Dear Joe,
Could you please post some information regarding Autism Awareness Day on April 2, 2010. Autism affects 1 in 91 children and 1 in 58 boys.
http://www.generationrescue.org/autism-facts-statistics.html
My name is Heather Edwards.
I was born and raised in Salisbury. I left in January 2000 to join the United States Air Force. In January 2004 my husband and I came to live in Virginia to be near my husband's family. In February 2006 we were blessed with the birth of our little boy, Sean Liam.
My son, Sean, who is 4 years old was diagnosed with Autism (by a pediatric neurologist) when he was 2 years old. When my husband and I discovered his Autism we were filled with guilt, however we knew we had to do everything we could to help our son. We started him on a Gluten Free/Casein Free diet and a few vitamin supplements. After we started his diet, he completely stopped spinning objects. (this was a CONSTANT thing he had to do) He has also started following directions, making eye contact and making noises. Sean is non-verbal and can do 3 signs in ASL (more, eat and thirsty). He has a few sensory issues, such as the need to chew on something and he snaps his fingers (very fast) while flapping his arms. He goes to speech therapy 3 times a week and music therapy 1 time a week. Just like any 4 year old he has his good days and bad days. Sean will be starting preschool in the fall! He is very loving, intelligent, stubborn and energetic. Some of his favorite things are listening to music, guitar hero, jumping, dancing and swinging! All of this is just a portion of our story with our amazing son! He is our blessing, our sweet angel.
There are many families affected by Autism with many stories like ours. Please help us spread awareness! The Empire State Building will be lite up blue on Thursday for the start of Autism Awareness Month. Everyone is encouraged to wear blue on Friday, Autism Awareness Day, to help us spread awareness.
Thank you for your help in spreading the word of Autism Awareness.
Heather Edwards
19 comments:
Thanks Joe!
Amen to that!
2:17 -- Too bad pretty much everything you say has been repeatedly debunked. Vaccines don't cause autism. There have been numerous studies of this thesis and the conclusions overwhelmingly show that the rising autism rate has nothing to do with vaccination. Also, the Amish do have autism in their community. Unfortunately, ignorant people like Jenny McCarthy are out there spreading lies about this and causing the vaccination rate to go down, leading to an increase in diseases that could easily be prevented with a harmless shot. These charlatans also prey on the parents of autistic children, peddling lies to them about vaccines and chelation therapy and other BS. It's incredibly sad and maddening that so many people fall for this unscientific, disproven nonsense.
6:47 obviously does not have a child with autism. What has caused the numbers to rise? Better diagnosis? Give me a break. These children would have been labeled mentally retarded 30 years ago. Mental retardation numbers have always remained the same but since the rise in the vaccine schedule in 1989, autism is now 1 in 98 children. Who is this country is dying from measles, polio, diptheria, etc.? I am not anti-vaccine. I want toxin free vaccines!!! You know nothing about autism or what works for our children.
Just because children get up to 36 vaccines before they go to school doesn't make it right. They used to bottle herion as a cough syrup. For years the medical community denied that cigarettes cause cancer. For years numerous people has to work around asbestos. Valium used to be prescribed like candy. However, we all know better now. Someday the truth will come out about how unsafe our vaccines really are.
To 6:47...There has been documentation that vaccines can cause Autism. Whether it is triggered or completely causes it. Some children have died because of reactions to vaccines.
I left my opinion out of my letter to Joe because I did not want this to turn into a damn argument over Vaccines and Autism. I sent this letter to him so I could share our story and to let you know that Friday is Autism Awareness Day.
Whether we think vaccines cause Autism or not...it does not matter on Friday. Friday is for our children, friends and family members who have Autism.
Heather, it does matter for no family should have to go through what we have been through. Do you want this to happen to another child? Vaccines are the reason.
7:31 -- believe what you want, but the science is quite clear on this. Anyone who tells you there is a connection between vaccines and autism is either ignorant, a liar, or a charlatan trying to sell you some snake oil. Besides the volumes of studies disproving any link between autism and vaccines, there is also the experience of communities that have stopped or reduced vaccinations but have still seen the rise in autism rates. For instance, there was a community in Japan that stopped vaccinating and its autism rates continued to rise.
Saying you are not anti-vaccine but then saying you want them free of "toxins" means you are indeed anti-vaccine. There are no toxins in vaccines that do any harm to all but a handful of people. Vaccines are perfectly safe and have eradicated many diseases that are making a comeback because people like you are misinformed about supposed toxins in them.
It's pretty clear that autism is largely genetic in origin. For instance, if one identical twin has autism the chances are very high that the other twin has autism, too. But if one fraternal twin has autism, the chances are extremely low that the other twin has autism. Clearly there are other factors, but vaccines have been proven not to be one of them.
I'm sorry that someone has convinced you of so many falsehoods regarding autism. Those peddling these lies have done a lot of damage and caused parents of autistic children to waste a lot of money on "treatments" and other things that do no good. Idiots like Jenny McCarthy are the ones you should be focusing your ire on, not those who manufacture vaccines.
Twins, please- they both have been vaccinated. How can it be genetic? Autism would have always been 1 in 98. There is no such thing as a genetic epidemic. Marc you make no sense in what you are spouting out. Vaccines are not safe and I refuse to get another one for my children. Marc- go ahead and load yourself up full of vaccines. Better yet go get another H1N1 shot or a flu shot. They are full of mercury. Read about the affects of mercury poisoning. It's so wonderful and maybe you can be like the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland.
Marc, you are ok with being injected with mercury and aluminum? Mercury is the second deadliest metal. It is a known neurotoxin. Marc, go get your flu shots and H1N1 shots. They are full of the stuff that only affect a small portion of our population. I just pray you don't suffer like my child did.
To 8:06, again, if one identical (meaning they have the same chromosome profile) twin has autism, the second twin usually has it, too. But if one fraternal (meaning they have different chromosome profiles) twin has autism, it's rare for the other twin to have it. I suppose you'll say that's because identical twins are vaccinated but fraternal twins aren't, right? In reality, it's that those who share the same chromosomes have much higher rates of autism coincidence than those who do not share chromosomes. This indicates a heavy genetic component to autism.
As far as mercury in vaccines, do some research between ethyl mercury and methyl mercury. Ethyl mercury doesn't accumulate in bodies and doesn't lead to the type of poisoning as methyl mercury. Ethyl mercury was in vaccines, not methyl mercury. And how come when they took thimerosal, the mercury agent, out of vaccines that autism rates continued to climb? Oh, yes, other unidentified "toxins."
I got my H1N1 shot and my child has received her full schedule of vaccines. Like so many people, I was misinformed about vaccines before I had a baby and was skeptical. Then I did some research and found that all the stuff about mercury poisoning and autism and a variety of other lies about vaccines just doesn't withstand basic scrutiny.
You guys need to get a room!
Marc, not once have you said that you have a child with autism. To say that any type of mercury is ok shows what an idiot you truly are. Fortunately, you have a child that was able to handle the heavy toxic overload you allowed to be injected into their veins. Heather and myself were not so lucky. Would you not admit that autism is an epidemic? To admit that would mean that it makes no sense to say it's genetic. Any scientist will tell you there is no such thing as an genetic epidemic. Even the AAP and CDC admit that the cause in environmental!!! Joe, thanks for posting!
I feel for those who have autistic children. It's a heavy load to bear. Perhaps that's why they fall for the BS being sold by morons like Jenny McCarthy. However, the science is quite clear and overwhelmingly shows that vaccines don't cause autism. The very fact that people continue to confuse methyl mercury and ethyl mercury and ignore the various studies on autism shows that people prefer the easy answers sold by these charlatans rather than the hard facts.
I'm sorry your daughter has autism. But by persisting in the false belief that vaccines caused it you are only perpetuating a notion that hurts society. Vaccines have nearly eliminated many diseases that were true epidemics. You aren't helping anyone by refusing to face the facts about the lies spread by Generation Rescue and other anti-vaccine groups.
So 1 in 98 children having autism is not an epidemic? What an moron. Polio affected no where near that number and he considers that a true epidemic but not autism. Of course, you can't admit that for that blows the genetic theory. By the way, my son has autism. Lastly, if mercury was so safe, why did they take it out of the required vaccines? You have no idea what our families have been through and to tell me that I am a liar shows what a poor excuse for a human being that you are.
Joe, by the way, I won't be adding anymore post for Marc is a lost cause. To pretend like he knows what I have seen happen to my son when he does not have a child with autism is unbelievable. No one has ever been able to prove that vaccines are safe. No doctor will sign that any vaccine will not cause death, seizures, brain damage, etc. They cannot guarantee the safety of the vaccines. I know, because I have asked. To tell Heather that what she is doing for her son is not helping and that she is being taken for a fool is disgraceful. If he believes all of the B.S studies that have been done by scientist that have been paid off by the drug companies,etc- fine. They love suckers like you that will believe anything they dish out.
Thanks 9:52....I have been told by my son's doctor that vaccines are harmful and he does believe that they can trigger Autism.
Marc...I will pray to God that your children or grandchildren never have to suffer the consequences of your ignorant thoughts.
Many many many people differ in their opinions regarding Autism and Vaccines. I don't look for an excuse for his Autism. I know for a fact that the Flu Vaccines caused my son his speech. He was trying to talk before we gave him that vaccine. Now he is non-verbal. After the MMR vaccine he started the arm flapping and spinning objects and the rocking back and forth. I have pictures and videos. It shows my perfect healthy baby boy...then my wonderful, loving and Autistic son!
Don't believe me...fine...I've lived it and I will die knowing that vaccines triggered my son's Autism.
I say triggered because we are all different and have our quirks....however I do believe that if I didn't sign off for the doctor to give my son his vaccines, he would be a normal little boy.
I love my son so much. He is my world. I do everything I can to help him.
Don't feel bad for my son or my husband and I. Educate yourselves and stop arguing with me and the other parents. We have lived it. You haven't.
Think there's no link between Autism & vaccines? Then check this out. No one hears about it because there are groups who don't want you to hear about it...
http://www.thecenternj.com/images/Autism_Press_Release_Full_Version.pdf
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