Embarrassing as it is, I will admit that I just watched "Frontline: The Vaccine War" last night. Netflix is slowly catching me up in my missed tv viewing. I was left breathless at the complete disregard that the doctors and other professionals seem to have for the parents and their opinions. I was appalled at the studies that were touted as being the end all be all answer to refute the possibility that vaccine injury could cause autism. Finally, I was left wondering why 1 in 100 babies born in our country are so unimportant that the only "sound science" that comes from the government comes about from trying to prove parents wrong.
Parents of special needs children are often thought of as being high-strung, self-important, deluded, or just plain crazy. We sometimes earn these titles fair and square. There is typically something at every moment that needs fixed, advocated for, or to have a better understanding of. We are in a constant dialog with doctors, teachers, therapists, family members, church members, and often the community at large. Sometimes, if we are not careful, our zealousness for ensuring our child has every opportunity afforded to he or she results in others asking us to just take a chill pill. The health care professionals on The Vaccine War documentary spoke as authorities on vaccine injury, child development, and the neuro-sciences--and still, they acted like parents were suffering from Munchhausen's syndrome because they reported regression in there child after a series of immunizations. So, I will concede that I may chase a few rabbits in my quest to provide adequate health care, education, and community awareness for my child, but don't tell me that I want my child to have autism! I tried to convince myself and all around me that it 'was just' apraxia, late development, or some other benign thing that we could overcome with a year or two of speech and occupational therapies. I charge the CDC and NIH with finding out what then, if not vaccines, causes autism. Autism is the epidemic--not crazy parents!
The Vaccine War reported that the Lancet had recalled their publishing of Dr. Wakefield's study. His study was not conclusive, but neither was anything the scientists had to offer to refute his findings. There is an old adage, "Where there is smoke, there is fire". That is how I would describe my thoughts on the collection of studies that are available for reading right now. It seems too convenient that the same people agreeing that vaccines don't cause autism are the very people who benefit financially from vaccines, or the importance of their career rides on their undying support of vaccines. If Merck just paid you a gazillion dollars for a roto-virus immunization, you are not likely going to speak against vaccines--are you?
As a country we have tested ketchup, plants in space, the effects of stress, and greenhouse gases to name just a few. We have given incentive money to people to buy houses, cars, and energy smart appliances, but still no national, all inclusive studies on autism or vaccines. Please correct me if I'm wrong. But I know for sure that my family nor the other 30 to 40 families that we know who have with children with an autism diagnosis have ever been contacted by any federal government entity to ask us for our child's medical file. The bureaucracy that surrounds many offices in our government gives birth to the "we don't pay attention unless there is a lawsuit against us" way of doing business. So, again CDC and NIH, you have had a quaint study or two that says that vaccines don't cause autism, what does?
Even though I sound trite in writing these things, let me reassure you that we don't fight in the vaccine war. I fight in the war for my child! This means that I tutor him at home to help meet his I.E.P. goals, I spend tons of money at a Children's Hospital to see the most qualified doctors, I work and communicate with the school daily, and tomorrow night at the school board meeting I will be presenting the case for a fenced in playground for the campus he will attend next year. It is time to show some respect to the parents and kids on the true frontline of autism, and time to quit smiling politely when everyone has a different opinion and begin to demand accountability first from ourselves and then the government on what we are all doing to better these kids lives. If my child has autism for the greater good of herd immunity, it is unacceptable. It should not be enough to unequivocally deny that vaccines cause autism--show me what does!
Austin, Brooke, Alex(and Jaws!) at a High School Football Game
