Robert Melillo

A lot of very interesting information for a relative newbie to the topic of autism. Good thorough overview of baseline symptomatology, risk factors and trends. He does stay realistic in saying there are no guarantees re: prevention. He writes about changing (turning "on" or "off") your genes by doing things in your day-to-day life now.

However, I'm hesitant to give it more stars after doing a little homework, because much of what Melillo focuses on (right-brain/left-brain balance) is just his theory which has NOT yet been clinically proven. He ventures so deeply into etiology (naming dozens of risk factors that are accumulative), it almost makes you wonder how there are still any kids without ASD. Though this is marketed as a book of hope, it makes me pretty scared to live or breed in a world where so many (risk factors) can't be avoided. Still, I couldn't put this book down because of the subject matter, and because if there is anything at all that can be done to help the autistic child and his/her parents, wouldn't you want to know about it?

He makes a ton of suggestions for different tests to get and many of his treatment strategies are based on strengthening and weakening habits of mind and body to achieve desired balance. There is debate on both sides of whether he's a quack, and criticism that he is a chiropractor, not a physician. His centers provide a ridiculously expensive "brain balance" program based on his ideas. He has an extremely interesting theory, but still not based on scientific evidence (testimonies are not scientific, measurable evidence).… (más)

Dr. Melillo seems to have his creds in order, but I found his lack of foot/endnotes disconcerting. He made many claims, but did not reference his sources in an easy to follow-up way. HOWEVER, his science seemed spottily sound (when checked in passing with resident doctor), and he has great advice for parents-to-be on choices to make that may minimize the risk of ASD in children-to-be-born. Once your kid is born, however, you can read the book, check off all of the risk factors, and then figure out what you're going to do... (not much help if your child's already born).… (más)