Actress Jenny McCarthy has a new crusade she is campaigning for – autism. On the heels of her book: Louder than Words, McCarthy has been lighting up the talk show circuit talking about what mothers can do if they have an autistic child.

McCarthy, whose son Evan is autistic, says that a gluten-free diet can help reverse some of the symptoms of autism in children.

“I did want to acknowledge and confirm the fact that my son does, indeed, have an autism diagnosis,” McCarthy, 34, said.

Evan is McCarthy’s son with director John Asher. The couple divorced in 2005, after six years of marriage.

McCarthy added that she has come to understand why she was given an autistic child, because, she said, “I am willing to talk about it, and go deep with the emotional feelings.”

“I just want moms … who have children out there with autism … to know that I am coming back in a few months with this book, and I am planning on using my big, giant, controversial mouth to blow the lid off a lot of things related to autism to give moms hope,” she said. “It is so needed.”

The former Playboy playmate, has also been in the news recently because of her relationship with Jim Carrey. McCarthy says that Carrey is loving and supportive with her son, and she relishes their relationship. The two have said they have no plans to marry.

-Linda Przygodski