Guest guest Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 I just sent this email to the WSJ. From: KRStagliano [mailto:KRStagliano Sent: Friday, February 09, 2007 9:12 PM To: 'jennifer.corbett-dooren@...' Subject: Mother of 3 girls with autism Hello. Thank you for this article. Now we need to ask ARE WE CREATING THESE SICK KIDS? Does anyone really think that pediatricians who made house calls 30 years ago simply overlooked 10 year olds in diapers, kids who couldn’t speak and children repeating Captain Kangaroo incessantly instead of speaking typically? If the mental health homes that closed in the 1970’s were full of autistic kids where are these adults today? I’ ask every woman over 60 I meet – “Did you have a cadre of friends whose kids couldn’t speak? Couldn’t sit still? Died from eating peanuts? Needed nebulizers to breathe? Suffered from severe mental illness including bi-polar and emotional disturbance?” They can recall a kid or two who had problems, but not 3 on their street. I lived in a neighborhood of 187 houses in Hudson Ohio and we had ELEVEN children with autism, over a dozen with ADHD and three with severe mental illness! Ask any teacher over 55 – what did your classrooms look like? Even the special ed teachers will tell you, “We had Down’s kids. Mental Retardation. Autism was rare.” Is there better diagnosis? Of course. Awareness means most Moms can spot an autie in the Stop and Shop. But just because I can spot an illness more readily doesn’t mean I will be seeing MORE of the illness. But something has CHANGED in the world and we are churning out frightening numbers of kids on the spectrum and kids with other major illnesses. Are pregnant moms toxic? Is 36 vaccinations by 24 months wreaking havoc on young immune systems? Are we breathing poisons that are lodging in our reproductive systems? Has the food supply become so laden with artificial colors and flavors that a chemical overload is prevalent? Are the plastics and chemicals we sleep on, drink out of, eat from, protect out clothes from stains with, cook on, drive in, play with, teethe on and that babies pee and poop into infesting our bodies? My three girls may never hold a job they will rely on the social security system to survive. The country is going to face a major fiscal crisis as the Baby Boomers age while the thousands of spectrum kids move from schools into the big, bad world. And the families of autistic kids face economic disaster. My husband and I have spent over $175,000 cash out of pocket in excess expenses related to autism. We’re broke, . So while it’s wonderful to report “there are LOTS of kids with autism” we need to ask Why? Where are they coming from? Are we creating them? I am not naïve. The answers could bankrupt many industries. Tear down our public health system. Topple the stock market. Cause anarchy even. Imagine the chaos if someone finally asks “Oh my God, what have we done?” Thank you, . Thank you. Yours in health, Kim, mother of Mia (12), (10) and Bella (6) three beautiful girls who should NOT have autism. Kim Stagliano www.kimstagliano.blogspot.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 Great question. Maybe it's actually more rhetorical than previously thought. Mother of 3 girls with autism Hello. Thank you for this article. Now we need to ask ARE WE CREATING THESE SICK KIDS? Does anyone really think that pediatricians who made house calls 30 years ago simply overlooked 10 year olds in diapers, kids who couldn’t speak and children repeating Captain Kangaroo incessantly instead of speaking typically? If the mental health homes that closed in the 1970’s were full of autistic kids where are these adults today? I’ ask every woman over 60 I meet – “Did you have a cadre of friends whose kids couldn’t speak? Couldn’t sit still? Died from eating peanuts? Needed nebulizers to breathe? Suffered from severe mental illness including bi-polar and emotional disturbance?” They can recall a kid or two who had problems, but not 3 on their street. I lived in a neighborhood of 187 houses in Hudson Ohio and we had ELEVEN children with autism, over a dozen with ADHD and three with severe mental illness! Ask any teacher over 55 – what did your classrooms look like? Even the special ed teachers will tell you, “We had Down’s kids. Mental Retardation. Autism was rare.” Is there better diagnosis? Of course. Awareness means most Moms can spot an autie in the Stop and Shop. But just because I can spot an illness more readily doesn’t mean I will be seeing MORE of the illness. But something has CHANGED in the world and we are churning out frightening numbers of kids on the spectrum and kids with other major illnesses. Are pregnant moms toxic? Is 36 vaccinations by 24 months wreaking havoc on young immune systems? Are we breathing poisons that are lodging in our reproductive systems? Has the food supply become so laden with artificial colors and flavors that a chemical overload is prevalent? Are the plastics and chemicals we sleep on, drink out of, eat from, protect out clothes from stains with, cook on, drive in, play with, teethe on and that babies pee and poop into infesting our bodies? My three girls may never hold a job they will rely on the social security system to survive. The country is going to face a major fiscal crisis as the Baby Boomers age while the thousands of spectrum kids move from schools into the big, bad world. And the families of autistic kids face economic disaster. My husband and I have spent over $175,000 cash out of pocket in excess expenses related to autism. We’re broke, . So while it’s wonderful to report “there are LOTS of kids with autism” we need to ask Why? Where are they coming from? Are we creating them? I am not naïve. The answers could bankrupt many industries. Tear down our public health system. Topple the stock market. Cause anarchy even. Imagine the chaos if someone finally asks “Oh my God, what have we done?” Thank you, . Thank you. Yours in health, Kim, mother of Mia (12), (10) and Bella (6) three beautiful girls who should NOT have autism. Kim Stagliano www.kimstagliano.blogspot.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 It's a good letter, but if you have hopes to see it in print it needs to be shorter.hcoleman <stratpat@...> wrote: Great question. Maybe it's actually more rhetorical than previously thought. Mother of 3 girls with autism Hello. Thank you for this article. Now we need to ask ARE WE CREATING THESE SICK KIDS? Does anyone really think that pediatricians who made house calls 30 years ago simply overlooked 10 year olds in diapers, kids who couldn’t speak and children repeating Captain Kangaroo incessantly instead of speaking typically? If the mental health homes that closed in the 1970’s were full of autistic kids where are these adults today? I’ ask every woman over 60 I meet – “Did you have a cadre of friends whose kids couldn’t speak? Couldn’t sit still? Died from eating peanuts? Needed nebulizers to breathe? Suffered from severe mental illness including bi-polar and emotional disturbance?” They can recall a kid or two who had problems, but not 3 on their street. I lived in a neighborhood of 187 houses in Hudson Ohio and we had ELEVEN children with autism, over a dozen with ADHD and three with severe mental illness! Ask any teacher over 55 – what did your classrooms look like? Even the special ed teachers will tell you, “We had Down’s kids. Mental Retardation. Autism was rare.” Is there better diagnosis? Of course. Awareness means most Moms can spot an autie in the Stop and Shop. But just because I can spot an illness more readily doesn’t mean I will be seeing MORE of the illness. But something has CHANGED in the world and we are churning out frightening numbers of kids on the spectrum and kids with other major illnesses. Are pregnant moms toxic? Is 36 vaccinations by 24 months wreaking havoc on young immune systems? Are we breathing poisons that are lodging in our reproductive systems? Has the food supply become so laden with artificial colors and flavors that a chemical overload is prevalent? Are the plastics and chemicals we sleep on, drink out of, eat from, protect out clothes from stains with, cook on, drive in, play with, teethe on and that babies pee and poop into infesting our bodies? My three girls may never hold a job they will rely on the social security system to survive. The country is going to face a major fiscal crisis as the Baby Boomers age while the thousands of spectrum kids move from schools into the big, bad world. And the families of autistic kids face economic disaster. My husband and I have spent over $175,000 cash out of pocket in excess expenses related to autism. We’re broke, . So while it’s wonderful to report “there are LOTS of kids with autism” we need to ask Why? Where are they coming from? Are we creating them? I am not naïve. The answers could bankrupt many industries. Tear down our public health system. Topple the stock market. Cause anarchy even. Imagine the chaos if someone finally asks “Oh my God, what have we done?” Thank you, . Thank you. Yours in health, Kim, mother of Mia (12), (10) and Bella (6) three beautiful girls who should NOT have autism. Kim Stagliano www.kimstagliano.blogspot.com The fish are biting. Get more visitors on your site using Search Marketing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 Thank you, Henry. I got a very nice response from late last night. And she thanked me for not ranting at her. People tune out ranting. Had I ripped her a new one on the opening line she'd have hit delete. And then I'd have accomplished nothing. At least now we have one reporter who will look at the next press release on autism with a new set of eyes. KS > > Great question. Maybe it's actually more rhetorical than previously thought. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 Maurine, it was simply an email to the journalist, not a letter to the editor. > > It's a good letter, but if you have hopes to see it in print it needs to be shorter. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 ok It's a good thing to do and glad she respondedkrstagliano <KRStagliano@...> wrote: Maurine, it was simply an email to the journalist, not a letter to the editor.>> It's a good letter, but if you have hopes to see it in print it needs to be shorter.> Food fight? Enjoy some healthy debatein the Answers Food Drink Q&A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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