Jenny McCarthy is good at what she does. She’s charming. She’s funny. You can relate to her. When she speaks about the pain associated with getting her son’s autism diagnosis, other mothers of children with autism can’t help but identify with her. She says the things we’ve wanted to say ourselves, but are too afraid to: We are jealous of our friends’ neuro-typical kids. We are tired. We lose hope. Then she goes further. She says mothers who get the diagnosis usually divide into two groups, “Mother Warriors” as she terms them, or those who are “victims.”
You want to be a Mother Warrior right? You would do ANYTHING for your child, yes? Then she’ll go on to tell you what caused your child’s autism and how to heal him or her from it. For a second, you forget that this chick, this person trying to sell you the myth that vaccines cause autism along with a pile of supplements, got her start as a Playboy model. In fact, she’s STILL a Playboy model!
And that’s why she’s dangerous. Because you forget that her credentials in the field of autism are no better than yours or mine: she’s just one mother of one child with autism. She’s not a doctor. She’s not a scientist. She’s a mother.
She relies on old, discredited information, as she runs her organization, “Generation Rescue.” She still champions the cause of Andrew Wakefield, the man whose FALSE research claims gave rise to the anti-vax movement and the very notion that vaccines cause autism. She’s telling impressionable mothers of newly diagnosed children with autism that HER way is the ONLY way and that if you don’t do it the way she did, you’re not a Mother Warrior. You’re a victim. You don’t want your child “cured” because you like the attention that their autism gives you. In the last AutismOne conference (co-sponsored by Generation Rescue) she said this:
“And then there’s this part that takes place, a moment where you have to take charge. Are you going to get up and do everything possible to save your kid? And then there’s something surprising that happens with a lot of moms. They…fall into this victim roll, and they like it. It’s almost as if they didn’t get attention in their lives …and now this incredible door opens where all of these people come over and say, “Suzy…Suzy I’m so sorry. Is there anything I can do for you?” All of this attention. And they are like LOVING it. Loving having people feel sorry for them. They get extra home-cooked meals by the neighbors…”
If her unproven biomedical approach worked for her son, that’s fantastic. But she has no right to BULLY other moms into doing something that has never been proven to work in every child with autism and could very well be DANGEROUS to their children. Don’t tell me, because I refuse to give my son a bleach enema and buy him a hyperbolic chamber, that I am “loving” him having autism and the attention I get from it. Because that, Ms. McCarthy, is crap. Any mother of a child with autism will tell you that no amount of attention would be worth what we go through for autism.
We all can’t strip off our clothes to pay for our child’s $100,000 a year education (yeah, that’s what she says she’s paying for when she said that she was posing nude in Playboy for “autism.” Autism she says her son is CURED from…?). We have to fight.
We fight every single day. We fight an underfunded and overcrowded public school system of which Jenny McCarthy knows nothing about. We fight insurance companies for treatments that ARE proven. We fight to improve the lives of our children. Not because we are “Mother Warriors” but because we are MOTHERS.
We fight without a stage and a microphone, we fight without a mass of followers and bestselling books. We fight, not from Oprah’s stage or Larry King’s chair, but in doctors offices, specialist visits, therapy a nd IEP meetings. We do it with our clothes on, for the most part. And yet, we’re the ones she is saying who LOVE the attention autism brings us?
Thank you for this! As a mother with a son recently diagnosed on the spectrum, I am slowly educating myself and I haven't done anything "major"… He is high functioning, and his diagnosis had mostly finally given us a "why" that we can work with. Slowly, I am making my way through all the info out there, but I'm not doing things the way she did them doesn't mean I'm happy to fall into a victim role… I hope I never come off as a victim. I'm proud of my son… Autistic or not.
Just now here in Finland, on tv; Pen&Teller – anti vaccine movement; does include your favorite lady…… YES – Jenny McCarthy!!!
Thank you for this. I enjoy reading work by parents of autistic children who are rational, since for whatever reason there appears to be a focus (as usual for any issue, really) on the crazies.
I didn't know an autism diagnosis came with so much attention and home cooked meals, where can I sign my kids up? If there is one thing I love more than attention, it is food. Ugh. Jenny McCarthy is toilet.
hahaha! Too right!
I think every mother does their best and I hate when celebrities try and make people feel like crap (like Gisele and her comment that it should be illegal not to breast feed). How bad was his autism anyway if a bleach enema could cure him. I watched my cousin go through many therapies to cure his autism. Big shock he still has autism. My Aunt tried everything she heard about. I think it's smart to focus on proven therapies, and education.
Any mother who has advocated for their child, neuro-typical, ASD or whatever, is a warrior mom. Hear me roar when you try to hurt my children!
I've always said, that even though I don't have a child with autism, Jenny pisses me off. Even before I had friends with autistic children she bothered me…I don't know a huge amount about autism, but I do know that it can't be cured. Sure, with therapies and support there are plenty of people with autism living in society and their peers may not even realize they have the diagnosis, and I would think that's what most mother's strive for…Or I'm totally off the map….
WHAT?!?!?!?!?! I love the attention I get? Seriously? Because the only attention I get is from people who think I'm a crappy mom or too lenient which is what my son's "real" problem is. I don't get any attention from Danny's autism, at least not any attention I want. And no home cooked meals from the neighbors, either. Who knew I was missing out on all this attention and free meals? I've been cheated. Ugh! That quote just burns me up and makes me hate that woman even more than before.
PattyO – I TOTALLY AGREE W/ YOU!!!
Her life would be quite interesting if she didn't have all this money and "celebrity" status…
You go girl. *in Oprah's voice*
I just want to say that when my daughter was diagnosed, I did not get extra attention. In fact, many people completely abandoned me during this time of my life. So little empathy was shown, I was shocked.
This comment/question is open to everyone. When it comes to professional resources, what do you find to be most helpful? — resources for you as a parent, resources for your child, or both.
The NBU at Kennedy Kreiger can help you, yourself open your mind to see what you don’t. We spent a year there and all the did was teach me what I just couldn’t see myself. To be honest I have felt more normal and helped from reading this ladies thoughts. thank you for putting into words what I needed to read.
I like open forums, because you get a good idea of what real mom's in real situations have tried. I always go to my "forums" first when I'm thinking about something. I like books, I read a lot of them. I usually go to the teachers, too, for information. We've had great teachers with up to date training.
Isn't that the truth? I call autism the "great friendship sifter" because it pretty much automatically weeds out the good friends from the bad. I had my very best friend at the time Casey was diagnosed tell me that I "wasn't fun anymore" and we stopped hanging out.
When we meet in real life, I want you to announce my arrival in Oprah's voice.
And the boobs. Less interesting without boobs.
Amen Sista!!
She can bite me. Hard. Seriously, yo, victim? Attention? I DON'T WANT ATTENTION OR PITY. I want her to STFU and stop pretending she is Ms. Autism 2012 and speaks for us all. We only need one Lorax and she ain't it.Count me as another that lost an entire army of friends. Because, you know, it might be contagious and stuff.
If it wasnt for Jenny McCarthy, I would have never known not to vaccinate my child. I thank God I never shot him with all that crap. My SCIA doctor confirmed that if I had, my son would be in a lot more trouble.
I don’t appreciate anybody trashing the biomedical treatments when it is scientifically proven that autism and similar disorders come from environmental toxins overload. I think you are missing Jenny McCarthy’s real message just because she’s in her 40s and still looks hot naked. If she can make $100,000 posing naked, good for her and her child.
I have seen her in debates with MDs and she sure knows a lot more about the topic than most doctors.
I don’t know if everybody commenting here has read her books but I have and I never felt like she was giving me the options of A) Mother Warrior or B) Victim. Then again I am not biased by her hot looks.
I am following the biomedical treatment with an SCIA doctor and I see positive changes in my son’s behavior every day. I believe in it 100% and I don’t understand how you can say it is dangerous for our children to be rid of heavy metals, yeast, virus and bacteria.
I think the quote you used for her is out of context and promotes misunderstanding of her message.
How can anyone say what definitively would have happened for an individual IF someone had had treatment X with numerous variables? That is not an empirically provable statement.
Regarding your decision to opt of of vaccinating your child – that is your right, as his parent. I will say that I know of many parents who opted out of meningitis vaccines and whooping cough vaccines who dearly regret that decision. You are among the lucky ones right now.
May your luck continue to hold.
True story. Also, it’s awesome when people don’t vaccinate their kids because they’ve been completely misinformed by junk science and it not only hurts their kids with preventable diseases, but children like mine who have ZERO immune systems.
It’ll be “interesting” to see how long the much touted “herd immunity” remains in effect when fewer and fewer members of the herd immunize.
See also: proving Darwin’s theory.
I’d totally pose nude to pay for my son’s autism school even though he was cured of autism.
Meh. My kid’s pediatrician has better boobs. And they’re real. and she has an ACTUAL DEGREE with book learnin and everything.
also, i think you may be confused by this word “proven” that you use…
How do you know your kids pediatrician knows more than Jenny? Did they host Singled Out? NO?
because she would never date Jim Carrey.
Nope: posted on a toilet wearing Candii’s shoes. And wrote a book about farting. Two little known qualities of MENSA candidates everywhere.
The sucky thing about writing a book that gets published, is that you can’t go back and edit the part where talked about your son and you said NOTHING about him having autism.
My son’s ped at the time knew absolutely nothing and told us so.
Actually, Jenny McCarthy specifically said that moms who do not do biomedical, who do not “try anything if it will help my kid recover…enjoy the victim role.” It is not at all out of context. Her message is based on the false premise that vaccines are not safe. Meanwhile, this country is seeing more and more outbreaks of measles, whooping cough and other preventable diseases.
We have a public health responsibility to vaccinate our kids. There are very few exceptions to this, for specific medically fragile cases. Otherwise, if you choose not to vaccinate your child, you are putting all other children at risk.
There is no scientific evidence whatsoever “that autism and similar disorders come from environmental toxins overload.” None. Any doctor who is telling you that is a quack and a fraud.
There you go again with your fancy facts & stuff. I’d rather believe that inserting someone else’s “healthy poop” into my kid will cure them. Much more believable than this so-called science of which you speak.
Seriously though, I have no idea what to do with all of these casseroles, you guys. Some of this shit doesn’t freeze well.
Having an uncured kid with autism is the bomb!
Lexi,
Send some of those casseroles my way because I NEVER got any after my son was diagnosed with Asperger’s! Damn, I feel left out!
Karina, I have seen Jenny in these debates with doctors, and she makes a fool of herself. She does not understand autism, she does not even understand vaccines.
I have to say, I see positive improvements with my son’s autism too, he’s gone from severely autistic to almost mild, and none of that was thanks to biomedical interventions. The are studies coming out all the time on what factors play and part and don’t play a part in improving autism behaviours, I can only encourage you to please read the actual science in the area, and not take the word of Ms McCarthy. There are plenty of actual experts on autism, and she is not one of them.
It is scientifically proven that autism (well as high as 92% of the cases) is caused by genetics. Specifically a deviation on the 15th genome in a lot cases. The whole environmental toxins thing, not so much….a few correlation studies. But well, you know how Jenny M. feels about correlation and causation in spite of it being the very basics of science that correlation does not equal causation.
My two favorite Jenny M. quotes (about adults with autism) “There weren’t any it is all now.” Oh the people you need to meet Jenny. And any of the many about how autism takes away the soul. Again so many very proud soulful autistics you need to meet.
I should add, I would rather have a child with autism, grow into an adult with autism knowing the entire time his mother knew he had a soul and loved him for the person he is. Not for some ideal I dreamed up while I was pregnant with him and then tried to force him into being. That I didn’t force him to submit to practical guinea pig like science experiments to his body. I didn’t take part in ANY treatments that could you know…kill him because some playboy bimbo told me so. Sadly other parents have listened to her, hook-line-sinker and have watched their children DIE. Because guess what your body needs? Some heavy metals, strip them all away and you die of heart failure- at you know the grand old age of FIVE.
All I can say to this is BOOYAH.
If my son didn’t take 2tsp of Ferrous Sulfate Elixir (Iron supplement) every day he’d die. He’d become so anemic his body would no longer function….he’s been on a high dose since birth and he’s not autistic.
the biomedical prodicals have been around and proven for over 25 years. Do the research… My son is doing the biomedical and went from non-verbal 3.5 year old to a 6 year old in normal kindergarten with a para helper…he does 2nd grade work.
No offense Petemer, but don’t assume I haven’t done my research that would be how I know kids have died from chelation and how it is too dangerous to even be studied. Now I could get into a contest about how far my kid is (without biomed and to be honest a good deal of his grade level compared to his age is due to autism; it is amazing what hyperlexia can do.)- but he is HAPPY. He embraces his autism, he has friends (yes you read that right real friends his own age who he has gone bowling with, gone over to their house multiple times, etc), friends who are perfectly fine with his stimming, who adjust to his sensory needs. A lot of the biomed protocols are dangerous. Some are fine and those I have no problem with, if you have a gluten issue, go gluten free. But bleach? Chelation? Deadly.
Anna, it’s actually only for 5% of cases where genetics play some sort of role
http://sfari.org/news-and-opinion/news/2012/massive-genetics-study-reveals-autism-linked-variants
This study isn’t on whole genetic variants, just partial ones (to put it really simply) and those were found to effect at 2%. This is separate than the other gene variations. Forbes article that breaks it down a bit http://www.forbes.com/sites/emilywillingham/2013/01/16/autism-and-genetics-its-complicated/.
“While more than half of the risk of autism is believed to be inherited — studies find, for example, that 60% to 90% of identical twins are both autistic, sometimes to differing degrees — in at least 70% of cases of autism, a known underlying genetic cause can’t be identified.”
Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2012/04/05/autism-studies-confirm-genetic-complexity-and-risk-for-older-fathers/#ixzz2J5bztZ2K
My kids are waking up now, but later I will try and go find the links for you to the studies that point towards it being anywhere from 50% to 92% genetic.
“Twin studies reported 60% concordance for classic autism in monozygotic (MZ) twins versus 0 in dizygotic (DZ) twins, the higher MZ concordance attesting to genetic inheritance as the predominant causative agent. Reevaluation for a broader autistic phenotype that included communication and social disorders increased concordance remarkably from 60% to 92% in MZ twins and from 0% to 10% in DZ pairs. ”
Muhle R, Trentacoste S, Rapin I. The genetics of autism. Pediatrics [serial online]. May 2, 2004;113(5):e472-86. Available from: CINAHL with Full Text, Ipswich, MA. Accessed January 26, 2013
“The findings showed that the features were
significantly more common in multiple incidence autism
families than in single incidence autism families and both
of these had higher rates than Down syndrome families.”
(okay so I may have quoted this a bit cause it mentioned Down’s as well which is considered a genetic disorder)
Rutter, M. L. (2011). Progress in Understanding Autism: 2007-2010. Journal Of Autism & Developmental Disorders, 41(4), 395-404. doi:10.1007/s10803-011-1184-2
“The twin analyses revealed that SIs, CIs and RRBIs
are all highly heritable (49–72%), which agrees with
most previous studies of middle childhood onwards;
10,25–32 a lower heritability estimate has been
reported in one twin study of 2-year olds.28 The ASD
subscales shared a substantial degree of genetic
influences, but it was also found that each ASD
subscale had significant genetic influences that were
specific to itself.”
Ronald, A. A., Larsson, H. H., Anckarsäter, H. H., & Lichtenstein, P. P. (2011). A twin study of autism symptoms in Sweden. Molecular Psychiatry, 16(10), 1039-1047. doi:10.1038/mp.2010.82
Oh they also have found siblings of those with autism who do not meet the criteria of having ASD often have strong autistic traits. Is this enough information? If not I have a lot more studies where those came from. I included citations so if you have access to these journals (like I do) you can look them up yourself. To be fair they do get a bit technical.
Karina when you said,
“I don’t appreciate anybody trashing the biomedical treatments when it is scientifically proven that autism and similar disorders come from environmental toxins overload.”
You lost any shred of credibility. It is not scientifically proven that autism is caused by toxic overload. That you so easily and willingly could be led to that belief shows an inability to do ‘proper’ research into autism and the current science. That is precisely the sort of parent Jenny relies on to buy her books and assorted other products. I’m sorry you’ve been duped. Really, I am. Its really going to sting when you come to that awful realisation.
I agree Sharon. The comment about yeasts, virus, bacteria (probiotics anyone? the “good” bacteria we all should have some of?), and heavy metals got me. Oh the argument I could make from just that line. But in truth you are absolutely right I get mad at Jenny. The parents though, the parents I feel sorry for. Not as sorry as I feel for their children though. Some of the things she touts is nothing short of abuse.
In fact without the GOOD bacteria in our systems it leaves you open for bacterial overgrowth. That’s what happens when too much bacteria builds up after your system has been WIPED OUT. I’ve seen it happen to my son over & over and he’s not autistic, just has intestinal issues.
I’ve never been a fan of her’s. She touts “extremism” which I think is NEVER healthy is any way.
Vaccines cause autism???? REALLY? Hmm, if that’s so, then why is it that I have 7, yes 7, children..all of them up to date on their shots AND ONLY 1 has autism????? Can you answer that? Bet you can’t because vaccines do NOT cause autism. Here’s a fact for you..I would rather have my child have autism than DEAD from a disease that I could have prevent by a vaccine.
As a mother of an autistic child, I have to praise jenny McCarthy. She wrote her books with her DAN doctor, yes a doctor. She is not claiming that vaccines cause autism in every child. If you read them or speak to any DAN doctor, they are not against vaccines just changing the schedule which republicans and democrats both are fighting the FDA and CDC to do just that. Some children can not secrete the metals used in the vaccine which is proven to cause some of the autism symptoms. Every child gets it in a different way which she also states, and unfortunately biomedical treatments do not work for all autistic children because some are born with the disorder. Any DAN doctor will tell you this. If it was not for jenny McCarthy’s books I do not know how long it would have taken me to be introduced to biomedical treatments. I immediately found a DAN doctor and a pediatrician from the institute of functional medicine. My son has made vast improvements thanks to both of them. He did not get autism from his vaccines but had a huge yeast problem. I think honestly all she wants to do is educate other mothers on this world and help anyone she can. I really don’t think she means to bash anyone. But i do understand I have met many autistic mothers who have still not accepted their childs diagnosis and are unwilling to try other treatments for whatever reason. That is personally not the way for me but everyone has their own opinions and should not be bashed, we need to stick together. I personally Love jenny McCarthy and would love to thank her one day for literally giving me my wonderful child back from this disorder and educating me that there are more options out there! don’t knock it till you have tried it!
How to become a DAN doctor? To quote directly from ARI (or Defeat Autism Now) themselves “If someone claims to be “DAN-certified,” they’re overstating; neither ARI nor Defeat Autism Now! has ever had a certification program.”. All you had to do to become a DAN doctor was sign a pledge and attend ONE conference. No formal training required so forgive me if I don’t put any emphasis on someone being a DAN doctor. And her DAN doctor? This is what he had to say about someone with autism, “Autism … steals the soul from a child; then, if allowed, relentlessly sucks life’s marrow out of the family members, one by one.” Funnily enough I’m not a believer or follower of anyone who destroys the dignity of my son and millions of others like him by claiming this.
You are right about the bashing though, see that was the WHOLE point of this blog post. She bashes ANY autistic parent who doesn’t do BIOMED. We are all victims. But as I just stated she relentlessly attacks anyone who is autistic. Denying there are autistic adults, claiming they don’t have souls, that it is such a terrible burden. Look I don’t support Autism Speaks for pretty much the same reasons. You put out and ad that my child sees that makes him feel terrible, I’m not going to just say, oh that is cool everyone has their opinions. Her opinions are dangerous to the very people she is claiming to help.
Some when did being a politician make you more of an expert in healthcare than the FDA, CDC, or academy of pediatrics?
See, when you say “Some children can not secrete the metals used in the vaccine which is proven to cause some of the autism symptoms.” You show your complete ignorance on this topic. This is why you like Jenny, because you accept without question the bullshit she tells you.
SCIA = “Stop Calling It Autism” = same old tired DAN!/biomedical BS, ie, Woeller, Usman etc.
Here’s how you become a SCIA provider:
Our goal is to help medical professionals understand and effectively treat microglial activation and related disorders of the immune system that lead to the neurological symptoms and other medical problems in individuals with autism.
To join the SCIA for Doctors group, follow the following simple steps.
Click here to download instructions in PDF format
1. Email or fax the following information using a voided prescription pad.
a) National Provider Identifier (NPI)
b) Medical License Number
c) Website address
d) Address
e) Phone Number
f) Fax Number
g) Email Address you want to use for your SCIA for Doctors group
2. Once SCIA receives and reviews the required information your SCIA For
Doctors group membership request will be approved and you will
receive an invitation to the provided email address
Stop Calling It Autism!’s Fax Number and Email
Fax Number: 1(888)724-2123
Email Address: scia@stopcallingitautism.org
Notes:
1. For your security, SCIA may contact you to confirm the information you have provided.
2. If the membership request is sent by fax, the number for the fax machine used to submit the membership request must match the fax number in the prescription pad.
3. If the membership request is sent by email, the email address provided must be displayed in the practice’s website.
4. If you can’t meet the requirements in the notes 2 and 3, you may be asked to include a copy of your medical license id card together with the voided prescription pad.
Don’t hesitate to contact us at scia@stopcallingitautism.org if you have any
questions.
===
I don’t think I have to talk about required education, do I?
You put perfectly into words what I want to say. My son has been seeing a holistic doctor since he was dx at 2 1/2. He received biomedical treatment and we own a hyperbaric oxygen chamber. He started speaking again after 40 dives. My child will NEVER received another vax.
I too would like to be rid of my yeast. Maybe Karina could help me with that. Do I sit in a bucket of bleach, or do I get a yeast exorcism from a licensed clergyman?
I’m fairly certain bleach and fecal transplants are involved…
Fecal transplants by a licensed clergyman. Preferably scientologist.
Fecal Transplants do show great potential, for people with INTESTINAL ISSUES. My son is missing most of his intestine’s due to a birth defect and people like him get bacterial overgrowth that can sometimes be impossible to get rid of with rounds of antibiotics. (he hasn’t had one, and so g=far its only used in extreme cases) Fecal transplants bring the over populated bacteria back to normal levels…but to use it just because LAME-O. Its unnecessary and I wouldn’t put any child through that because of a random hunch. Frankly I’m worried about the “doc’s” she brings her son to if they allow all this.
I think that’s the treatment with the worms.
Sorry I’m late. Did I miss anything?
Karina, have you read much about Jenny McCarthy’s stance on sporns? She’s recently spoken about it and I find it fascinating. Sporns are the number one environmental toxin associated with autism. I have heard that she is a big proponent of vitamins, most esp vitamin C (like in orange juice) as a way to flush the system. I was wondering if you had tried that on your child.
TRUE autism warriors own stock in Tropicana.
I don’t. Does that make me a victim?
Yes. Victim and attention whore. You better take a good look in the mirror now, while you can still stand to look at yourself! Or, you know, you could just get naked and do playboy shoots. Whichever.
This “science” you speak of…
I have only one question: WHERE ARE MY HOME COOKED MEALS????
All people have given me are stares, unhelpful comments, and shitty books written by porn stars who profess to know all about autism. This autism parent gig SUCKS!
Lexi, I need to be your friend immediately. I have a deep chest freezer you can borrow, too. Mayhaps we can swap meals since my ASD kid is bringing in dinner like a boss. Weeeee!
OMG! Thanks for the laugh, Rachie!
Ok…here is the truth. Even if our neighbors gave us free meals….would our autistic kids even eat it? I know mine has sensory issues and would take one look at it and ask me to make him chicken nuggets!
Or a plain hamburger….
Lexi, I recently came across your blog and I love it! Where do I find friends like so many of you commenting here in real life? Everyone I meet is doing bio-medical treatments. I need some more people to keep me grounded because when you have enough people tell you that vaccines cause autism, you start to believe it. I start to wonder why I am not “trying anything if it will help my kid recover.”
Amy, oh, I’ve been there…truly. I finally after four years found a parent who feels like I do. I can’t give you any tips into finding like-minded parents, but wishing you a lot of patience, love, and hope in your journey.
I’ll raise money for autism by posing nude-people will pay me to put my clothes back on, and it will all be for a great cause!
Hey, why didn’t I think of this before?
As always, well said Lexi!
What I’ve learned from this is that I have sucky neighbors.
McCarthy fronts her lil hustla is “recovered” n’ yet her ass home educates his thugged-out ass all up up in a school dat costs mo’ than $100,000 a year. (I cribschooled mah lil playas fo’ less than $1,000/year.) Most muthafathas whoz ass have lil pimps wit autizzle don’t gots a gangbangin’ funky-ass buffet of skillz, nannies n’ schools at they disposal. Da kindz of treatment dat McCarthy touts can be expensive fo’ realz fo’ realz. And when one parent must stay home ta care fo’ tha child, tha gang income suffers. It aint nuthin but hard as fuck ta put chicken on tha table, pay tha light bill, n’ hook up tha whole familyz financial needs.
McCarthy also ignores tha fact dat autizzle be a spectrum disorder, dat not all moms’ lil playas will “recover” n’ respond ta certain treatments yo yo. Her rhetoric is wack n’ damagin ta moms bustin all they can ta hold they headz above water. Right back up up in yo muthafuckin ass. Biatch is pushin em back under n’ blamin em fo’ they childz lack of “recovery.” Her lyrics give tha hood another excuse ta ignore tha straight-up real issuez of carin fo’ these kids, n’ could have negatizzle effects on hood policies.
What moms must realize is dat McCarthy offers no specific data on tha ways her lil hustla has recovered. Y’all KNOW dat shit, muthafucka! Y’all KNOW dat shit, muthafucka, muthafucka! Perhaps he improved as he matured, biatch, biatch? Biatch can’t know dis fo’ sure.
Do you be thinkin Jizzy owes mah crazy-ass ass n’ other moms rearin lil playas wit autizzle a apologizzle, biatch, biatch? Is her ass outta touch wit reality, biatch, biatch? Is you enjoyin bein a sucka of autizzle cuz it gets you attention? Sheeeet.
Oh Glenn, you so ghetto.
Wish I could hang out with you all – loving the gang pile on Jenny – said as much to my husband who said “They’ll understand – they probably never get to leave the house either.”
No casseroles – no attention – can’t even get all of the family to visit my baby for her birthday – must be REALLY different in California
Actually Jenny B there is a whole segment of the population out there who cannot be immunized. I have two specific cases in my house right now and I know HUNDREDS of other parents who cannot vaccinate either because it will KILL our kids.It’s not rare at all. Has nothing to do with autism. Although…wait for it…I have one of those too! I love ya Lexi, I’m not into the other Jenny’s crap load of how to cure my boy, but there sure are a lot of reasons why we cannot vaccinate as you well know with your little. That last comment was virtually unreadable. Or was that just me?
Yeah, but you aren’t vaccinating based on the fear tactics of an organization that makes money hand over fist for scaring people. You aren’t using junk science and telling other people that they shouldn’t vaccinate either.
It’s people like you, like me with Abby, that need the rest of EVERYONE who CAN vaccinate to do so, to help our kids that can’t be vaccinated for whatever reason.
I’ve said it before, there are people that LEGITIMATELY cannot get vaccines, but it’s a small subset of people and not the crazy amount of people who aren’t vaccinating because they think it causes autism- which it absolutely does not.
My oldest can’t be vaccinated because of immune problems & medicines. He WILL get the illness he’s being vaccinated for if it’s given. But my youngest DOES…in order to keep my OLDEST from catching it. And I BEG everyone else to get their flu shot every year. If anything certain vaccines given to other kids help save mine when they don’t get sick and give it to him.
Melissa, we agree. There are people who absolutely should not be immunized. As I said, there are few exceptions. By that I meant the number of reasons, not the number of kids. Fear of autism isn’t one of them. Medical necessity is.
But statistically, this IS rare. Even thousands of kids, even tens of thousands, in our very large country would be rare.
Like Meg says, the rest of the population must get vaccinated to protect kids who cannot be. That is the exact point. Because I can imagine that a child who is so immunocompromised that they can’t get vaccinated would be in the same or more serious risk from the actual disease.
I have to say that I have done biomedical and do the special diets and they have helped my daughter overall. I do it for her health and well being, and if it helps her day run smoother then so be it. If I didn’t see a difference I wouldn’t keep doing it – it is quite a commitment. It took time for me to try because I was a mom that thought it was all ridiculous but I am now a believer of it seeing how my daughter has improved – when teachers ask me if I am doing anything different at home when they saw improved eye contact, conversation etc. etc. I know it works:) I have seen the division of moms in the autism world – honestly each women need to keep what they do to themselves and not judge each other. That goes for all of us and includes Jenny as well. I go by my own experience not what other moms do. But I sleep better at night knowing I have made this effort for my daughter because it has worked for her, she deserves all my efforts and I am so grateful she benefitted from the biomedical.
I’m all for anything that will help any person. But to call it a cure is a stretch, especially given the new science out that says that it doesn’t help kids with autism any more than it helps kids without. I’ll look that up for you.
I think dietary changes into a healthy lifestyle is going to make anyone feel better. I have a lot of friends that do SOME biomed. What Jenny McCarthy is advocating is just. not. rational. You don’t need to give your kids bleach enemas and you don’t need to buy an oxygen chamber…and the list goes on.
I have to say that I am on the spectrum as well so I wouldn’t change my daughter’s mind – I just want her to feel as healthy as she can, she has other autoimmune issues. Just wanted to add that. If other mom’s don’t do biomedical its not my business. Victim and wanting attention? My ass. No home cooked meals for me either here.
As a mom WITH ASD, I just want to pick her up by the collar and shake her. I wouldn’t actually DO it, but I want to. I boycott anything she’s involved with.
I would love to watch.
A whole lot of misdirected anger on this thread…and a very tenous skinny thread at that! My son has autism, my son was seriously damaged by vaccines as proven by medical testing (very elevated IgG and IgM antibodies to vaccines 8 years after the shot! etc), my son did way better after diet, chelation, many alternative therapies, etc., and I have met Andrew Wakefield and he is honest and not motivated by money which is way more than you can say for those who “discredited” him with poor science, etc. You bet that I am a WARRIOR Mom athough I think of myself more as a mother bear. Autism is caused by many things, vaccines are just one part, but thank you Jenny for getting the word out on talk television so the other Warrior Moms will have a chance to fight for their kids.
Have you read the Panic Virus by Seth Mnookin. Andrew Wakefield is a HACK. I’m sorry that he’s fooled you, too.
Did you take your claims to vaccine court? If you have such clear proof that they harmed your child, you should be able to sue and win.
Andrew Wakefield is not motivated by money? Give me a break.
Andrew Wakefield discredited HIMSELF by using flawed data resulting from inhumane and unethical research on children and motivated by financial interests. Which is why he was denounced by The Lancet and barred from practicing medicine in the UK by a statutory tribunal. The man is a quack-for-sale and should not be cited by anyone who wants their argument to be taken seriously.
excactly. Anyone who has done any honest research into both sides of this, will see the CRAZY levels that man went to prove something he had no proof of. He’s a warm fuzzy. He makes people believe he is on their side. He fools them into believing there’s a cure when there is none.
Please. I’m begging you. Let go of the cure. Autism is genetic. Try to gain some acceptance. Autism isn’t all terrible. My autistic son is amazing, and not in spite of his autism.
This is a hack job against Wakefield, and it’s using autistic moms to get to him. How does it feel to be used like this, all you warrior moms out there? Wakefield is not a quack, that language gives away the true intent of this article. His research is NOT bogus, as anyone who really knows about this subject can tell you. Going after Jenny McCarthy is another new low for her opponents. This is a hack piece of disinfo. Stop spreading this garbage online.
Moe, are you Jenny McCarthy’s agent? Book publisher? Or are you Mr. Wakefield. HIS PHONY RESEARCH HAS BEEN DISPROVEN! http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1960277,00.html He’s a charlatan & sorry that you fell for it. As for Jenny McCarthy’s “opponents” – well, I for one can tell you that I wish SHE would stop spreading her garbage online & everywhere. She isn’t a medical expert, nor an expert of any kind.
I have 2 of her books, the actually “Mother Warriors” book is refreshing, it introduces us to some actual mother warriors. But her book, “Healing and Preventing Autism, A Complete Guide” is a bunch of crap!(maybe that’s why I keep it in the bathroom)Yes it does talk about different ideas and therapies to try, but to say that we can prevent autism is like saying we can prevent eye color. You cannot make autism just go away, it’s not a cold for crying out loud!
I feel like the word “hack” when used against those who are skeptical of Mr. (he’s not a doctor anymore is he? I can’t remember if he was stripped of his license or if that was something he was able to keep) Wakefield’s “work” is ironic.
Attacking Jenny McCarthy hardly seems like a new low. Why anyone would choose to blindly follow celebrity advice over proven science is understandable…she’s pretty…she’s on TV…there are sparkly things also on TV at the same time…how can we NOT follow her advice.
And if I’m being honest, I haven’t just “arrived” at my personal opinions about Mr. Wakefield or Ms. McCarthy via epiphany. I wondered too. I researched too. I came to the conclusion that they were bunk.
I think if you read one book on autism, then you’re left thinking you can speak with great authority on that topic. I think if you read one book about autism, and then read one book rebutting the first book about autism…you’re left skeptical. I think if you read one book about autism, then read many books rebutting that book, then read the news articles about deceit and fraud and falsified result…lawsuits, settlements, etc…you’re left thinking the dude’s a hack.
I don’t know. If you choose to reject measles vaccine based on the falsified findings of a convicted hack who speculated a possible link to autism that was later completely retracted and your kid dies from measles, I think it’s a pretty tragic and easily avoidable decision.
I so appreciated your post … I think she’s a loud-mouthed idiot & I wish she would STFU. If we keep pushing back, maybe she will go away.
Jenny’s actually very nice. I saw her speak twice and was able to meet her. She is a real person. For the record, I have met moms just like the “victims” she is talking about. You might not be one, but they do exist. She has made choices I don’t agree with, but I have made choices I’m sure she wouldn’t agree with. No one likes being judged for their decisions, so we shouldn’t judge other people, even those we feel have judged us. You may not like Jenny McCarthy, but no one can ever say she didn’t fight for her child or that she didn’t stand up for what she believes. The great thing about the country we live it is that you can make your own decisions. You can do as much or as little for your child with autism as you choose. We chose to do the diets, biomedical treatments, and behavioral therapy. It sucked and it was hard work, but in the end, it payed off for us. Not every family has the experience that we have had. But, I knew that I would never be ok with my son’s autism diagnosis unless I tried everything to help him. So that’s what we did. That’s what Jenny did for her son. And then she used her name and fame to advocate for what she believes is right. You don’t have to agree with her, but don’t point fingers and judge just because it’s not what you would do. It’s hard enough having kids with autism, don’t make it worse by wasting energy fighting with people that have a different philosophy than you.
No. I’m sorry to be so blunt, but you are wrong.
This isn’t about judging one person who is just trying to do right by her child. She has written books. She goes on TV. She continues to speak at conferences and be involved in foundations spouting this crap. She is not just going about her business – she is out there actively trying to convince people of her position. A position that is not just unscientifically founded but harmful to all our children, autistic or not.
Biomedical therapies aren’t harmful to the child. We found out thru medical testing (lab work) that is SCIENTIFIC that my son was low on cholesterol, had high allumimum counts…had a bunch of food allergies (no grains for him at all and casien) My son is under a supervised medical doctor (yes, a real doctor) who has improved him to the point that he can know interact and function in a normal kindergarten. You may hate her but she’s getting people to think and research her ideas which is more than I can say for you…
Chelation- biomed that kills. Don’t believe me? http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9074208/ns/health-mental_health/t/boy-autism-dies-after-chelation-therapy/. Don’t worry his doctor was a real doctor too.
that is the only case that a child ever died and that’s because the doctor administering the procedure was an idiot and didn’t monitor the child’s calcium levels nor did he use the proper chelation serum. This is also not the only way to chelate heavy metals from the body, this is just what the medical profession usually recommends.
Babs thinks that chelation is A-OK, because only one child so treated (unnecessarily) died. Well then, how about the other adverse effects for this autism “treatment” that is entirely ineffectual?
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/AlternativeMedicine/chelation-quackery-fda-moves-halt-supplements/story?id=11883347
More: http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/BuyingUsingMedicineSafely/MedicationHealthFraud/ucm229313.htm
Babs, more than one kid has died from chelation.
Hooray for kids breakfast time
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2438277/
At least 30 deaths as result of chelation. Not just one.
I wholeheartedly disagree with you. I try not to judge other people, especially other mothers of children with autism, because I just don’t know what it is like in their families. Jenny, though, has gone out of her way to judge other mothers. You don’t think she has “wasted time and energy fighting with people who have a different philosophy than her?” I agree with Jennie B. She is not just sitting around making decisions for her own child. As a mom who is fairly new to this, I still feel vulnerable. I listen to ideas from all different sides and wonder if I am doing enough for my daughter. Every time I go in for vaccines for my younger daughter, who is not autistic, I wonder if I am allowing someone to inject poison into her, all because people like Jenny have planted these ideas in my head. I will choose, instead, to listen to the doctors, the therapists, the specialists and my own common sense when I make decisions for my daughter and my family. Why in the world would I listen to Jenny McCarthy? I am so thankful for moms like many on here who help bring me back to Earth when I start to wonder if I am doing enough.
Well Said !!!! I couldn’t do it without cussin’. I hate her !! What attention ?? what world is she living in ?? I’ve lost most of my friends, most adult contact is done through work and FB. I can’t just run out with the girls whenever I feel like it , I have responsibilities, and BILLS ! and quite frankly they would pay me to put my clothes back on !! She threw her self into this whole heartedly BUT she then pigeon holed herself with a certain diet, only doing it her way etc… Everyone in the ASD community for more than a nano second knows that no two children are a like, no two cases are the same, what works for one might not work for another. ASD doesn’t have “One ” meaning , there are so many different levels !! Some more severe, some less. So how can it have “One ” cure ?? How many diets have you tried with your kids ?? We’re no idiots, we’ve already done it !! If it worked at all we wouldn’t be here now would we !!I would love to have her in my house on lockdown with my ASD 14yr old and my 18yr ADHD, for a whole week ! What’s the matter ? Isn’t he cured yet ?? Send her running for the hills ! But she’d be good and educated by the time we got done with her !!!! Thanks for the Blog !! Anytime someone uses the word “Cure” and “Recover” in the same sentence with ASD my hair stands on end and my claws come out !! Thanks again !!
Well I cannot stand the woman bc she is a hypocrite. She wants her child to be well yet circumcised him which put his life at risk, over 120 children die a year from this and the number is often underreported? SMH At any rate two of my kids are vaccine injured, allergies and sensory issues on top of suspected brain damage, and are not even autistic. Autism IS listed as a potential side effect from the DTaP vaccine as is SIDS. So with or without Wakefield and “old data” we do know that vaccines can harm. Be careful out there folks. Don’t let your distaste for someone keep you from taking good care of your kids and reading those vaccine inserts.
The difference is your choice to circumcise affects only your family. The choice to vaccinate affects everyone you come in contact with.
Yeah- she was also a lingerie model/waitress back in the day at a bar in Bensenville, IL where she allowed male customers to touch her … and I mean touch her. Immoral woman posing as an authority figure- please.
Don’t be so sure that some people don’t take at least a little pleasure in the attention they get from their child’s diagnosis. It’s been seen with other conditions so why not Autism as well? Not that it’s prevalent, but it does happen.
“Not because we are “Mother Warriors” but because we are MOTHERS.”…and grandmothers…
Jen Gunter MD has a request for Oprah Winfrey Vaccines and Jenny McCarthy: the Oprah mea culpa interview doctors want to see
OK, I am seriously ticked off now. Not only do both of my children (boy and girl) have autism, but I have not gotten ONE casserole or otherwise home-cooked meal from anyone! What gives?
I have actually read two of Ms. McCarthy’s books (cover to cover, I kid you not), and both efforts seemed tragic to me. Dispensing false hopes is one thing; advocating mostly useless and potentially dangerous treatments is quite another. I confess that my children are fully vaccinated and that neither are on any biomedical or dietary treatments whatsoever. No antifungals, no GFCF diets, no hyperbaric chamber treatments, or oxytocin injections, or any other snake oil treatments. Guess what? They are the healthiest kids around! Even their teachers have commented that it’s amazing that they don’t get all the little viruses and such that run through their classes. They are happy kids, too! They are sweet and loving, and can communicate more with their eyes than any words could ever say. It’s not to say that I don’t pray for a cure; I’d love to wake up tomorrow morning to my kids chatting away at the breakfast table over cereal or some other normal “breakfast food” (what, pickles and marshmallows aren’t normal?). But I’m not willing to risk their lives. You can learn to adapt to having autistic kids. You cannot adapt to having a kid that dies from the German measles!
I love you, and all you have said.
Maybe I am missing something here but I have seen and discussion on what tests were done that led Jenny McCarthy and her disciple on this post to the conclusion. My son went through a battery of tests when he was diagnosed and I am wondering, did these children go through those same tests with different results? I ask that because if these parents are saying that my child is doing so much better now and he is not showing the same symptoms as he did when he was diagnosed then they are fooling themselves and, like my ex were probably in denial from day one and have been looking for justification for their feelings ever since. My will be 18 in May and was diagnosed 10 years ago. His improvement has been dramatic and I am amazed and proud of how far he has come. I do not however fool myself into thinking he is cured. Can someone respond?
if you do the “DAN” prodical, there is a series of test… my son’s md has a set of them he does on all his patients and then gets him the appropriate supplements and diet based upon those tests. The eye opener for me was how low my son’s cholesterol levels were when we started.
I hate her… for me not even knowing her… I hate her… who ever said she speaks for me and my two with autism… she claims she cured her son… and if she did- fantastic… but i love my kids, and i don’t need a cure for them… they are fine they way they are… i am sick of seeing and hearing her and her drama… talk about wanting attention, everything she does is for attention… most families that have children with autism, work their butt off, give their all, fight the good fight against insurance companies, and give all they have for their kids, and not for freakn’ attention or sympathy… what an ass… in case you missed it… I hate her… LMAO…
All I keep hearing about is “the children”, and no one is talking about what happens to THE CAKE in all this.
If you are fighting yeast, then you are fighting cake, and that’s just wrong. Stop making cake and other pastry and baked goods the enemy. All they want to do is bring joy to people.
I know it’s tempting to want to force your children to ingest items that are potentially toxic and life threatening, in the name of health, but we need to call off this war against enriched flour.
We need a celebrity god (Oprah) to come forward and extoll the virtues of baked goods and renounce this silly trend of curing with poison.
Because we all know that Oprah could snap that silly Jenny like a silicon-enhanced twig.
You know what? It’s amazing. My son was diagnosed with real food allergies and asthma. He’s still autistic even after avoiding his food allergens. He’s just as autistic as he was before. You know what made the difference? OT for his sensory needs, speech to help him learn to communicate, and *gasp* ABA.
Thank god somebody finally mentioned the cake.
Why won’t people think of the cake????????
you tell them jenny hunny anyone putting you down should look at them selves if they had it they would not b makeing fun of it you are a good mother and you are working hard and takeing care of him you deserve a lotof credit i was engaged my fture wife had passed away in dec 24th 2004 she had attion defisate dissorde and her sn did too he is now wt his grandfather and he is now 19 years old an he is doing well the last i spoke to hs grandmother a few years ago so i know what you are going threw hunny lov you
What? I cannot decipher this.
I agree to a certain extent that Jenny McCarthy can be annoying and out of touch with regular folks who have children with autism. It sucks that she is seen as the collective voice of parents of children with autism in the USA.
What I don’t agree with, is that a professional’s opinion is more valuable than a parent’s (opinion). Many “so-called” professionals are just dead wrong in their assessment and chosen treatment of these children and to discredit a child’s true expert–their parent–is as unfortunate as listening to Jenny McCarthy spew her own brand of nonsense; the thought almost makes her look credible.
Then why go to doctors at all?
Well congratulations….your uneducated write up on Jenny McCarthy has brought out some real geniuses!!!
“uneducated”?
Just because I don’t partake of the koolaid doesn’t mean I’m not educated in what she does or who she is.
[...] Lexi Magnusson on Why is Jenny McCarthy the target of my rage? [...]
I’m on Jenny’s side. She could have hidden her son’s autism but chose to educate others. You don’t have to take her advice but at least she has the balls to say what a lot of parents are already thinking.
Except didn’t it come out that her child didn’t actually have autism at all? She’s not educating, she’s spewing harmful lies.
Actually he did. Was diagnosed by UCLA. What you are referring to is either the media hype or some crappy skeptics blog spewing false information
Babs, Babs, Babs. There’s this thing called “mis-diagnosis”, and specialists in the field have suggested that McCarthy’s son was mis-diagnosed.
http://journals.lww.com/neurotodayonline/pages/articleviewer.aspx?year=2008&issue=08070&article=00005&type=fulltext
If I recall correctly from her book, his autism did NOT start with seizures. He stared out the window all day and had no eye contact, then he had seizures.
You are on Jenny’s side, jaydyn93420? You mean you agree that autistics are soulless and damaged?
I hope you don’t have an autistic relative.
Autistic? You mean someone with autism right. If someone has cancer, you wouldn’t call them cancerous would you? And she never said they were soulless and damaged, you’re reading too many opinion blogs and not actual facts
It is both telling and disgusting that you equate autism with cancer, Babs.
Clearly you aren’t in touch with how people with autism prefer to be referred to. Perhaps you should read up on “Person-first language and autism”. Here are a few starter posts for your use, by, well, you know, autistic adults
http://www.mmonjejr.com/2012/12/person-first-language-doesnt-put-people.html
http://www.thinkingautismguide.com/2011/11/person-first-language-why-it-matters.html
http://autisticadvocacy.org/identity-first-language/
I hope you have the integrity and courage to both read them and reflect upon you assumptions.
Babs, McCarthy never said autism = damage? Parse this:
Source
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1968100-4,00.html
More on person-first language for Babs.
I do not refer to African-American or Black people as “people with Negritude”.
So, Babs, maybe you would care to share with us how you would have us refer to African-Americans.
Babs, you claim that Jenny McCarthy never referred to her son as “soulless” or that autistic people were “soulless”. You are mistaken.
From the Way-Back Machine:
http://web.archive.org/web/20080405214005/http://generationrescue.org/evan.html
Oh, Jenny and GenResc and so on have tried to sanitize it, by trying to scrub that out of the record — but that is what she wrote, or what what said, that is what she believe[d/s]
Jenny, and the rest of the “autism must be cured” posse — including, possibly, yourself, Babs, believe that autistics “lack a soul”. In the Western world, that implies that autistics aren’t fully human.
Babs, I am sure you can imagine what casting folk as “not humans” leads.
Autistic. It is how people with autism PREFER to be referred to. I tend to trust them as the experts.
Thank you! Person first is not the preferred terminology for ALL disability. It is for Down syndrome, and for SOME in the autism community, but the deaf and blind communities have actually gone so far as to denounce it.
I have a comment in moderation about Babs’s rebuke to me about person-first language.
Girl. Live and let live. Let your hard feelings go and focus on your own awesome children. The anger you have for Jenny? Someone you don’t know? WHO CARES. Do what’s right by you and your loved ones.
Blame isn’t gonna do you ‘a solid.’
Move on, friend.
I am doing what is right by my kids. People not vaccinating for stupid reasons could harm my immunocomprimised child.
I don’t think anything has been proven or disproven absolutely. We constantly read about treatments that were once thought to be great and after studies have found out that they really aren’t working. Right now according to Italy, vaccines have caused autism and there have been several countries who have released studies proving the recently distributed swine flu vaccine has caused terrible side effects in a few patients including debilitating Narcolepsy. I chose to vaccinate because complications from measles made my grandfather blind and his brother died of Typhoid fever. My sister babysat for a family whose oldest son died of complications from the chicken pox. The alternatives are much worse if you don’t vaccinate and if you have a doctor that agrees that you shouldn’t vaccinate they really shouldn’t be practicing and I would question their credentials but vaccines have hurt children too, that is why they have a fund to help people and children who have been harmed by vaccines but they got out of allowing autistic children access by saying there is no relation. It always does come down to money.
That isn’t how science works. The overwhelming weight of the evidence is that the MMR vaccine isn’t causal in autism, and the overwhelming weight of the evidence is that thimerosal isn’t causal in autism.
That’s because of lousy, credulous science reporting that prematurely trumpets “treatments”. As Emily Willingham wrote in Writing About Autism Science? 10 Things
The problem with writing about science, though, is that science isn’t just a story. It’s about facts and open questions, and it’s almost never defensible to write as though a door has closed, a box has been checked, or a mystery has been completely solved. We owe it to readers to avoid simplification to the point of a sin of omission and to avoid overinterpreting to the point of hyperbole.
It is extremely important to be precise, especially when discussing vaccines.
No, right now one Italian regional court ruled that one boy’s autism was caused by his receipt of the MMR vaccine, and used Wakefield’s discredited and withdrawn “study” to justify the decision. A consortium of European medical and scientific associations are appealing the ruling.
A mixture of right and wrong. Yes, one particular vaccine against H1N1 (“swine flu”), Pandemrix, appears to be linked to an increase in the incidence of narcolepsy in children given the vaccine. Pandemrix was not used in the United States. The cause of the increased incidence of narcolepsy is not yet known, but an adjuvant used in the vaccine, AS03, may have triggered narcolepsy in susceptible individuals. cNarcolepsy is a complicated and, as yet, poorly understood neurological disorder. “It is most likely the end result of a number of genetic abnormalities that affect specific biologic factors in the brain, coupled with an environmental trigger such as a virus.”
A study of adverse events following immunization (AEFI) and the 2009 H1N1 vaccines in children in the US found ” Most AEFI in children evaluated were not causally related to vaccine and resolved without sequelae. Detailed clinical assessment of individual serious AEFI can provide reassurance of vaccine safety.”
Nothing in life is 100% safe. You must consider the risk. A rough estimate is that for every million doses of vaccine (all vaccines lumped together, including adult vaccines) one person will suffer a severe adverse effect.
“They” — the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program — invested an enormous amount of time and money into addressing the question of vaccines in autism causation, in the Omnibus Autism Proceeding. The standard of proof was extraordinarily low (“50% and a feather”). The three test cases selected by the plaintiffs — the parents alleging vaccine injury — each were found not to have proved their contention that vaccines caused the children’s autism.
In other words, nobody got out of anything. The “autism is vaccine injury” folks flatly failed spectacularly to make their case, even with the very weak standards of evidence.
Vaccines cause autism.
This article reports that the Vaccine Court compensated a child whose autism was caused by the MMR shot. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/post2468343_b_2468343.html
This FDA link for Tripedia DTaP vaccine lists autism as an adverse effect on page 11.
Keep on vaccinating your kids if you think it’s safe. Hopefully, they’ll forgive you when they are adults…..
Here’s the FDA pdf for Tripedia:
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/biologicsbloodvaccines/vaccines/approvedproducts/ucm101580.pdf
Page 11 lists autism among the advers effects.
Why in the world are people blaming Jenny McCarthy and the other parents who are into biomedical interventions for Autism for being who they are and doing what they do and speaking out to share it with others? Is it because you think we are all full of crap?
Well, we’re not. That’s the end of it. I am doing things (within the past 1.5 yrs) that have helped BOTH my spectrum boys. That’s just it. That’s all there is to it.
And if you guys or anyone else has a problem with it, I don’t know what to say. I’m still going to be sharing it with people who are willing to hear, because this stuff’s worked for my kids. Period. And I don’t want to bypass someone who could be helped and is wanting this information just to not be judged by people like yourself.
So, contrary to your opinion and article, I DISagree with your judgements of Jenny McCarthy and the rest of us.
I get it that you disagree, but what kills me is, it’s apparent you haven’t even tried any of these interventions/therapies/diets because they all work to varying degrees with different kids. Why in the world would you not want to do those things? Prefer to listen to your doc who tells you they can do abso nothing to help you? .. alright then, I prefer to go ahead and try these different measures.
I just don’t get it. That seems to be the difference between you and me. But, while I respect your decisions, you don’t seem to respect mine. Instead you judge me for trying to help my son (and succeeding!)
So, there’s your proof and that’s the end of it. We all do what we see fit, .. the difference is you also see fit to judge other parents and criticize they’re back-breaking, tireless and herculean attempts at helping and yes, HEALING, their children.
Thanks a bunch for that!! Not like I got anything else on my plate!
And good luck with the “no therapy” or only pill or “behavioral therapy” approach. As it HAS been proved, THAT doesn’t work.
There is probably no point in responding, but personally, my reasons for speaking against her lie with adults autistics. Ones who have been through biomed- which if you read my posts, I have NO issue with certain biomed (we even did GFCF for awhile, did a lot of DAN testing) such as diets, supplements or other relatively harmful things. My issue is bleach, worms, chelation and other HARMFUL with nasty side effects treatments. I speak out against strict ABA which destroys self-worth. Autistics who are now adults speak out AGAINST such treatments because they have a voice now. They speak of how it felt to get some of these treatments. Some of them are nothing short of abuse. And think what you wish, my son does not need to be HEALED. He is a perfectly fine whole person. I would not wish his autism away any more than he would. I will fight to help him make his way in this world, give him the support he needs. But to change something that permeates him? Nope, no more than I would change the color of his skin.
Google “Don’t Mourn For Us”. Listen to autistics themselves like Paula Durbin Westly, Landon Bryce, Jim Sinclair.
And for respecting my decisions- respect the fact I don’t want to cure my son. Respect the fact he doesn’t want to be cured, don’t claim that I’m a failure as a parent because I’m not submitting him to whatever “treatment” comes along. Respect that this doesn’t make me a victim. And more than anything respect my son don’t call him soulless, don’t make it seem like his life is some great tragedy wrought upon me and our family. Don’t make him feel like the very thing he identifies with is something that must be healed or cured by whatever means necessary.
My son was totally nt until he got the mmr vaccine…he has had his first round on all vaccines but after mmr I watched him fall of a cliff so to speak. He lost speech, developmental skills, social skills, everything. He became autistic then. There was never a bigger supporter of vaccines than myself because my daughter died of whooping cough at 1month old. Then I watch my son develop autism after the mmr. I can’t win. Anyway we do a blend of conservative biomed and proven therapies and I really believe that in our case we have needed both to see the level of improvement we have seen. I know my son will never be cured, but I felt in my heart that if I could get his body as healthy as possible then his mind would have the best chance of being healthy an healing itself. Some of the extreme stuff is scary. I would never chelate my child. But that is just me and I would never try and tell anyone what they should do for their child because I don’t know. What worked of my son might not work for any other kid in the world…as far as vaccines…we decidedl enough is enough and we will get no more. I do that at let my son as home protection from get the complete first round but after what I saw the mmr vaccine do to my child no more. However I’m not against vaccines for other kids who can tolerate them and I hope that people will continue to vaccinate their kids because it does stop the spread of disease. I did truly give it a shot with my son to vaccinate but even though big Pharma will never allow studies that prove causation between vaccines and autism to surface because of the liability issues, we personally have opted out. However I would never judge the treatment approach of another parent of a child with autism because as the old saying goes, if you’ve met one child with autism, you’ve met one child with autism so treatment is not one size fits all…and oh by the way, even though I may have done some of the same treatments as McCarthy she is a ridiculous attention whore who loves the attention she gets from her sons autism as much as the parents she claims are victims. She has exploited her sons autism to further her pathetic career. Dd you seen her on new years rockin eve…GAG!!!!
Dang I should have proof read that…I promise I’m really not dumb…autocorrect sucks
I meant to say I’m glad my son has some protection with the first round of vaccines.
KC thank you! I completely understand your point, I really really do. As I said above, I have no issue with SOME biomed. If your kid has gltuen issues by all means get rid of it. I have a son with suspected celiac I’m not going to skip the diet because it is biomed. But other things are downright scary which is where my issue lies.
We almost lost my son to rotavirus (cause we opted out of that vaccine- I felt it needed further study for a side effect) and it is the single most scary thing I’ve ever gone through as a parent, so I really cannot imagine what you have gone through. I’m very sorry.
Maybe, just maybe Jenny McCarthy’s child is not on the autism spectrum at all. I never thought he was…just my opinion of course, but the characteristics she discussed don’t match up with a true autism diagnosis.
My neighbors on both sides and even the ones behind us actually have been giving us several home-cooked meals a year ever since we moved in 6 years ago. All this time I thought it was because they liked us, but maybe they just pity us?
You have no idea of what you are talking about! Jenny was spot on! You are what i call a lazy mom with a kid with autism. You don’t want to go out of your way to find and read the studies. You lack the gumption to go against society and stand up for your child.
shelly, are you being serious here? Have you not read ANY of the comments? Have you not seen any of the research posted above?
Feel free to follow your porn star prophet into the dark. But don’t tell me I don’t have the gumption to stand up for my child because you are dead wrong.
And i sat laughing reading the comments by the moms who hate jenny…oh i never got sympathy…it was so hard..blah blah..you are all whining …just as jenny said.
sar·casm
/ˈsärˌkazəm/
Noun
The use of irony to mock or convey contempt.
Synonyms
irony
There needs to be a ready font available to all that is simply titled “sarcasm”. I’m amazed that there are SO many people who do not grasp the concept. If there were a font they wouldn’t have to wrack their brains trying to understand.
I think it’s astonishing that Ms. McCarthy is literally accusing mother’s of autistic children of experiencing some sort of Munchhausen syndrome. That is absolutely preposterous. However on that same not, not all mothers see autism as a detriment. I myself am diagnosed with Asperger’s and my son is diagnosed PDD-NOS. It the most simple of terms…there are some of us who really like who we are and feel completely insulted by those who want to abolish or erase autism. I don’t know what life is like for a non-autistic. I imagine it can be as happy and fulfilling as life is living on the spectrum. I cannot judge. I just know that my family is a happy family and that we love and respect life as it is presented to us. I see no need to change anything about my life, not even the fact that there are many out there who do not accept me or my son as viable members of society. It is their loss…not ours.