Do I believe vaccinations cause autism? NO!!!

Do I believe vaccinations cause autism?

NO!!!

     I was posed a question today by a very sweet friend of mine who wanted me to answer, I think, a very simple question.  Do I believe vaccinations cause autism?  No.  So many people, I have found out, still believe the myth that vaccines can cause and trigger autism.  This blog may not be very pretty, but to be candid and honest, I think Jenny McCarthy and the National Autism Association are full of bullshit.  There is said it:  Cole's favorite word, bullshit!  Sometimes there are people and foundations that truly believe what they are saying, like Jenny McCarthy (whose son doesn't even have autism).  I know some of my friends don't like Autism Speaks, simply because of their rhetoric.  I don't have a problem with Autism Speaks, simply because I believe they are making a difference for people who have autism.  However, for the National Autism Association to come out and say (exact words as presented on their website:  "vaccinations can trigger or exacerbate autism in some, if not many, children", is reckless and dangerous.  The person who first said this, Dr. Andrew Jeremy Wakefield, is a liar and distorts the truth about vaccines causing autism.  For some strange reason, I don't hate Dr. Wakefield.  I am only guessing he put this lie out there, simply because he wanted to help families find a cure and answer to what causes autism.  I have to be hopeful he's not one of those doctors who wanted to cash in on his "supposed truth" and findings.  

     One thing I have always tried to do in my life is always tell the truth.  I don't trust people who try to find ways to cover up the truth, when it comes to life in general.  I truly believe there is good in all of us.  That being said, I think Jenny McCarthy was just trying to cash in on her son's unknown health reason, now known to be Landau-Kleffner syndrome and not autism, simply because her entertainment life was drying up.  I know these are harsh words to put on paper, but she's always been a fame-whore, so to speak.  Do I hate Jenny McCarthy?  No.  Do I think she's a good mom?  I think she is an okay mom, simply because she never gave up the fight to find out what was wrong with her son.  However, I would rather keep a low profile and not be so "out there".  Her books (yes, guilty as charged, I have read them) are too much for me to read.  Save yourself some money and read other books that I have found useful over the years.  I really like three books (my go-to guides on a weekly basis) that have served me well in raising a child with autism.  The first book, "1001 Great Ideas for Teaching and Raising Children with Autism Disorders", authors Ellen Notbohm and Veronica Zysk, is a great book.  This book is only 211 pages long and  gives GREAT information about anything and everything you need to know, when raising a child with autism.  The best advice I can give you when reading a book like this one is read it slow, highlight areas that catch your eye, and don't read it in one sitting.  Let the information sink in.  The worst thing I did when Cole received his diagnosis of autism was read everything front page to the last page.  There are going to be some topics that don't relate to your child, so skip over those pages until you feel the need to read them.  The second book I highly recommend is "Playing, Laughing, and Learning with Children on the Autism Spectrum:  A Practical Resource of Play Ideas for Parents and Carers", author Julia Moor.  This book literally gives you ideas and ways to play with your child at any age.  I love this book, because it gives you step-by-step instructions on how to engage or play with a child who has autism.  I found this book to be quite helpful, as it helped me understand my Cole better.  Let your child do what they want to do.  Don't be afraid of your child lining up his or her toys and spinning them.  I found this to be comforting for Cole, and eventually he started naming each toy as he spun them.  This still allows creativity, but also can help them re-direct their attention when needed.  The third book is what I am currently reading and absolutely LOVE!  If you are married or are living with someone (partner/lover), this book is an absolute MUST-READ.  I credit my husband for finding this book:  "Married with Special-Needs Children:  A Couple's Guide to Keeping Connected", authors Laura E. Marshak, Ph.D., and Fran Pollock Prezant, M. Ed., CCC-SLP.  I really like this book because it gives real life situations of parents who have been married for a long time (or a short time too!) and have children that have any type of disability.  Make sure when you are parenting a child (with or without autism), you both understand what the other needs.  I need space, at times, when dealing with Cole and his moods, so my husband will step in.  Also, it is a wonderful resource of help.  I don't compare my relationship with other couples, as some people do.  Nobody knows what goes on in your home or your relationship with your spouse or partner.  This book addresses so much, when it comes to parenting.  I knew when I married my husband he was going to be there for me and for Cole.  When you get the diagnosis of autism, you don't know how the other half is going to react.  I didn't know how my ex-husband was going to react, simply because he wasn't a part of Cole's life or my life.  I lived with my parents when Cole was diagnosed with autism.  My parents were there when we were given Cole's diagnosis of autism.  We never really discussed this day, we just kept on doing what we thought was right:  give Cole a loving and secure home.  His education was first and foremost, very important, to all of us, but we knew Cole was in the perfect school.

     I don't think I really digressed about why I think vaccinations don't cause autism.  Autism is a complex developmental disorder, as described in the DSM-IV-TR.  The actual development of Concept of Autism is:  a syndromal case study, a disorder, a group of disorders (PDDs), a mulitiplicity of disorders = Autisms, Spectrum, and a quantitative trait in population.  How is that for an answer?  There is no bell curve for autism.  I don't believe, and never will believe, that autism is caused by vaccinations.  That being said, you can find the link on wikipedia about Dr. Andrew Wakefield and his retraction of vaccines causing autism: 

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Wakefield

I can give you more information about why I HATE the myth (it is a lie), and all that encompasses this mis-information about vaccines causing autism, but truth be told, you're going to believe what you want to believe.  More to come about this subject, but I have to go pick up a very special twelve year old boy from school!  I didn't realize how much I would be pissed off by this question, "Do vaccines cause autism?", but I would take autism any day over polio,  mumps, and measles.  Peace out and happy Monday!