thinkingmomsrevolution--2020-02-26--When People Say Trust Your Doctor, I Say Trust Your Experience

I was about 20 when a physician told me my pain was all in my head and that I just needed to reduce stress .
I quit my college job and dropped a class .
.
.
then had a painful attack .
It was decided I would have my gallbladder removed .
This didn ’ t feel right to me , so I asked if the surgeon could look around while I was under to make sure .
It was my appendix .
I had to advocate for myself .
I was about 22 when a nurse dismissed me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I went to the ER , so sick I couldn ’ t remember my address .
The doctor sternly replied , “ What do you want me to do about it ?
So , you have the flu.
” I had to advocate for myself .
A chest x-ray showed double pneumonia .
I took months to recover .
I was 17 when I began a medication that caused insomnia .
Doctors couldn ’ t figure it out .
I stopped the medication eight years later and was able to sleep again .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ my own .
I was about 34 when a doctor told me I was having difficulty breathing because I thought about breathing too much .
“ ‘ It ’ s all in your head , you silly little woman.
” Sound familiar ?
I went to the chiropractor the next day .
He gave me an adjustment , and I breathed deeply .
My rib wasn ’ t in alignment .
I was 31 when my son ’ s pediatrician was baffled and said , “ I don ’ t know .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was honest . )
We advocated for our son , finding a physician who could diagnose and treat him .
Now , I ’ m 41 , and see people say , “ Trust the experts .
You aren ’ t qualified to read studies .
Where did you get your degree ?
Google ?
” My point isn ’ t that physicians are bad .
They are human .
They make mistakes in a high-pressure field .
My point is this : You have every right to advocate for your health and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being an “ expert ” does not invalidate your experience .
Read the studies .
Read the medical literature .
Voice your experience .
If it doesn ’ t feel right , have courage to say so .
Your voice matters .
Honeybee and her husband of 17 years have two children .
Since her son ’ s recovery from PANDAS/PANS , Honeybee ’ s passion is walking other parents through the diagnosis so their children will have the same opportunity to heal that her son had .
For more by Honeybee , @ @ @

February 26, 2020
I was about 20 when a physician told me my pain was all in my head and that I just needed to reduce stress. I quit my college job and dropped a class . . . then had a painful attack.
It was decided I would have my gallbladder removed. This didn’t feel right to me, so I asked if the surgeon could look around while I was under to make sure. It was my appendix. I had to advocate for myself.
I was about 22 when a nurse dismissed me because I looked okay. Later, I went to the ER, so sick I couldn’t remember my address. The doctor sternly replied, “What do you want me to do about it? So, you have the flu.” I had to advocate for myself. A chest x-ray showed double pneumonia. I took months to recover.


thinkingmomsrevolution--2020-02-25--Autism Housing Crisis: Message in a Bottle before the Tsunami

This is a topic worse than politics or religion .
It is a topic that many actively address daily by way of status updates on Facebook , but posting and commenting are not going to change the urgency .
This is not a topic to debate .
It is a crisis to avoid .
My oldest son was diagnosed with autism June , 1994 .
I immediately feared for his future .
I was asked to leave a library one day as I was researching autism because my son could not be calm nor quiet .
There was no internet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the interwebs : Now we can post on Facebook , tweet , private message , text , call , and chat .
For some parents and care providers for autism that can be their only almost-human interaction daily .
For many , it is their only means of venting frustrations and fears .
Severe autism can be very isolating .
I learned that first-hand starting four years ago .
Let ’ s just refer to that time as my advanced degree work in Autism Grad School .
The first course that was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Autism Is Fueled by the Individual ’ s Declining Health.
” Few people in the world understand it .
I am not sure as a mother and a care provider that I can ever relay the nightmare it was at moments .
I was scared .
Hell , I am still scared to even tell the tale of just how rough more than one day was .
Those days were not just rough for my son , they were rough on his family and his neighbors as well .
The reason I am @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen so many articles and comments in the last few weeks about the lack of available care , the lack of help , the abuse that happens in the “ system , ” the lack of a system altogether , and an autistic person who was jailed because there was no placement for him .
I could go on and on and on .
I see the sentiment that “ I can never die because who would care for my child ” everywhere .
I have lost autism mom friends due to natural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are going to live forever .
Yes , some of our children have recovered , but the majority have not .
This is not the tale of cute , quirky little kids that grow up to become functioning adults .
If we do not talk about productive and meaningful ways to start now to fix this , where will your child be ?
I am not in denial that abuse can happen in any possible setting .
My son is placed .
Would anyone like to guess what might be the biggest thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sound cold , but here it comes : Posting about it—the fear , the lack of care , the inappropriate placements , the abuse in homes , both private and institutional—has changed not one damn thing .
Your post was a message in a bottle that never floated to a solution .
It ’ s a message in a bottle , circling a whirlpool in the ocean , directly followed by the post behind it .
“ They say ” that autism has always been here , just called something else .
What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were true , we would have resources and housing available .
My son was only able to receive his placement due to all his other medical diagnoses .
Ohio as a state has emergency waiver placement for some counties now .
And even that admission still took months .
If it took months to locate a spot for the person who was born when autism was one in every 2,500 .
.
.
do the math for the tsunami of young adults to come .
It is a scary topic , so scary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Jacksonville , FL years ago that the federal government said was too restrictive .
Autism Speaks had something in the works .
Do any of us believe that they will build a significant number of units with the four percent of contributions they give back to the community ?
Right , sure .
So I am lovingly asking how we can fix this crisis .
Living forever is not an option .
How .
Do .
We .
Fix .
It ?
Much like the mother who experienced the “ rare ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ went on to warn other parents , I am now a generation deeper into this battle and I am the mom telling you that we need to find solutions now .
If some parents are now driving hours to see their child ( if they are lucky enough to find a placement in the first place ) , where will your child be if we do not start addressing all the above-stated issues ?
I knew and believed that my oldest would live with me for forever .
Having to place him was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There , I said it .
But I found him a place we could live with .
I have watched many other parents have no choices .
Placement is not one-size-fits-all .
For some it will never be an option .
But what are we going to do for those for whom it is the only option ?
Will the autism community continue to scare each other daily , continue to fight over the causes , and continue debating legislation , while our own children end up homeless ?
Currently , about 1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spectrum disorder .
Autism is the fastest-rising serious developmental disability .
Prevalence of autism increased 119.4 % from 1 in 150 12-year-olds in 2002 to 1 in 68 in 2016 .
As of 2013 , more than 3.5 million Americans live with autism spectrum disorder .
In 2018 the CDC estimated that 1 in 59 12-year-olds had autism , but a 2016 survey indicated that the true rate may be closer to 1 in 36 children .
That ’ s nearly 3 % of the child population , with no end in sight @

February 25, 2020
This is a topic worse than politics or religion.
It is a topic that many actively address daily by way of status updates on Facebook, but posting and commenting are not going to change the urgency. This is not a topic to debate. It is a crisis to avoid.
My oldest son was diagnosed with autism June, 1994. I immediately feared for his future. I was asked to leave a library one day as I was researching autism because my son could not be calm nor quiet. There was no internet then.
Fast forward to the world of the interwebs: Now we can post on Facebook, tweet, private message, text, call, and chat. For some parents and care providers for autism that can be their only almost-human interaction daily. For many, it is their only means of venting frustrations and fears.
Severe autism can be very isolating. I learned that first-hand starting four years ago. Let’s just refer to that time as my advanced degree work in Autism Grad School. The first course that was selected for me was entitled “When Autism Is Fueled by the Individual’s Declining Health.” Few people in the world understand it. I am not sure as a mother and a care provider that I can ever relay the nightmare it was at moments. I was scared. Hell, I am still scared to even tell the tale of just how rough more than one day was. Those days were not just rough for my son, they were rough on his family and his neighbors as well.
The reason I am sharing this story is that I have seen so many articles and comments in the last few weeks about the lack of available care, the lack of help, the abuse that happens in the “system,” the lack of a system altogether, and an autistic person who was jailed because there was no placement for him.
I could go on and on and on.
I see the sentiment that “I can never die because who would care for my child”everywhere.
I have lost autism mom friends due to natural and unnatural causes. None of us are going to live forever.
Yes, some of our children have recovered, but the majority have not. This is not the tale of cute, quirky little kids that grow up to become functioning adults.
If we do not talk about productive and meaningful ways to start now to fix this, where will your child be?
I am not in denial that abuse can happen in any possible setting. My son is placed. Would anyone like to guess what might be the biggest thing I think about daily?
This may sound cold, but here it comes:
Posting about it—the fear, the lack of care, the inappropriate placements, the abuse in homes, both private and institutional—has changed not one damn thing.
Your post was a message in a bottle that never floated to a solution. It’s a message in a bottle, circling a whirlpool in the ocean, directly followed by the post behind it.
“They say” that autism has always been here, just called something else. What a lie that is. If it were true, we would have resources and housing available.
My son was only able to receive his placement due to all his other medical diagnoses. Ohio as a state has emergency waiver placement for some counties now. And even that admission still took months. If it took months to locate a spot for the person who was born when autism was one in every 2,500 . . . do the math for the tsunami of young adults to come.
It is a scary topic, so scary that the Arc built one prototype place in Jacksonville, FL years ago that the federal government said was too restrictive.
Autism Speaks had something in the works. Do any of us believe that they will build a significant number of units with the four percent of contributions they give back to the community? Right, sure.
So I am lovingly asking how we can fix this crisis. Living forever is not an option.
How. Do. We. Fix. It?
Much like the mother who experienced the “rare” vaccine injury to her infant and then went on to warn other parents, I am now a generation deeper into this battle and I am the mom telling you that we need to find solutions now. If some parents are now driving hours to see their child (if they are lucky enough to find a placement in the first place), where will your child be if we do not start addressing all the above-stated issues?
I knew and believed that my oldest would live with me for forever. Having to place him was the worst moment of my life. There, I said it. But I found him a place we could live with. I have watched many other parents have no choices. Placement is not one-size-fits-all. For some it will never be an option. But what are we going to do for those for whom it is the only option?
Will the autism community continue to scare each other daily, continue to fight over the causes, and continue debating legislation, while our own children end up homeless?
Currently, about 1% of the world population has autism spectrum disorder. Autism is the fastest-rising serious developmental disability. Prevalence of autism increased 119.4% from 1 in 150 12-year-olds in 2002 to 1 in 68 in 2016. As of 2013, more than 3.5 million Americans live with autism spectrum disorder. In 2018 the CDC estimated that 1 in 59 12-year-olds had autism, but a 2016 survey indicated that the true rate may be closer to 1 in 36 children. That’s nearly 3% of the child population, with no end in sight.
~ C. J. Fruscella


thinkingmomsrevolution--2020-02-19--Kindness Counts: Inclusion Begins at Home

Did you know that February is North American Inclusion Month ?
Nope ?
Me neither .
I had no idea , and I don ’ t know how I missed it .
We hear a lot more about Autism Awareness Month in April because there is a bigger budget behind it due to all the funds raised for that effort over the years .
When my kids were two and Autism Speaks was heavily promoted , I was so hopeful that people would learn about autism , know what it looked like , and learn to be accepting—or at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Autism Walks where families raised funds for this purpose , but that money raised was rarely used to help those in need directly .
As a parent of three children with autism , I am not confident that money was well spent .
North American Inclusion Month ( NAIM ) was created by the Yachad/National Jewish Council for Disabilities .
Now some five years old , the North American Inclusion Month was established as a way of recognising the need for more opportunities for people with disabilities , including in both employment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saw a U.S. House of Representatives resolution , which acknowledged the goals of NAIM .
NAIM is an opportunity for society to be more inclusive regarding people with disabilities .
Regardless of an individual ’ s disabilities the North American Inclusion Month aims to make them feel every bit a part of society as an able-bodied person .
The month is not in place to create a better understanding of a disabled person ’ s needs and aspirations for just four weeks .
The North American Inclusion Month is used as a way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerning people with disabilities , for the whole year .
Making society more inclusive for people with disabilities can begin with simple individual actions during NAIM .
Going out of one ’ s way to interact more with people with disabilities is one example .
Often people will not interact with people with disabilities because they are nervous about saying or doing the right thing .
However , not feeling part of society is what will often hurt a disabled person most of all .
Until 2019 , my family lived in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where I commuted an average of four hours per day , five days per week for services that my severely affected twins could not access near our home or at our local school district , despite numerous meetings with legal counsel present .
Spring of 2019 we relocated to a large swim-and-tennis community that was the polar opposite of where my kids had spent most of their childhood , isolated in a fenced yard with no neighborhood children to play with .
Our new community had a pool !
Excitedly , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attempt at belonging to a community .
For the first time my children would be able to swim without my driving to an indoor pool that was so chlorinated it made my daughter ’ s nose bleed so badly we never went back .
Between May and September , we experienced a lot of disappointing interactions .
My identical twin boys have always attracted attention .
When they were small , their behaviors were mostly tolerated .
This past summer , our first at the pool , they were 13 years old .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a pterodactyl noise : He flaps , screeches , gallops , and will get too close to others .
Unfortunately , he loves small children and babies , which means we must be constantly vigilant around young children .
His slightly smaller , more involved brother is not terribly interested in other people but has discovered the goggles-enabled sensory wonderland that is underwater .
He will swim right up to anyone so he can hear what it sounds like .
My boys just want to be acknowledged and included .
They can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ awkward to the point of not being a threat , but I can imagine what a parent who doesn ’ t know us sees .
Despite almost four years of full-time behavioral therapy and social skills and many years in a self-contained classroom , they may still make your child feel anxious or threatened .
Every time we get out of the car , even though I am not sure how much they understand , I tell them that they are not to get too close to small children , not to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not to be loud .
I don ’ t want them to feel as though they are being punished by keeping them home and never providing opportunities to participate in regular activities like any family , but the minute we sit down , I have high anxiety , anticipating the judgment of others .
I can never relax ; I am always watching them from the side .
Why am I not in the water ?
Honestly I need a break , too , sometimes from being a full-time caregiver .
I also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time as they are now teens .
I would like them to have the space to have a small amount of independence where mom isn ’ t constantly right there .
The pool is well attended , and early in the day there were babies , preschoolers , and elementary-school kids .
Parents would hang out in chairs , enjoying social time , beverages , and watching their kids play .
At first we would go , and some parents would be kind and say hello .
Some would encourage their young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the boys and would be very sweet to me when I would intervene if I thought they were being annoying or invading their space .
Truthfully , these experiences were rare .
Even when a kid says hello , they don ’ t get much payoff other than a squeal , and they eventually give up when the boys do not play with them or understand what they are talking about .
One mother saw my son flapping in front of her seven-year-old and started screaming at him that he was a bully @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I had to run over and intervene , telling her that he was not trying to hurt her son .
She immediately apologized and backed down .
I was not angry ; I wanted her to know not to fear my children .
I don ’ t tell other parents how to raise their children , and I kept my mouth shut when I really wished parents would say something to their kids , kids who would scream when they saw mine , pretending ( in a loud voice ) that my kids @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This monster game would last the whole time we were at the pool .
One teen would follow my son around and splash him as hard as he could in the face .
In all of these situations , I would wait for the parents to see what was happening and say something to their kids , but it never happened .
Yet , I am sure those same parents would have noticed if I had stepped in to stop it .
He eventually felt me staring him down and stopped .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ I did speak up .
When some eight-year-old boys were very rude to my sons who did not understand , I said , “ Hey , if you have any questions about the boys you can ask me .
It ’ s okay.
” This completely shocked them , and one of the boys said , “ They scare me , they are loud.
” Well maybe at first that was true , but he and his friend began chasing him around and making fun of him after a couple of hours .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was nonverbal and because he couldn ’ t speak he used behavior to get attention , so the best thing he could do was to say hello and then ignore him .
I think they listened to me as I wasn ’ t being mean , just honest with them .
By the end of the season we started going to the pool in the evening to avoid the stress of being around young children .
Look , I get it .
I want to be just like everyone else , sitting in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my kids get to be kids for a couple hours .
But my kids don ’ t get a free pass just because they have multiple disabilities , and I must stay vigilant .
If you are in their presence for five minutes , you know this without me having to spell it out .
I know parents don ’ t want to police their children ’ s behavior , but it breaks my heart to watch younger kids call mine monsters while their parents sit by and say nothing .
The scene @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear to me that kids aged 6-10 are not aware of how their actions affect others .
I started to understand that elementary-school inclusion was doing nothing to promote or reinforce understanding of children with disabilities .
This is disturbing because most likely my boys will be at their neighborhood high school until they turn 21 .
That means that the young kids they see at the pool now will likely go to high school with them one day .
In our old neighborhood we commuted two hours per day to charter schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students having electives ( art , languages ) and lunch with typical peers .
When I asked in our meetings if there was any facilitation of typical peers interacting with my children in these settings , I was told that teachers couldn ’ t force the other children to interact .
“ Inclusion , ” therefore , was merely a label meaning my special-needs children were allowed to be in the same space as other children , but no one would encourage interaction beyond that .
In behavioral therapy , the majority of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of severity as my own , so practicing social skills there would not even approach what could be learned from exposure to school-aged peers in an integrated classroom .
We had IEP goals every year from age three ( over 10 years now ) intended to develop communication and participation skills , and none of it seemed to make a dent .
In our new school we found a silver lining .
They have a program called “ Friends Club ” where typical peers interact with the students in the self-contained classroom .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ they learn from each other .
Now , a teen will occasionally stop us in public to say “ Hi !
” to the boys .
Our neighbor across the street is in the club and says hello every morning .
This means so much to me because we are not used to them being acknowledged in a positive way .
During inclusion month , I would like to stress how important these school programs are .
These student clubs will help teens discover that they can care for others , make a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possibly find a career someday .
I can vouch for the fact that there will always be a job in an autism-related field based on the sheer numbers of children that aren ’ t just “ quirky ” but will need full-time care for the rest of their lives .
Parents , I don ’ t want to be the one to educate your child on how to treat others ; I doubt you would appreciate that .
Maybe you ’ ve told them before , maybe they encounter special needs kids at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But just as you expect me to step in when my kids are invading your space and behaving oddly , I would appreciate your help when your children are treating mine badly .
I respect your family ’ s personal space , and I don ’ t expect your child to be friends with mine if they don ’ t want to .
But children ’ s attitudes toward those with disabilities are shaped while they are young .
I don ’ t want to be the scary lady who reprimands them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teen boys .
But , please , I am not sure my heart can take another summer of my children being called monsters by yours .
All of our children , typical or not , hear everything and understand more than you realize—and so do I .
If you see me and ever have questions about our family I hope you will ask .
And to those who understood the importance of being kind to everyone , we appreciate it more than you can know .
For more by Karma , click here @

February 19, 2020
Did you know that February is North American Inclusion Month? Nope? Me neither. I had no idea, and I don’t know how I missed it.
We hear a lot more about Autism Awareness Month in April because there is a bigger budget behind it due to all the funds raised for that effort over the years. When my kids were two and Autism Speaks was heavily promoted, I was so hopeful that people would learn about autism, know what it looked like, and learn to be accepting—or at least tolerant. Autism Speaks certainly held plenty of Autism Walks where families raised funds for this purpose, but that money raised was rarely used to help those in need directly. As a parent of three children with autism, I am not confident that money was well spent.
North American Inclusion Month (NAIM) was created by the Yachad/National Jewish Council for Disabilities. Now some five years old, the North American Inclusion Month was established as a way of recognising the need for more opportunities for people with disabilities, including in both employment and education. February 2nd, 2010 saw a U.S. House of Representatives resolution, which acknowledged the goals of NAIM. NAIM is an opportunity for society to be more inclusive regarding people with disabilities. Regardless of an individual’s disabilities the North American Inclusion Month aims to make them feel every bit a part of society as an able-bodied person. The month is not in place to create a better understanding of a disabled person’s needs and aspirations for just four weeks. The North American Inclusion Month is used as a way of galvanising a more positive approach, concerning people with disabilities, for the whole year. Making society more inclusive for people with disabilities can begin with simple individual actions during NAIM. Going out of one’s way to interact more with people with disabilities is one example. Often people will not interact with people with disabilities because they are nervous about saying or doing the right thing. However, not feeling part of society is what will often hurt a disabled person most of all.
Until 2019, my family lived in a modest suburb 15 minutes from downtown Atlanta, where I commuted an average of four hours per day, five days per week for services that my severely affected twins could not access near our home or at our local school district, despite numerous meetings with legal counsel present.
Spring of 2019 we relocated to a large swim-and-tennis community that was the polar opposite of where my kids had spent most of their childhood, isolated in a fenced yard with no neighborhood children to play with. Our new community had a pool! Excitedly, we waited for opening day, our first attempt at belonging to a community. For the first time my children would be able to swim without my driving to an indoor pool that was so chlorinated it made my daughter’s nose bleed so badly we never went back.
Between May and September, we experienced a lot of disappointing interactions. My identical twin boys have always attracted attention. When they were small, their behaviors were mostly tolerated. This past summer, our first at the pool, they were 13 years old. One boy makes what we refer to as a pterodactyl noise: He flaps, screeches, gallops, and will get too close to others. Unfortunately, he loves small children and babies, which means we must be constantly vigilant around young children. His slightly smaller, more involved brother is not terribly interested in other people but has discovered the goggles-enabled sensory wonderland that is underwater. He will swim right up to anyone so he can hear what it sounds like.
My boys just want to be acknowledged and included. They can barely say hi. They are socially awkward to the point of not being a threat, but I can imagine what a parent who doesn’t know us sees. Despite almost four years of full-time behavioral therapy and social skills and many years in a self-contained classroom, they may still make your child feel anxious or threatened. Every time we get out of the car, even though I am not sure how much they understand, I tell them that they are not to get too close to small children, not to get in people’s space, and not to be loud. I don’t want them to feel as though they are being punished by keeping them home and never providing opportunities to participate in regular activities like any family, but the minute we sit down, I have high anxiety, anticipating the judgment of others.
I can never relax; I am always watching them from the side. Why am I not in the water? Honestly I need a break, too, sometimes from being a full-time caregiver. I also don’t want to hover all the time as they are now teens. I would like them to have the space to have a small amount of independence where mom isn’t constantly right there.
The pool is well attended, and early in the day there were babies, preschoolers, and elementary-school kids. Parents would hang out in chairs, enjoying social time, beverages, and watching their kids play. At first we would go, and some parents would be kind and say hello. Some would encourage their young kids to say “hi” to the boys and would be very sweet to me when I would intervene if I thought they were being annoying or invading their space. Truthfully, these experiences were rare. Even when a kid says hello, they don’t get much payoff other than a squeal, and they eventually give up when the boys do not play with them or understand what they are talking about.
One mother saw my son flapping in front of her seven-year-old and started screaming at him that he was a bully (he was simply excited). I had to run over and intervene, telling her that he was not trying to hurt her son. She immediately apologized and backed down. I was not angry; I wanted her to know not to fear my children.
I don’t tell other parents how to raise their children, and I kept my mouth shut when I really wished parents would say something to their kids, kids who would scream when they saw mine, pretending (in a loud voice) that my kids were monsters and running away from them. This monster game would last the whole time we were at the pool. One teen would follow my son around and splash him as hard as he could in the face. In all of these situations, I would wait for the parents to see what was happening and say something to their kids, but it never happened. Yet, I am sure those same parents would have noticed if I had stepped in to stop it. He eventually felt me staring him down and stopped.
After watching such interactions all summer, I did speak up. When some eight-year-old boys were very rude to my sons who did not understand, I said, “Hey, if you have any questions about the boys you can ask me. It’s okay.”
This completely shocked them, and one of the boys said, “They scare me, they are loud.” Well maybe at first that was true, but he and his friend began chasing him around and making fun of him after a couple of hours.
I briefly told him that my son was nonverbal and because he couldn’t speak he used behavior to get attention, so the best thing he could do was to say hello and then ignore him. I think they listened to me as I wasn’t being mean, just honest with them.
By the end of the season we started going to the pool in the evening to avoid the stress of being around young children.
Look, I get it. I want to be just like everyone else, sitting in a chair, taking a breath while my kids get to be kids for a couple hours. But my kids don’t get a free pass just because they have multiple disabilities, and I must stay vigilant. If you are in their presence for five minutes, you know this without me having to spell it out. I know parents don’t want to police their children’s behavior, but it breaks my heart to watch younger kids call mine monsters while their parents sit by and say nothing.
The scene at our neighborhood pool quickly made it clear to me that kids aged 6-10 are not aware of how their actions affect others. I started to understand that elementary-school inclusion was doing nothing to promote or reinforce understanding of children with disabilities. This is disturbing because most likely my boys will be at their neighborhood high school until they turn 21. That means that the young kids they see at the pool now will likely go to high school with them one day.
In our old neighborhood we commuted two hours per day to charter schools, schools which defined inclusion as disabled students having electives (art, languages) and lunch with typical peers. When I asked in our meetings if there was any facilitation of typical peers interacting with my children in these settings, I was told that teachers couldn’t force the other children to interact. “Inclusion,” therefore, was merely a label meaning my special-needs children were allowed to be in the same space as other children, but no one would encourage interaction beyond that. In behavioral therapy, the majority of the children were at the same level of severity as my own, so practicing social skills there would not even approach what could be learned from exposure to school-aged peers in an integrated classroom. We had IEP goals every year from age three (over 10 years now) intended to develop communication and participation skills, and none of it seemed to make a dent.
In our new school we found a silver lining. They have a program called “Friends Club” where typical peers interact with the students in the self-contained classroom. Everyone has a cool T-shirt, and they learn from each other. Now, a teen will occasionally stop us in public to say “Hi!” to the boys. Our neighbor across the street is in the club and says hello every morning. This means so much to me because we are not used to them being acknowledged in a positive way.
During inclusion month, I would like to stress how important these school programs are. These student clubs will help teens discover that they can care for others, make a friend that really needs one, and possibly find a career someday. I can vouch for the fact that there will always be a job in an autism-related field based on the sheer numbers of children that aren’t just “quirky” but will need full-time care for the rest of their lives.
Parents, I don’t want to be the one to educate your child on how to treat others; I doubt you would appreciate that. Maybe you’ve told them before, maybe they encounter special needs kids at school and they’re still cruel. But just as you expect me to step in when my kids are invading your space and behaving oddly, I would appreciate your help when your children are treating mine badly.
I respect your family’s personal space, and I don’t expect your child to be friends with mine if they don’t want to. But children’s attitudes toward those with disabilities are shaped while they are young. I don’t want to be the scary lady who reprimands them at the pool because of my awkward teen boys. But, please, I am not sure my heart can take another summer of my children being called monsters by yours.
All of our children, typical or not, hear everything and understand more than you realize—and so do I. If you see me and ever have questions about our family I hope you will ask.
And to those who understood the importance of being kind to everyone, we appreciate it more than you can know.
~ Karma
For more by Karma, click here.


thinkingmomsrevolution--2020-02-03--The Slippery Slope of Censoring So-Called “Pseudoscience”

The day before yesterday , an article came out in the U.K. Telegraph stating that the U.K. might soon make it a criminal offense to post “ anti-vaccine propaganda ” on social media .
This was Crush ’ s response on her Facebook page .
It was so good , we decided to post it here .
The thing about this is , for every time they call it pseudoscience or misinformation , we just happily continue sharing their information .
If you notice , not one of my posts have ever been flagged , not one removed , not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ false information.
” Why ?
I am clearly labeled an “ antivaxxer.
” The problem is that when the information shared is directly from the CDC , NIH , FDA , WHO , peer-reviewed medical and science journals , manufacturer inserts , safety studies , federal lawsuits , FOIA requests , VAERS , medical records , etc.
, you can ’ t then say , “ Don ’ t listen to those antivaxxers ; they post misinformation.
” Well , I mean I suppose you can say that , but then you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t believe any of our science because we are liars.
” You don ’ t get to have it both ways .
If we are spreading misinformation , it is your misinformation .
It ’ s not ours .
We aren ’ t carrying out our own studies and posting them on Facebook ; we are kinda busy caring for those kids you pretend don ’ t exist and kinda broke trying to support their needs now that we have had to give up our careers to provide daily care .
I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t vaccinate your kids ” ; that choice is yours .
But I am fighting to keep medical choices ( all of them ) as yours to make because we all know what happens when a government gets to make your medical decisions and decide whom they deem worthy .
And I am screaming that we have some very big problems with the products and schedule that need to be addressed .
I am no more anti-vaccine than I am anti-water .
In both cases I am sure we want the safest possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believe that should be the only option .
When we have entities that are fighting to silence the public , we should always be questioning it .
Ask why .
What would make tens of thousands of parents stand up to pharma , an industry that has made clear they will silence anyone who speaks against them ?
Should the Vioxx families have been silenced ?
Should we have sat quietly against tobacco lies ?
Should those fighting for the Flint kids have been called crazy and been jailed ?
Did we scream @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not working , labeled them anti-car and legislate their Pinterest pages ?
Should we ban books that changed sanitation laws too ?
People should speak out when there is a problem .
Silence changes nothing .
Silence is what created the so-called anti-vaccine movement .
If public health agencies had addressed any of the problems that they are well aware of , we wouldn ’ t be having a discussion on how to silence social media .
I promise you that this is just the tip of the iceberg .
You may not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but this banning of words will one day affect something you believe in and you will wonder why you sat quietly by or encouraged this idea .
Other countries are fighting for uncensored information , and yet we have that freedom and we are fighting to allow our governments to put a stop to it ?
For more by Crush , click here .

February 3, 2020
The day before yesterday, an article came out in the U.K. Telegraph stating that the U.K. might soon make it a criminal offense to post “anti-vaccine propaganda” on social media. This was Crush’s response on her Facebook page. It was so good, we decided to post it here.
The thing about this is, for every time they call it pseudoscience or misinformation, we just happily continue sharing their information.
If you notice, not one of my posts have ever been flagged, not one removed, not one with their special little warning about “false information.” Why? I am clearly labeled an “antivaxxer.”
The problem is that when the information shared is directly from the CDC, NIH, FDA, WHO, peer-reviewed medical and science journals, manufacturer inserts, safety studies, federal lawsuits, FOIA requests, VAERS, medical records, etc., you can’t then say, “Don’t listen to those antivaxxers; they post misinformation.”
Well, I mean I suppose you can say that, but then you technically are saying, “Don’t believe any of our science because we are liars.”
You don’t get to have it both ways. If we are spreading misinformation, it is your misinformation. It’s not ours. We aren’t carrying out our own studies and posting them on Facebook; we are kinda busy caring for those kids you pretend don’t exist and kinda broke trying to support their needs now that we have had to give up our careers to provide daily care.
I’m not screaming, “Don’t vaccinate your kids”; that choice is yours. But I am fighting to keep medical choices (all of them) as yours to make because we all know what happens when a government gets to make your medical decisions and decide whom they deem worthy. And I am screaming that we have some very big problems with the products and schedule that need to be addressed. I am no more anti-vaccine than I am anti-water. In both cases I am sure we want the safest possible version for our children, and I believe that should be the only option.
When we have entities that are fighting to silence the public, we should always be questioning it. Ask why.
What would make tens of thousands of parents stand up to pharma, an industry that has made clear they will silence anyone who speaks against them? Should the Vioxx families have been silenced? Should we have sat quietly against tobacco lies? Should those fighting for the Flint kids have been called crazy and been jailed? Did we scream about those who spoke about their brakes not working, labeled them anti-car and legislate their Pinterest pages? Should we ban books that changed sanitation laws too?
People should speak out when there is a problem. Silence changes nothing. Silence is what created the so-called anti-vaccine movement. If public health agencies had addressed any of the problems that they are well aware of, we wouldn’t be having a discussion on how to silence social media.
I promise you that this is just the tip of the iceberg. You may not agree with me on this topic, but this banning of words will one day affect something you believe in and you will wonder why you sat quietly by or encouraged this idea.
Other countries are fighting for uncensored information, and yet we have that freedom and we are fighting to allow our governments to put a stop to it?
Think people.
~ Crush
For more by Crush, click here.


thinkingmomsrevolution--2020-01-17--Schuessler Twelve Tissue Salts—Natural Healing Support for You and Your Family

Last week TMR mom JuicyFruit wrote a blog on “ My Alternative Medicine Kit.
” I would like to build on her work and offer an important addition : a Schuessler Twelve Tissue Cell Salt Kit .
These tissue salts go by several names : cell salts , tissue salts , biochemic salts , bio-chemic gems , and Bioplasma .
Have you heard of them ?
When I asked people “ What was your first experience with Schuessler tissue cell salts ?
” the replies ranged from “ I have never heard of them , ” to “ cell salts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , after surgeries , against fatigue and after illness .
I LOVE them !
For my family and my pets.
” These are some other responses that can give you some idea of what cell salts can do : As a homeopath and online educator , I am well aware of just how intimidating it can be to purchase a homeopathic remedy kit and then look at your 36 or 40 remedies and go “ Huh .
.
.
what is this remedy for ?
Or this one ?
” With the Schuessler @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remedies to learn , and once you have mastered them , you will be able to use them for everything from menstrual pain to ear infections , bone spurs to coughs and colds , and support for brittle bones , hair , and nails .
You can even use them in pregnancy to help maintain the health of both mother and the developing baby .
How Do These Twelve Salts Do So Much to Support and Maintain Self-Healing ?
Cell salts were and are , much like homeopathy , ahead of their time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there been so much interest in an information on the microbiome , the importance of health at the cellular level , and how to self-heal at the cellular level .
Dr. Schuessler was an outstanding intellect of the late nineteenth century : a doctor of medicine , a homeopath , a physiological chemist and a physicist who was well ahead of his time .
His goal was to make homeopathy simpler .
He developed his unique system of cellular therapy using biochemistry .
Dr. Schuessler found that there are 12 basic inorganic minerals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ tissue salts.
” Tissue salts are specially prepared micro-doses of essential minerals .
These minerals are important for the functioning and health of the body ; if deficiency or imbalance occurs , common ailments or illness may result .
These 12 tissue salts address the cellular mineral deficiencies and imbalances which can lead to illness , making this a useful , simple system to support self-healing .
Are Cell Salts the Same as Homeopathy ?
Cell salts are prepared in the same way as the homeopathic pharmacy process—trituration ( grinding ) and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ however , the trituration and dilution process leaves trace amounts of the mineral in the final product .
Instead of a pure material substance like calcium , which can be difficult to digest , you have a “ potentized ” version that is much easier to assimilate at the cellular level .
As the cells heal , so the unhealthy state resolves .
Cell salts can be used as an adjunct to help support the whole person while they are under a homeopath ’ s care for constitutional treatment .
Miranda Castro , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to call cell salts the “ supplements of the homeopathic world.
” This means that as a home prescriber , you can use the cell salts safely and effectively for any acute illness ( short term with a beginning , middle , and end , such as colds , sore throat , flu , headaches , menstrual cramps , or ear infections ) while on constitutional support .
Be sure to let your homeopath know , though .
One main difference between homeopathy and cell salts is that cell salts are based on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the cellular level .
Homeopathy , however , is based on the tenet of “ like cures like ” —a triturated and diluted substance can be used to treat the same symptoms that the substance would cause in a healthy person .
This is more a matching of symptoms in the person— whether chronic ( ongoing illness like fibromyalgia , chronic fatigue , heart disease , or diabetes ) or acute—to the symptoms associated with the remedy .
The homeopathic materia medica includes over 3,000 remedies .
Schuessler isolated twelve cell salt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less specific , you can imagine how much easier it is to learn how to use the tissue salts than even the 30–40 remedies in the average homeopathy kit .
How Can I Learn about the Twelve Tissue Salts ?
If all this sounds intriguing to you , I am offering a course “ The Schuessler Twelve Tissue Salts ” by popular demand from former participants in some of my other homeopathy courses .
Follow this link for all the finer details—dates , times , and orientation class .
The cost ?
$ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 22 , 2020 ) for 14-15 weeks of lessons .
After January 22 , 2020 the cost is $ 77.00 USD .
I have been on a mission to get a homeopathic remedy kit in every home and to teach home prescribers how to use their remedies safely and successfully for acute illnesses ( even epidemics or pandemics ) and accidents , whether at home or traveling .
I have since expanded my mission to include a Twelve Tissue Salt kit in every home !
I intentionally keep the cost of all my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ folks , even this may still be out of reach financially .
Vets , retired folks , families with vaccine-injured children , chronic disease , fixed income—there are many reasons why a person may feel that education is only for the financially secure .
I understand that a lot of families dealing with health issues may also have financial problems as a result .
More than once in my life , I have been financially vulnerable .
I know what it is like , and I know that when we get back on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to others or pay it forward .
To ensure that what I teach is accessible to all , I am pleased to offer a Pay-What-You-Can-Afford-Model .
To access this scholarship please email me at [ email protected ] in confidence , and we can individualize a price that works for everyone .
My promise is that no one will be left out of my courses because of a lack of funds .
If you wish to pay it forward and gift a course to a friend or stranger , you can do that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If you have any questions prior to the course start ( January 22 , 2020 ) , send me an email or watch for a Facebook Live presentation on Monday January 20 , 2020 .
Donna is a homeopath , online educational teacher and is also available as a workshop consultant , speaker and writer .
Donna is the founder and owner of Powers of Homeopathy and publisher of Homeopathy First Magazine .
As a homeopath and educator , Donna provides information about infectious childhood illnesses and teaches parents how to use homeopathic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of infectious childhood illness are happening more frequently worldwide .
In an emergency , having a system of medicine that will support healing at home is critical .
In epidemics and pandemics ( especially in viral outbreaks ) conventional medical support will be limited .

January 17, 2020
Last week TMR mom JuicyFruit wrote a blog on “My Alternative Medicine Kit.” I would like to build on her work and offer an important addition: a Schuessler Twelve Tissue Cell Salt Kit. These tissue salts go by several names: cell salts, tissue salts, biochemic salts, bio-chemic gems, and Bioplasma.
What Are Cell Salts?
Have you heard of them? When I asked people “What was your first experience with Schuessler tissue cell salts?” the replies ranged from “I have never heard of them,” to “cell salts help with headaches, overcoming hot summers, after surgeries, against fatigue and after illness. I LOVE them! For my family and my pets.” These are some other responses that can give you some idea of what cell salts can do:
Ferrum Phos, for low iron Mag Phos for leg cramps Helping with remineralizing teeth My first experience was with a tissue salt combo called 5-Phos (Calc Phos, Ferrum Phos, Kali Phos, Mag Phos, and Nat Phos), which my chiropractor (at the time) recommended as a nerve tonic while I weaned from an antidepressant 10 years ago! I was introduced to cell salts during my study of homeopathy and wanted to learn more, so I have continued with self study. I couldn’t imagine being without them now.
As a homeopath and online educator, I am well aware of just how intimidating it can be to purchase a homeopathic remedy kit and then look at your 36 or 40 remedies and go “Huh . . . what is this remedy for? Or this one?”
With the Schuessler Kit, you have only 12 little remedies to learn, and once you have mastered them, you will be able to use them for everything from menstrual pain to ear infections, bone spurs to coughs and colds, and support for brittle bones, hair, and nails. You can even use them in pregnancy to help maintain the health of both mother and the developing baby.
Quick Cell Salt Tip: Have the flu this year and it left you feeling “down”? If the flu left you feeling exhausted and worn out, you can take Kali Phos to help you recharge and regain your energy.
How Do These Twelve Salts Do So Much to Support and Maintain Self-Healing?
Cell salts were and are, much like homeopathy, ahead of their time. Only in this last decade has there been so much interest in an information on the microbiome, the importance of health at the cellular level, and how to self-heal at the cellular level.
Dr. Schuessler was an outstanding intellect of the late nineteenth century: a doctor of medicine, a homeopath, a physiological chemist and a physicist who was well ahead of his time. His goal was to make homeopathy simpler. He developed his unique system of cellular therapy using biochemistry. Dr. Schuessler found that there are 12 basic inorganic minerals present in the body which he called “tissue salts.”
Tissue salts are specially prepared micro-doses of essential minerals. These minerals are important for the functioning and health of the body; if deficiency or imbalance occurs, common ailments or illness may result. These 12 tissue salts address the cellular mineral deficiencies and imbalances which can lead to illness, making this a useful, simple system to support self-healing.
Are Cell Salts the Same as Homeopathy?
Similar . . . but different.
Cell salts are prepared in the same way as the homeopathic pharmacy process—trituration (grinding) and dilution. Unlike high-potency homeopathic remedies, however, the trituration and dilution process leaves trace amounts of the mineral in the final product. Instead of a pure material substance like calcium, which can be difficult to digest, you have a “potentized” version that is much easier to assimilate at the cellular level. As the cells heal, so the unhealthy state resolves.
Quick Cell Salt Tip: Low Iron? How many have had the experience of low iron in the blood? And how many have taken iron supplements only to realize one of the side effects: constipation? With the micro-dose of Ferrum Phos in tissue salt form along with Calcarea Phos in tissue-salt form, you can help restore iron levels at the cellular level—without the constipation.
Cell salts can be used as an adjunct to help support the whole person while they are under a homeopath’s care for constitutional treatment. Miranda Castro, an eminent homeopath and teacher, likes to call cell salts the “supplements of the homeopathic world.” This means that as a home prescriber, you can use the cell salts safely and effectively for any acute illness (short term with a beginning, middle, and end, such as colds, sore throat, flu, headaches, menstrual cramps, or ear infections) while on constitutional support. Be sure to let your homeopath know, though.
One main difference between homeopathy and cell salts is that cell salts are based on Schuessler’s theory of mineral deficiency at the cellular level. Homeopathy, however, is based on the tenet of “like cures like”—a triturated and diluted substance can be used to treat the same symptoms that the substance would cause in a healthy person. This is more a matching of symptoms in the person— whether chronic (ongoing illness like fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, heart disease, or diabetes) or acute—to the symptoms associated with the remedy.
The homeopathic materia medica includes over 3,000 remedies. Schuessler isolated twelve cell salt remedies. While tissue salts are obviously less specific, you can imagine how much easier it is to learn how to use the tissue salts than even the 30–40 remedies in the average homeopathy kit.
If all this sounds intriguing to you, I am offering a course “The Schuessler Twelve Tissue Salts” by popular demand from former participants in some of my other homeopathy courses.
Follow this link for all the finer details—dates, times, and orientation class. The cost? $57.00 USD (early registration before January 22, 2020) for 14-15 weeks of lessons. After January 22, 2020 the cost is $77.00 USD.
I have been on a mission to get a homeopathic remedy kit in every home and to teach home prescribers how to use their remedies safely and successfully for acute illnesses (even epidemics or pandemics) and accidents, whether at home or traveling. I have since expanded my mission to include a Twelve Tissue Salt kit in every home!
I intentionally keep the cost of all my courses to a minimum. For some folks, even this may still be out of reach financially. Vets, retired folks, families with vaccine-injured children, chronic disease, fixed income—there are many reasons why a person may feel that education is only for the financially secure.
I understand that a lot of families dealing with health issues may also have financial problems as a result. More than once in my life, I have been financially vulnerable. I know what it is like, and I know that when we get back on our feet, we joyfully give back to others or pay it forward.
To ensure that what I teach is accessible to all, I am pleased to offer a Pay-What-You-Can-Afford-Model. To access this scholarship please email me at [email protected] in confidence, and we can individualize a price that works for everyone.
My promise is that no one will be left out of my courses because of a lack of funds.
If you wish to pay it forward and gift a course to a friend or stranger, you can do that too, with gratitude and thanks.
If you have any questions prior to the course start (January 22, 2020), send me an email or watch for a Facebook Live presentation on Monday January 20, 2020.
~ Donna Powers, DCH www.powersofhomeopathy.com
Donna is a homeopath, online educational teacher and is also available as a workshop consultant, speaker and writer. Donna is the founder and owner of Powers of Homeopathy and publisher of Homeopathy First Magazine.
As a homeopath and educator, Donna provides information about infectious childhood illnesses and teaches parents how to use homeopathic remedies to help support self-healing. Outbreaks of infectious childhood illness are happening more frequently worldwide. In an emergency, having a system of medicine that will support healing at home is critical. In epidemics and pandemics (especially in viral outbreaks) conventional medical support will be limited.
Disclaimer


thinkingmomsrevolution--2020-01-13--Your Perception of My Story Is Irrelevant

Does the post-holiday season have you down ?
If so , I get it .
Who else has had their dreams for the new year stomped on by those who are supposed to love you the most ?
I was determined to change my life for the better by erasing bad habits and nurturing positive , healthy approaches to life .
But after all of the present-giving and carol-singing this past holiday I was punted right out of my happy vibe orbit , and I found myself floating helplessly in a space of haunting emotions .
Turing 40 this past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new improved version of myself ; a person who easily threw away old adjectives that no longer described me .
I don ’ t want to be so sensitive .
So now I brush things off and refuse to let the critics occupy my mind .
I don ’ t want to be a doormat .
So now I see people for who they are , and I set up boundaries accordingly .
Transforming isn ’ t easy .
It takes focus and commitment to the change each and every day .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
My whole adult life I struggled to understand how to be a forgiving person without being used and taken for granted .
This time last year , after a lousy 2018 holiday season , I put up a boundary that was long overdue .
I realized , with the help of some fantastic friends , that I could forgive the words and actions , not hold anger in my heart , and at the same time refuse to put myself in the position to be hurt again .
Unfortunately , a close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hateful comments about me and my children , resulting in a firm boundary being set in place .
Criticizing me for how I look , my religion , or my life choices hurts my feelings as it would many of us—I ’ ve had to work daily to thicken my skin—but when someone attacks my children , the gloves come off and the “ mama bear ” inside is awakened .
I wonder how many of you are like this , too .
Especially if you have a child with special needs .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a perfect scene for scrutiny and gossip , although I ’ ve witnessed it other times as well .
Last year ’ s voiced observation was about my youngest son , whose special needs are not as obvious as my oldest .
He has progressed and regressed , and progressed and regressed , as often happens with kids like him .
This family member accused me of fabricating his challenges and creating an adult who could not care for himself , due to my sheltering and enabling .
Any parent could imagine my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feel the deep stab of pain even more so , as if it were their own family ’ s criticism of their child and their parenting .
But maybe only those who have a severely disabled child and a child who is less noticeably affected could completely understand why these comments are so devastating .
We parents of obviously affected children know what it is like to mourn the future of our child .
We know all about planning for a future where our child never leaves home , and we know the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to them when we die .
We also know what it ’ s like to hope with every ounce of our being that our other children will progress and meet the milestones and achievements that our obviously affected child never will .
We envision graduations , weddings , and grandchildren .
We want them to have it all .
Why would we ever want or wish the kind of limitations one child has on another child ?
Parents of special needs children often walk around with a broken heart .
With every breath @ @ @ @ @ @ @ little more .
Every graduation party , wedding , baby announcement , trophy or award , we are sliced up inside , barely surviving , yet we continue to act like everything is okay .
We can ’ t afford to fall apart ; our kids need us .
My holiday buzz this past December was ruined by other judgmental family members who told me I was being unreasonable for enforcing the boundary I had set .
In fact , they thought she was right .
They attribute my youngest ’ s behavior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the fact he has a disabled brother .
But if the critics took the time to ask about his childhood , they would come to understand that this child has always had the greatest share of my attention , because he has always been a much more challenging child to raise .
He was more defiant , argumentative , and more needy .
My oldest son has learned to be independent in ways my youngest son has still not conquered .
People who have no idea the life we have lived need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ themselves .
Most people don ’ t know the sleepless nights , the buckets of tears cried , or the guilt that rings so loudly in our ears that we can barely function day to day .
Warrior parents know : What should I have done better ?
What should I do now ?
My heart is constantly mourning what could have or should have been .
So for those of you reading this and thinking of someone you know , whom you believe to be inventing their child ’ s challenges , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there may be more to the situation than you know .
Ask kind questions so that you might be able to better understand and offer comfort rather than what you might think are obvious solutions .
Because it can be heartbreaking and life-crushing to know your child will remain like a ten-year-old forever .
Regardless , you love them unconditionally and couldn ’ t imagine life without them .
You work yourself to the point of exhaustion to get them as independent as possible—you love and celebrate each and every little gain !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives a life like this could ever keep a child they raise from progressing on purpose , or choose to magnify their weaknesses .
Warrior parents have one mode—and that is to travel the road to success one small step at a time .
Let ’ s stop assuming we know everything about other people ’ s lives and have some compassion .
Why is this so hard to remember this time of year ?
Do you feed the homeless , or buy gifts for a struggling family yet forget to show love @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Just because my children are adults , doesn ’ t mean they are done progressing .
We are working on goals every day , just as we always have .
And just because we haven ’ t met your criteria of success—on your timeline—doesn ’ t make you right , and it doesn ’ t negate our journey or our successes .
We will continue to work as long as I am on this earth .
My resolution to improve who I am and how I handle difficult situations is steadfast and immovable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perception of my story is irrelevant .
For more by Green Bean Girl , click here .

January 13, 2020
Does the post-holiday season have you down? If so, I get it. Who else has had their dreams for the new year stomped on by those who are supposed to love you the most?
I was determined to change my life for the better by erasing bad habits and nurturing positive, healthy approaches to life. But after all of the present-giving and carol-singing this past holiday I was punted right out of my happy vibe orbit, and I found myself floating helplessly in a space of haunting emotions.
Turing 40 this past October year was a chance for a new improved version of myself; a person who easily threw away old adjectives that no longer described me.
I don’t want to be so sensitive. So now I brush things off and refuse to let the critics occupy my mind.
I don’t want to be a doormat. So now I see people for who they are, and I set up boundaries accordingly.
Transforming isn’t easy. It takes focus and commitment to the change each and every day. And the results are worth all the effort.
My whole adult life I struggled to understand how to be a forgiving person without being used and taken for granted. This time last year, after a lousy 2018 holiday season, I put up a boundary that was long overdue. I realized, with the help of some fantastic friends, that I could forgive the words and actions, not hold anger in my heart, and at the same time refuse to put myself in the position to be hurt again.
Unfortunately, a close family member had crossed the line with hateful comments about me and my children, resulting in a firm boundary being set in place.
Criticizing me for how I look, my religion, or my life choices hurts my feelings as it would many of us—I’ve had to work daily to thicken my skin—but when someone attacks my children, the gloves come off and the “mama bear” inside is awakened. I wonder how many of you are like this, too. Especially if you have a child with special needs.
Holiday gatherings with family tends to create a perfect scene for scrutiny and gossip, although I’ve witnessed it other times as well.
Last year’s voiced observation was about my youngest son, whose special needs are not as obvious as my oldest. He has progressed and regressed, and progressed and regressed, as often happens with kids like him. This family member accused me of fabricating his challenges and creating an adult who could not care for himself, due to my sheltering and enabling.
Any parent could imagine my offense. Parents of special needs children feel the deep stab of pain even more so, as if it were their own family’s criticism of their child and their parenting.
But maybe only those who have a severely disabled child and a child who is less noticeably affected could completely understand why these comments are so devastating.
We parents of obviously affected children know what it is like to mourn the future of our child. We know all about planning for a future where our child never leaves home, and we know the dreaded fear of wondering what will happen to them when we die.
We also know what it’s like to hope with every ounce of our being that our other children will progress and meet the milestones and achievements that our obviously affected child never will. We envision graduations, weddings, and grandchildren. We want them to have it all.
Why would we ever want or wish the kind of limitations one child has on another child?
Parents of special needs children often walk around with a broken heart. With every breath, the shards inside us cut a little more. Every graduation party, wedding, baby announcement, trophy or award, we are sliced up inside, barely surviving, yet we continue to act like everything is okay. We can’t afford to fall apart; our kids need us.
My holiday buzz this past December was ruined by other judgmental family members who told me I was being unreasonable for enforcing the boundary I had set. In fact, they thought she was right. They attribute my youngest’s behavior to attention-seeking, justifying their stance solely on the fact he has a disabled brother. But if the critics took the time to ask about his childhood, they would come to understand that this child has always had the greatest share of my attention, because he has always been a much more challenging child to raise. He was more defiant, argumentative, and more needy. My oldest son has learned to be independent in ways my youngest son has still not conquered.
People who have no idea the life we have lived need to keep their opinions and assumptions to themselves.
Most people don’t know the sleepless nights, the buckets of tears cried, or the guilt that rings so loudly in our ears that we can barely function day to day. Warrior parents know: What should I have done better? What should I do now?
My heart is constantly mourning what could have or should have been.
So for those of you reading this and thinking of someone you know, whom you believe to be inventing their child’s challenges, I urge you to ask yourself if there may be more to the situation than you know. Ask kind questions so that you might be able to better understand and offer comfort rather than what you might think are obvious solutions.
Because it can be heartbreaking and life-crushing to know your child will remain like a ten-year-old forever. Regardless, you love them unconditionally and couldn’t imagine life without them. You work yourself to the point of exhaustion to get them as independent as possible—you love and celebrate each and every little gain! There is no way a person who lives a life like this could ever keep a child they raise from progressing on purpose, or choose to magnify their weaknesses. Warrior parents have one mode—and that is to travel the road to success one small step at a time.
Let’s stop assuming we know everything about other people’s lives and have some compassion. Why is this so hard to remember this time of year? Do you feed the homeless, or buy gifts for a struggling family yet forget to show love and understanding to your own family?
Just because my children are adults, doesn’t mean they are done progressing. We are working on goals every day, just as we always have. And just because we haven’t met your criteria of success—on your timeline—doesn’t make you right, and it doesn’t negate our journey or our successes. We will continue to work as long as I am on this earth.
My resolution to improve who I am and how I handle difficult situations is steadfast and immovable.
I know my story. Your perception of my story is irrelevant.
~ Green Bean Girl
For more by Green Bean Girl, click here.


thinkingmomsrevolution--2020-01-09--How to Destroy Your Health and Your Relationship with Your Parents at the Same Time

You may have seen an article on WikiHow that ’ s been making the rounds .
I don ’ t want to tell you how to feel , but as a parent I found it deeply disturbing .
You see , the article gives step-by-step instructions for “ How to Get Vaccinated without Parental Consent.
” In other words , it encourages children to subvert their parents ’ decision to refuse powerful immune-modulating drugs with potentially devastating side effects for their children .
The article , written by an anonymous team of 13 , includes such helpful suggestions as “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parents are really bad , ” implying that the “ protection ” afforded by these drugs is better than the protection of parents who have chosen to say “ no , thanks.
” Step 2 of “ Making Plans ” would be hilarious if it weren ’ t so chilling .
It contains some unintentionally ironic language : “ Try talking to your parents .
Explain your own worries , and let them voice theirs .
Make sure that it ’ s a two-way conversation , and you show respect for their perspectives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It takes time , and often good listening skills , to change people ’ s minds.
” Much as I appreciate the exhortation to “ make sure that it ’ s a two-way conversation , ” I find the implication that “ listening ” will change a parent ’ s mind rather than the other way around both fascinating and presumptuous .
As if a 14-year-old who has gotten most of their vaccine information from the same heavily biased medical establishment that their parents grew up with has somehow done more thinking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parents—the same parents who , in most cases , have had to drastically revise their own beliefs over the years due to experiences , conversations , and scientific literature that directly contradicted their previously unquestioned beliefs .
Step 2 also suggests things to say to parents , like “ I ’ ve read about what shingles can do to the body .
I ’ m scared .
I don ’ t want that to happen to me.
” For anyone who has actually researched vaccines , that statement alone is a groaner .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , shingles , a re-activation of the same virus ( varicella ) is more likely to be painful or even dangerous .
But the authors don ’ t mention that minors rarely got shingles before the introduction of the varicella vaccine .
While anyone who has been exposed to varicella virus ( naturally or through the vaccine ) is theoretically susceptible to shingles , historically , few people other than senior citizens with little-to-no contact with children actually got shingles .
Since the advent of the varicella vaccine , however , the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fewer and fewer adults are getting the associated immunity boost .
It ’ s not clear yet if it ’ s a result of widespread use of the varicella vaccine , but since the vaccine was licensed shingles cases have been continuously rising in almost all age groups in the countries who vaccinate against chickenpox ( including the U.S. , Germany , and Canada ) —and such an increase was predicted when varicella vaccination was adopted .
There are two vaccines specifically intended to prevent shingles now , but they are not even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for them .
The more recent vaccine , Shingrix , is a live-virus vaccine .
[ Edit : A reader has pointed out that I got the shingles vaccines backwards : Zostavax , the older vaccine , is the live-virus one .
Shingrix is a “ non-live recombinant , AS01Badjuvanted ” vaccine .
( Don ’ t get me started on adjuvants ; that ’ s a blog for another day . )
This just goes to prove my frequent refrain : No one gets it all right .
Don ’ t take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not even mine .
Read the sources ! ]
As the insert states it is “ indicated for prevention of herpes zoster ( shingles ) in adults aged 50 years and older.
” The insert also explicitly states that “ safety and effectiveness in individuals younger than 18 have not been established.
” So , I ask you , how exactly is getting vaccinated without parental consent supposed to help a teenager avoid getting shingles ?
That recommendation/justification is incredibly reckless , ignorant , or both .
And these people are advising our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Your Parents Are Idiots Step 2 also suggests saying “ I understand that people are saying a lot of scary things , and that it can be hard to figure out what ’ s true and what isn ’ t true .
I know it must be difficult for you.
” Is there a parent on earth who would not gag hearing such a patronizing statement come from their child ?
It must be difficult for me , you say ?
Yeah , I suppose it was difficult for me forty years ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve gotten a college education ( with a major in physics , by the way ) , read hundreds of scientific studies , met thousands of people who have experienced severe vaccine reactions , and read a hell of a lot of mainstream material that obviously misrepresents the facts .
So , while I can understand that it would be difficult for a teenager who has only had access to information that is officially sanctioned ( i.e.
, unlikely to lower vaccine rates ) to “ figure out the truth ” —no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for me anymore , thank you very much .
And how exactly does patronizing one ’ s parents “ show respect for their perspectives ” ?
Step 3 of “ Making Plans , ” though , is the pièce de résistance .
The authors baldly state , “ You are allowed to lie to your parents , ” and suggest “ you could pretend that you want to know if you ’ re at risk for ‘ vaccine injury.
’ ” I just love the quotations implying that vaccine injury doesn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But more important is the fact that these anonymous cretins are suggesting that a child be deliberately dishonest , and then they have the nerve to further suggest in Step 6 that it is the parent who is unworthy of trust : “ Try asking a school counselor , school nurse , parent of a friend , family friend , doctor , or other trusted adult if they can help out , ” they say , implying , of course , that the child should not trust their parents .
Step 2 gets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is “ okay ” to tell parents : “ If your parents are distrustful , prepare your cover story especially well , ” the authors say , implying that parents are at fault for being “ distrustful ” of the child who is now specifically planning to violate their trust .
The logic of this is astounding .
It is akin to saying , “ If your parents are smart enough to suspect that you are lying to them , then lie better.
” Pretending No One Is Ever Really Hurt by Vaccines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is disgusting no matter what side of this argument you may find yourself on at any particular time—it doesn ’ t even approach the horrors of section three : “ Handling Any Aftermath.
” At least the authors mention the potential for a few days of “ mild side effects , ” but nowhere do they discuss what to do if those side effects are not “ mild.
” Nor do they suggest what to do when their parents inevitably receive the doctor ’ s bills or the insurance company ’ s explanation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by that time the authors will have achieved their objective .
Why should they care what happens next ?
Adolescence is hard .
It ’ s even harder when complicated by neurological issues , as it so often is these days .
( Keep an eye out for the upcoming TMR book on Autism and Puberty . )
Successfully navigating adolescence in today ’ s world requires a great deal of open communication between parent and child .
That goes triple when there are serious health concerns .
What are children supposed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going behind their parents ’ backs , they develop encephalitis ( a known side effect of all pertussis and MMR vaccines ) ?
Or Guillain-Barré syndrome ( a polio-like paralysis and known side effect of flu vaccines ) ?
Or rheumatoid arthritis , thrombocytopenic purpura , type 1 diabetes , or any one of the other more than 100 other autoimmune conditions reported after vaccination ?
How is the parent who has been kept in the dark supposed to handle the mysterious , sudden disability of a previously athletic teenager ?
And when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the truth about what was done to them ?
In the emergency room with doctors mystified by brain swelling “ out of the blue ” ?
Or months later when attempting to relearn how to walk or talk ?
Or never because an anaphylactic reaction took them by surprise and they didn ’ t make it to an emergency room ?
None of this is covered in the article .
That ’ s because the authors don ’ t care at all—I was tempted to put that far more crudely—what actually happens to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
What to Do If You Are Caught Lying But the authors do give three suggestions to use as justifications for one ’ s actions if a parent does find out what their child has been up to : • “ I read about meningitis , and how quickly it can kill someone .
It was scary .
I don ’ t want to live with that fear hanging over my head .
I know that you may not approve .
I did this to give myself peace of mind.
” • “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t be turned autistic twice .
But I could die of polio , and I ’ d really rather not.
” • “ I want to be a mom someday .
Vaccine-preventable diseases can kill a baby in the womb .
I did this to protect my ability to have children in the future.
” I ’ m going to go over all three of these because our young people deserve better than this overt emotional manipulation .
They deserve to know the truth about the risks they face .
Meningitis can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why it ’ s vitally important to know the symptoms of a serious bacterial meningitis infection ( sudden fever , headache , and stiff neck ) and get help immediately .
However , it is also true that bacterial meningitis is very rare with only about 2,600 cases per year in the whole country , 70 % of which are in children under 5 .
That leaves approximately 780 cases for all the older children this WikiHow is aimed at and young adults .
There were 73.7 million children aged 0-17 in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of which are under 5 .
That means that an older child ’ s risk of contracting bacterial meningitis is significantly less than 1 in 6,844 .
None of the available vaccines covers all types of bacteria that can cause meningitis , and all of the vaccines have “ serious adverse event ” rates of at least 1 % in teens—which means that they are at least 68 times more likely to get sick enough for a hospital visit from just one dose of vaccine than they are from meningitis itself .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extent possible by vaccination ( there are lifestyle things you can do to reduce the risk as well ) , you would have to get six doses altogether of three vaccines , one of which is not even recommended for all teenagers—and you could still die of meningitis !
The truth is , much as we would all like for our “ peace of mind ” to be able to prevent any risk of infectious disease , it is simply not possible .
And vaccinations used to avoid infection can—and often do—have very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m Already Autistic and I ’ m Afraid of Polio This blatant attempt to exploit the autistic population is more than a little infuriating .
First off , no , you can ’ t “ die of polio ” —unless you ’ re traveling internationally on your own as well as vaccinating on your own .
No one has even had a case of non-vaccine-strain polio in this country since the 1970s .
Secondly , you can indeed worsen the neurological issues associated with autism through vaccination .
If you don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ families of children with autism , you should .
It is irresponsible and shameful to exploit medically vulnerable teenagers in this fashion .
3 .
I Want to Have Children Someday Bad as numbers one and two are , three may be the worst of all .
Yes , “ vaccine-preventable diseases can kill a baby , ” but science is indicating that it may be the immune activation associated with the illness rather than the illness itself that is the problem—immune activation of the very sort that vaccination induces .
In addition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high rates of infertility in young women who receive it .
Needless to say , none of the authors ’ suggestions is going to make life bearable for either a child injured by a round of illicit vaccines or a parent who has been lied to about—and must deal with—said injury .
But that ’ s not their problem ; their only concern is to increase vaccination rates because they side with the CDC and pharmaceutical companies .
We all know that the CDC and pharmaceutical companies would like to increase uptake for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regardless of the risks to any particular individual .
We also know that they are by no means beyond using propaganda and emotional manipulation to achieve that end , even if it comes straight from the Nazi playbook .
But in an era of rampant immune-mediated chronic illness and low rates of infectious disease mortality , that is lousy public health policy .
And teaching children to be dishonest and violate their parents ’ trust is lousy for everything else .
If we care about our children ’ s health—and we want them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s up to us parents .
We need to do everything we can to make sure that our children are not vulnerable to the kind of blatant propaganda being promulgated by the management team at WikiHow .
To do that we need to nurture our relationships with our kids right now , even when it ’ s hard—no , especially when it ’ s hard—making sure they understand the value of honesty and trust , when it comes to both their lives and our society as a whole .
For more by @ @ @ @ @

January 9, 2020
You may have seen an article on WikiHow that’s been making the rounds. I don’t want to tell you how to feel, but as a parent I found it deeply disturbing.
You see, the article gives step-by-step instructions for “How to Get Vaccinated without Parental Consent.”
In other words, it encourages children to subvert their parents’ decision to refuse powerful immune-modulating drugs with potentially devastating side effects for their children.
The article, written by an anonymous team of 13, includes such helpful suggestions as “Petition the court for emancipation if your parents are really bad,” implying that the “protection” afforded by these drugs is better than the protection of parents who have chosen to say “no, thanks.”
Listening Will Change Your Parents’ Minds
Step 2 of “Making Plans” would be hilarious if it weren’t so chilling.
It contains some unintentionally ironic language: “Try talking to your parents. Explain your own worries, and let them voice theirs. Make sure that it’s a two-way conversation, and you show respect for their perspectives (even when they frustrate you). It takes time, and often good listening skills, to change people’s minds.”
Much as I appreciate the exhortation to “make sure that it’s a two-way conversation,” I find the implication that “listening” will change a parent’s mind rather than the other way around both fascinating and presumptuous. As if a 14-year-old who has gotten most of their vaccine information from the same heavily biased medical establishment that their parents grew up with has necessarily done more thinking and research on the subject than those parents—the same parents who, in most cases, have had to drastically revise their own beliefs over the years due to experiences, conversations, and scientific literature that directly contradicted their previously unquestioned beliefs.
I Want to Avoid Shingles
Step 2 also suggests things to say to parents, like “I’ve read about what shingles can do to the body. I’m scared. I don’t want that to happen to me.” For anyone who has actually researched vaccines, that statement alone is a groaner.
While chickenpox is very rarely a problem, shingles, a re-activation of the same virus (varicella) is more likely to be painful or even dangerous. But the authors don’t mention that minors rarely got shingles before the introduction of the varicella vaccine.
While anyone who has been exposed to varicella virus (naturally or through the vaccine) is theoretically susceptible to shingles, historically, few people other than senior citizens with little-to-no contact with children actually got shingles.
Since the advent of the varicella vaccine, however, the virus is no longer in general circulation and fewer and fewer adults are getting the associated immunity boost. It’s not clear yet if it’s a result of widespread use of the varicella vaccine, but since the vaccine was licensed shingles cases have been continuously rising in almost all age groups in the countries who vaccinate against chickenpox (including the U.S. , Germany, and Canada)—and such an increase was predicted when varicella vaccination was adopted.
There are two vaccines specifically intended to prevent shingles now, but they are not even approved for children, much less recommended for them.
The more recent vaccine, Shingrix, is a live-virus vaccine. [Edit: A reader has pointed out that I got the shingles vaccines backwards: Zostavax, the older vaccine, is the live-virus one. Shingrix is a “non-live recombinant, AS01B adjuvanted” vaccine. (Don’t get me started on adjuvants; that’s a blog for another day.) This just goes to prove my frequent refrain: No one gets it all right. Don’t take anyone’s word for it, not even mine. Read the sources!] As the insert states it is “indicated for prevention of herpes zoster (shingles) in adults aged 50 years and older.”
The insert also explicitly states that “safety and effectiveness in individuals younger than 18 have not been established.”
So, I ask you, how exactly is getting vaccinated without parental consent supposed to help a teenager avoid getting shingles?
That recommendation/justification is incredibly reckless, ignorant, or both.
And these people are advising our children?
Start with the Assumption that Your Parents Are Idiots
Step 2 also suggests saying “I understand that people are saying a lot of scary things, and that it can be hard to figure out what’s true and what isn’t true. I know it must be difficult for you.”
Is there a parent on earth who would not gag hearing such a patronizing statement come from their child?
It must be difficult for me, you say?
Yeah, I suppose it was difficult for me forty years ago . . . but since then I’ve gotten a college education (with a major in physics, by the way), read hundreds of scientific studies, met thousands of people who have experienced severe vaccine reactions, and read a hell of a lot of mainstream material that obviously misrepresents the facts.
So, while I can understand that it would be difficult for a teenager who has only had access to information that is officially sanctioned (i.e., unlikely to lower vaccine rates) to “figure out the truth”—no, it’s not particularly difficult for me anymore, thank you very much.
And how exactly does patronizing one’s parents “show respect for their perspectives”?
Be Untrustworthy
Step 3 of “Making Plans,” though, is the pièce de résistance. The authors baldly state, “You are allowed to lie to your parents,” and suggest “you could pretend that you want to know if you’re at risk for ‘vaccine injury.’ ”
I just love the quotations implying that vaccine injury doesn’t exist, don’t you?
But more important is the fact that these anonymous cretins are suggesting that a child be deliberately dishonest, and then they have the nerve to further suggest in Step 6 that it is the parent who is unworthy of trust: “Try asking a school counselor, school nurse, parent of a friend, family friend, doctor, or other trusted adult if they can help out,” they say, implying, of course, that the child should not trust their parents.
Step 2 gets much more specific about the lies it is “okay” to tell parents: “If your parents are distrustful, prepare your cover story especially well,” the authors say, implying that parents are at fault for being “distrustful” of the child who is now specifically planning to violate their trust.
The logic of this is astounding. It is akin to saying, “If your parents are smart enough to suspect that you are lying to them, then lie better.”
Pretending No One Is Ever Really Hurt by Vaccines
Disgusting as all of this is—and it is disgusting no matter what side of this argument you may find yourself on at any particular time—it doesn’t even approach the horrors of section three: “Handling Any Aftermath.”
At least the authors mention the potential for a few days of “mild side effects,” but nowhere do they discuss what to do if those side effects are not “mild.” Nor do they suggest what to do when their parents inevitably receive the doctor’s bills or the insurance company’s explanation of benefits. That’s because by that time the authors will have achieved their objective. Why should they care what happens next?
Adolescence is hard. It’s even harder when complicated by neurological issues, as it so often is these days. (Keep an eye out for the upcoming TMR book on Autism and Puberty.) Successfully navigating adolescence in today’s world requires a great deal of open communication between parent and child. That goes triple when there are serious health concerns.
What are children supposed to do if, as a result of going behind their parents’ backs, they develop encephalitis (a known side effect of all pertussis and MMR vaccines)?
Or Guillain-Barré syndrome (a polio-like paralysis and known side effect of flu vaccines)?
Or rheumatoid arthritis, thrombocytopenic purpura, type 1 diabetes, or any one of the other more than 100 other autoimmune conditions reported after vaccination?
How is the parent who has been kept in the dark supposed to handle the mysterious, sudden disability of a previously athletic teenager?
And when does the child break down and tell the truth about what was done to them? In the emergency room with doctors mystified by brain swelling “out of the blue”? Or months later when attempting to relearn how to walk or talk? Or never because an anaphylactic reaction took them by surprise and they didn’t make it to an emergency room?
None of this is covered in the article. That’s because the authors don’t care at all—I was tempted to put that far more crudely—what actually happens to the kids who follow their terrible advice.
What to Do If You Are Caught Lying
But the authors do give three suggestions to use as justifications for one’s actions if a parent does find out what their child has been up to:
“I read about meningitis, and how quickly it can kill someone. It was scary. I don’t want to live with that fear hanging over my head. I know that you may not approve. I did this to give myself peace of mind.” “I’m autistic. I can’t be turned autistic twice. But I could die of polio, and I’d really rather not.” “I want to be a mom someday. Vaccine-preventable diseases can kill a baby in the womb. I did this to protect my ability to have children in the future.”
I’m going to go over all three of these because our young people deserve better than this overt emotional manipulation. They deserve to know the truth about the risks they face.
1. Real Meningitis Risks
Meningitis can indeed kill quickly. That’s why it’s vitally important to know the symptoms of a serious bacterial meningitis infection (sudden fever, headache, and stiff neck) and get help immediately. However, it is also true that bacterial meningitis is very rare with only about 2,600 cases per year in the whole country, 70% of which are in children under 5. That leaves approximately 780 cases for all the older children this WikiHow is aimed at and young adults. There were 73.7 million children aged 0-17 in the U.S. in 2017, about 20 million of which are under 5. That means that an older child’s risk of contracting bacterial meningitis is significantly less than 1 in 6,844.
None of the available vaccines covers all types of bacteria that can cause meningitis, and all of the vaccines have “serious adverse event” rates of at least 1% in teens—which means that they are at least 68 times more likely to get sick enough for a hospital visit from just one dose of vaccine than they are from meningitis itself. In order to protect yourself to the fullest extent possible by vaccination (there are lifestyle things you can do to reduce the risk as well), you would have to get six doses altogether of three vaccines, one of which is not even recommended for all teenagers—and you could still die of meningitis!
The truth is, much as we would all like for our “peace of mind” to be able to prevent any risk of infectious disease, it is simply not possible. And vaccinations used to avoid infection can—and often do—have very serious consequences.
2. I’m Already Autistic and I’m Afraid of Polio
This blatant attempt to exploit the autistic population is more than a little infuriating.
First off, no, you can’t “die of polio”—unless you’re traveling internationally on your own as well as vaccinating on your own. No one has even had a case of non-vaccine-strain polio in this country since the 1970s.
Secondly, you can indeed worsen the neurological issues associated with autism through vaccination. If you don’t know that autoimmunity runs rampant in the families of children with autism, you should. It is irresponsible and shameful to exploit medically vulnerable teenagers in this fashion.
3. I Want to Have Children Someday
Bad as numbers one and two are, three may be the worst of all.
Yes, “vaccine-preventable diseases can kill a baby,” but science is indicating that it may be the immune activation associated with the illness rather than the illness itself that is the problem—immune activation of the very sort that vaccination induces. In addition, one particular vaccine may be causing high rates of infertility in young women who receive it.
Needless to say, none of the authors’ suggestions is going to make life bearable for either a child injured by a round of illicit vaccines or a parent who has been lied to about—and must deal with—said injury. But that’s not the authors’ problem; their only concern is to increase vaccination rates because they side with the CDC and pharmaceutical companies.
We all know that the CDC and pharmaceutical companies would like to increase uptake for each and every vaccine out there, regardless of the risks to any particular individual. We also know that they are by no means beyond using propaganda and emotional manipulation to achieve that end, even if it comes straight from the Nazi playbook.
But in an era of rampant immune-mediated chronic illness and low rates of infectious disease mortality, that is lousy public health policy.
And teaching children to be dishonest and violate their parents’ trust is lousy for everything else.
If we care about our children’s health—and we want them to care about it as well— it’s up to us parents.
We need to do everything we can to make sure that our children are not vulnerable to the kind of blatant propaganda being promulgated by the management team at WikiHow.
To do that we need to nurture our relationships with our kids right now, even when it’s hard—no, especially when it’s hard—making sure they understand the value of honesty and trust, when it comes to both their lives and our society as a whole.
~ Zoey O’Toole
For more by Professor, click here.