now 14 years old) received every scheduled vaccination on time. Although firmly in the "vaccinate early and often" camp, I have always tried to remain open minded and objective.
I read chapters 1 through 14 of your book. (The treatment portion of the text has no immediate relevance for me at this time.) My wife and I discussed many of the passages at length. I pursued independent confirmation of several specific issues, including the alleged "retraction" of Dr. Wakefield's 1998 Lancet article. To date, I have only located one minor error in the entire text -- on page 113 the Shakespeare reference is incorrect. I found the treatment of the issues to be scholarly, readable, and even-handed.
Why did I take such a keen interest in your book? My second child was born in June. Until such time as I have exhaustively reviewed the available data for each recommended vaccine, her schedule will be on hold.
To date, I have purchased 15 copies of "Changing the Course of Autism". Two copies will be going to my daughter's pediatricians at her two month visit. One copy has already gone to the mother of an autistic patient (with chronic diarrhea and "failure to thrive") I saw last week. The rest of the copies will be going to the dozen or so co-workers of mine who are new parents. I plan on making more bulk purchases in the future to distribute to fellow physicians, local libraries, etc.
Thank you for your time. Your book is already changing minds and attitudes. Keep up the good work."
Richard S. Swinney, MD FAAEM, Nixa, MO
Autism is growing at 10-17 percent per year. At this startling rate, the prevalence of autism could reach four million Americans in the next decade. Most autism books describe educational and behavioral therapies, but autism is a medical disease, not a psychological disorder. CHANGING THE COURSE OF AUTISM shows that this 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 Risperdal and Prozac. The authors have seen autistic behaviors improve dramatically or disappear completely with appropriate medical treatment.
Dr. Jepson graduated from the University of Utah Medical School in 1995 and completed residency training in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1998. He is board certified in emergency medicine, and is now the Director of Medical Services at Thoughtful House Center for Children, a multidisciplinary clinic in Austin, TX, dedicated to caring for children with autism and related conditions. He lives in Austin with his wife Laurie and their two sons.
Read an excerpt.
Watch Dr. Jepson's interview about his book.
For international orders, please use French, Canadian, and UK Amazon.
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