The actress—who believes the MMR vaccine was to blame for her son's diagnosis —says a strict no wheat-and-dairy-free diet has changed her son from a quiet little boy who used to flail his arms around to a loving six-year-old.
"Before the vaccination, he was huggy, lovey, snuggly," she says in the newest issue of Us Weekly. "Then it was like someone came down and stole him."
McCarthy, 36, remembers when Evan began to come out of his shell while watching a SpongeBob episode. "I heard Evan laugh...I jumped on the bed and started screaming."
She adds, "When he finally hugged me, I prayed, 'Please God don't let this be the only time.'"
McCarthy has become an outspoken advocate for autism awareness, often courting controversy along the way (doctors have accused her of creating fear of necessary vaccines). She's the bestselling author of five books, including her newest, Mother Warriors: A Nation of Parents Healing Autism Against All Odds. She's also constantly researching on sites like like AgeofAutism.com and GenerationRescue.org
"I made a deal with God," she explains. "I said, 'You fix my boy, you show me the way and I'll teach the world how I did it.'"

Wow, that's some miraculous shit, but it's not unheard of in medical history. I once cured myself of leprosy with a bacon double cheeseburger, a liter of Gatorade and an Aqua Teen Hunger Force marathon. At least I think it was leprosy. When I told my doctor about it later he said it was probably just a hangover, but frankly I'm not so sure about his qualifications. Once he tried to stick his finger in my ass and told me it was to make sure I didn't have cancer. I know—total quack, right?