Re: Re: Parents, doctors and the disputed link between vaccines and autism

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Why is it illegal to use lead-based paint to paint your walls or a crib but you have to, by the goverments guidelines, inject mercury directly into the bodies of our babies? In most European countries Thiramesol has been removed from the MMR vaccine many, many years ago, they know why. bethvataker wrote: I think perhaps the most disturbing was that the author is trying to link this mother's tragic story to chelation therapy, in that she the mother had so much guilt over

her childs autism by injecting her with mercury laden vaccines that this is what led her to this tragic end. I think it is presumptious for anyone to know what was or was not going on in the mind of this mother, it is a tragedy for all involved. What many people also tend to overlook is that it is not only the mercury based vaccines that build up toxically in the body but it is toxins from our environment as a whole that will build up in anyone's body if their detoxification pathway is not working properly, which is all that the biomedical field can say for sure based on tests, where the actual toxins come from is individualized for each person. Do I think the government should of omitted thimerosal long ago, yes without a doubt, this they owe the very children they claim to be protecting, but are our children being given toxins on many other levels, yes. Just look at the recent article regarding lead found in

children's lunchboxes. I too have had no ill side effects in my own son while undergoing chelation therapy, and his improvement speaks for itself. All the nay sayers of chelation therapy are entitled to their opinion, but lets keep the refrigerator mom theory where it belongs in the history books of the so called medical professionals who originally came up with it. Respectfully, Beth Vataker > > > > Painful questions of blame > > Parents, doctors and the disputed link between vaccines and autism > > By Meg McSherry Breslin, a Chicago Tribune staff reporter > > Published June 25, 2006 > > http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-0606250053jun25,1,2423508.sto> ry?coll=chi-opinionfront-hed> <http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-0606250053jun25,1,2423508.st> ory?coll=chi-opinionfront-hed & ctrack=1 & cset=true> & ctrack=1 & cset=true > > It has been nearly 50 years since mothers

shouldered the blame for their> children's autism. Yet for many parents, echoes of that painful era remain.> > In the 1950s and '60s, the medical community accepted University of Chicago> psychoanalyst Bruno Bettelheim's assessment that "refrigerator> mothers"--those with a supposedly cold, unloving demeanor--brought on their> children's disorder. > > Although we now know that autism is a neurological disorder and not the> result of bad parenting, the exact cause remains a mystery.> > Many parents, however, are convinced they've found the answer. And most> experts are on the opposing side. > > Indeed, few medical battles are more charged than that between parents who> believe mercury in their children's vaccines brought on autism and the> medical establishment that has found no evidence to support that claim. > >

Not only do these families feel enormous frustration with the many doctors> who dismiss their theories, but they sometimes blame themselves for what> happened while also struggling with the terrible stress of caring for an> autistic child. > > This sensitive issue was brought into sharp relief last month after a> 37-year-old Peoria area doctor was charged with first-degree murder in the> death of her 3-year-old autistic daughter, who was suffocated. Police say> the doctor confessed to the murder, though she has entered a plea of not> guilty. Friends of McCarron said the murder charges came as a shock.> Still, many said they recognized emotional turmoil in McCarron in the months> before 's death. > > Some who knew McCarron through her work with an autism support group say the> physician blamed herself for allowing her daughter

to be vaccinated, and> feared that the available remedies wouldn't make enough of an improvement to> her daughter's quality of life. Others suggest that perhaps working among> other doctors skeptical of the vaccine connection created an emotional tug> of war for McCarron. > > "I just think she had a lot of guilt," said Dr. Ayoub, a radiologist> and associate professor at Southern Illinois University who occasionally> talked with McCarron. Ayoub is a leading supporter of the> mercury-causes-autism theory and is trying to dig up evidence to prove it. > > Much of the passion surrounding this issue stems from the fact that autism> can be one of the most difficult disorders to manage. Though cases range> from mild to severe, the toughest ones can be harrowing for parents, some of> whom have to watch their children constantly for

fear they will jump in> front of a car, bang their head against a wall, or lash out at others. Some> parents describe the most extreme cases as being like having a hyperactive> 2-year-old who never grows out of his impulsive, risky behaviors. > > Understandably, parents want the mysteries that surround autism to be> settled, to have some answer for why the number of cases has exploded.> Having the medical community discount their beliefs makes them feel as if> all hope of their children improving has been stripped from them. > > "All of us have been told pretty much the same thing," said > Blakey, an Oak Park mother whose 6-year-old son has autism. "The doctors all> say this is very, very serious and this is a very debilitating disorder.> There is no cure and there are no treatments. So we're at odds with the> medical community

now." > > Like other parents who believe in the mercury connection, Blakey says some> acceptance of their theory might lead to better treatment of their children.> She and other parents say that once they began looking at their children as> being poisoned by mercury, their approach to autism treatment changed and> their children began getting better. > > After Blakey found a Chicago-area doctor willing to work with her son on a> controversial treatment called chelation therapy--which removes mercury and> other toxic metals from the body--she saw dramatic change in her son's> behavior. She said a wheat- and dairy-free diet has also produced positive> changes, yet many doctors she initially consulted were skeptical. > > The idea that mercury in childhood vaccines causes autism has circulated for> years, with parents saying their

children were developing normally until> they received certain vaccinations.> > But the American Medical Association, the Institute of Medicine and the> American Academy of Pediatrics, among others, have concluded there is no> scientific data to support a mercury-autism link, despite an exhaustive> review of cases worldwide. Nonetheless, mercury has been phased out of most> childhood vaccines, although some parents say the move is too recent to> determine what effect it might have on autism rates. > > While recognizing parents' frustrations, some doctors say they don't engage> in mercury-related treatments because they're obligated to stay away from> unproven remedies that could do more harm than good. Chelation, for> instance, could strip the body of essential minerals as well, said Dr.> Leventhal, a University of Illinois at

Chicago psychiatrist, an> expert on autism and the director of an Illinois task force on the disorder.> > > Furthermore, Leventhal is convinced mercury does not trigger autism.> > "If mercury was the cause, we'd be all over it," he said. "It might help> shed some light on what areas of the brain are damaged and it might give us> some clues to the genetic susceptibility and help us find some answers. But> unfortunately, it just isn't turning out to be the case." > > Schreibman, director of the Autism Research Program at the University> of California at San Diego and author of the 2005 book "The Science and> Fiction of Autism," says intense behavioral therapy is the only proven> treatment to improve the effects of autism. > > But she understands why parents are drawn to alternative therapies designed> at drawing out

mercury.> > "There's a lot of distrust that families have with the scientific> community," she said. "But it all boils down largely to the fact that we> don't have the answers. I can't tell you what causes autism." > > Meanwhile, parents continue to make their case, reaching out to lawmakers,> government officials and physicians to tell their stories.> > Among them is Elmwood Park mom Conrick, who has a 13-year-old> daughter, , with autism. > > "I'm 100 percent sure that my daughter's autism is a direct result of the> mercury in her vaccines," Conrick said. "And when I found all this out, it> was enraging. First you get a diagnosis and [you're told] there's no hope,> then you find out that it was something you thought would help and you were> mandated to do it for school." > > Conrick is a board member of a

national group called ACHAMP, or Advocates> for Children's Health Affected by Mercury Poisoning. That group tries to> pressure government agencies to further explore the mercury connection and> to keep vaccines free of mercury, particularly because they say the flu> vaccine--while voluntary--still contains traces. > > Whatever comes of the mercury battle and its aggressive treatments, it's> clear the emotional damage from such a debilitating disorder continues on a> painful path.> > JJ Hanley, a Wilmette mother of an autistic child, produced a 2002> documentary called "Refrigerator Mothers," interviewing dozens of mothers> from that era. It was heartbreaking to hear stories of women blamed for a> disorder even as they struggled daily to manage it, she said. > > Looking at all this information, what do parents of newly diagnosed

children> do? Go the safe route and avoid the alternative treatments? Try intensive> behavior therapy, despite the fact that it's expensive and may not be> offered through their school district? > > The fact that these decisions must be made quickly, while the disorder is in> its early stages and children's brains are developing rapidly, adds to the> stress.> > This is one of the saddest aspects of the struggle to find a cure for> autism. As long as the answers remain a source of debate, the journey for> parents only becomes more difficult.But she understands why parents are> drawn to alternative therapies designed at drawing out mercury.> > "There's a lot of distrust that families have with the scientific> community," she said. "But it all boils down largely to the fact that we> don't have the answers. I can't tell you what

causes autism." > > Meanwhile, parents continue to make their case, reaching out to lawmakers,> government officials and physicians to tell their stories.> > Among them is Elmwood Park mom Conrick, who has a 13-year-old> daughter, , with autism. > > "I'm 100 percent sure that my daughter's autism is a direct result of the> mercury in her vaccines," Conrick said. "And when I found all this out, it> was enraging. First you get a diagnosis and [you're told] there's no hope,> then you find out that it was something you thought would help and you were> mandated to do it for school." > > Conrick is a board member of a national group called ACHAMP, or Advocates> for Children's Health Affected by Mercury Poisoning. That group tries to> pressure government agencies to further explore the mercury connection and> to keep

vaccines free of mercury, particularly because they say the flu> vaccine--while voluntary--still contains traces. > > Whatever comes of the mercury battle and its aggressive treatments, it's> clear the emotional damage from such a debilitating disorder continues on a> painful path.> > JJ Hanley, a Wilmette mother of an autistic child, produced a 2002> documentary called "Refrigerator Mothers," interviewing dozens of mothers> from that era. It was heartbreaking to hear stories of women blamed for a> disorder even as they struggled daily to manage it, she saidBut she> understands why parents are drawn to alternative therapies designed at> drawing out mercury. > > "There's a lot of distrust that families have with the scientific> community," she said. "But it all boils down largely to the fact that we> don't have the answers. I can't tell

you what causes autism." > > Meanwhile, parents continue to make their case, reaching out to lawmakers,> government officials and physicians to tell their stories.> > Among them is Elmwood Park mom Conrick, who has a 13-year-old> daughter, , with autism. > > "I'm 100 percent sure that my daughter's autism is a direct result of the> mercury in her vaccines," Conrick said. "And when I found all this out, it> was enraging. First you get a diagnosis and [you're told] there's no hope,> then you find out that it was something you thought would help and you were> mandated to do it for school." > > Conrick is a board member of a national group called ACHAMP, or Advocates> for Children's Health Affected by Mercury Poisoning. That group tries to> pressure government agencies to further explore the mercury connection and>

to keep vaccines free of mercury, particularly because they say the flu> vaccine--while voluntary--still contains traces. > > Whatever comes of the mercury battle and its aggressive treatments, it's> clear the emotional damage from such a debilitating disorder continues on a> painful path.> > JJ Hanley, a Wilmette mother of an autistic child, produced a 2002> documentary called "Refrigerator Mothers," interviewing dozens of mothers> from that era. It was heartbreaking to hear stories of women blamed for a> disorder even as they struggled daily to manage it, she said. > > Looking at all this information, what do parents of newly diagnosed children> do? Go the safe route and avoid the alternative treatments? Try intensive> behavior therapy, despite the fact that it's expensive and may not be> offered through their school district? >

> The fact that these decisions must be made quickly, while the disorder is in> its early stages and children's brains are developing rapidly, adds to the> stress.> > This is one of the saddest aspects of the struggle to find a cure for> autism. As long as the answers remain a source of debate, the journey for> parents only becomes more difficult.. > > Looking at all this information, what do parents of newly diagnosed children> do? Go the safe route and avoid the alternative treatments? Try intensive> behavior therapy, despite the fact that it's expensive and may not be> offered through their school district? > > The fact that these decisions must be made quickly, while the disorder is in> its early stages and children's brains are developing rapidly, adds to the> stress.> > This is one of the saddest aspects of

the struggle to find a cure for> autism. As long as the answers remain a source of debate, the journey for> parents only becomes more difficult. > > > _____ > > With MSN <http://g.msn.com/8HMAENUS/2740??PS=47575> Spaces email straight> to your blog. Upload jokes, photos and more. It's free!>