Look Both Ways First
Yes—what with the poll over at Larry King Live asking if you believe that vaccines cause or contribute to autism; and the CNN report tonight; and the fact that all I had to do while standing in line at the store with two bottles of melatonin, sushi and watermelon for Charlie, and my eco-friendly “carry your own bag” shopping bag was to turn around and behold! there was the headline “David Kirby on Autism and Vaccines” on the cover of Mothering magazine—-once again this blog, which is an autism blog, is in danger of becoming a vaccine blog, as you can see from recent past posts. For the record, I voted “NO” in the Larry King poll and I have to say that “yes” there will be more posts here about vaccines, which, one can say, have become linked in the public imagination with autism.
Me, when I hear the word vaccine, my mind flips back inextricably to a certain 7th grade boy who was, once upon a time, in my Beginning Latin class at a certain prep school in the suburbs of St. Louis, Missouri. This student was quick and—perhaps being a 7th grade boy—ADD-ish, or rather ADHD-ish: pencils, or pens, or gel pens, or fingers, or the covers of Ecce Romani! (Behold the Romans!) were always a tap-tapping on his desk and he played the same with words. “Equus is horse, Magistra Chew, so what’s cat? mouse? goat? pig is a porcus like pork and Porky Pig!” (That made the class laugh, and me too.) “What about cow, does a cow say ‘moo’ in Latin, Magistra Chew—-does a vacca moo?”
And vacca is the root word for vaccine—–and now I have my own perpetual motion machine of a boy.
Charlie’s been rubbing at his nose and coughing a bit, but so far (so far!) does not seem to have the dastardly illness I am kind of pulling myself out of. He did only eat half his lunch and, on a walk, dawdled and stamped at the dead leaves in the mud. We walked up a slight hill one way and then back down to go home, and on the return trip Charlie started to go a bit ahead. As he approached the curb, a car was coming from the left with headlights on: Charlie stopped at the curb, turned his head to the left, and looked back at me. He waited.
Ecce!
The driver kindly honked and gestured that we should go and Charlie winced and scrunched up his face. We walked home with me thinking that the program to cross the street (he’s been learning this at school) is working. At a busier street, Charlie again stopped and turned his head to the left and noted two cars pass by. Then we crossed together.
We’re far, far, from Charlie crossing the street by himself and maybe that won’t ever happen—one step at a time, and always careful to look and listen (both ways) and to stop and start again.
(And since I’m in Latin-mode, “cow moos” would be vacca mugit.)
Tags: 7th grade, add, adhd, asd, asperger, autism, cow, crossing street, latin, mercury, Parenting, pdd-nos, teachers, Vaccines
9 opinions for Look Both Ways First
dkmnow
Mar 7, 2008 at 7:16 am
Do you believe the corporate media panders to the lowest common denominator? (YES/NO)
(This is not a scientific poll.)
*headdesk*
Why did they even bother with the disclaimer? Who would know the difference these days? Even the opposition “scientist” they got on last night’s Nightline didn’t seem to know how science works: “…the fact is, vaccines don’t cause autism.” No, the fact is argument from ignorance is no more scientific than falsified data and fearmongering.
Why do I get this sinking feeling that humanity hasn’t got a prayer?
Marla
Mar 7, 2008 at 9:14 am
I am glad Charlie is not sick! A program to learn crossing the street. Wonderful! We totally struggle in that area. I don’t know if M will ever get it. Or if I will ever have the guts to let her try.
Vaccines! Ahhhhhhhhh!!!!!! I tire so of hearing about it so I can imagine you tire of studying and researching it. And yet…this issue has got to be taken care of. There is so much misinformation. If I had a dollar for every person who asked me if vaccines caused M’s Autism I would be rich. I even get asked if vaccines caused her Chromosome Disorder!!!! Are they kidding me????? So much going on in the news in this area I can’t see it all.
Bad Mommy
Mar 7, 2008 at 1:27 pm
This is the most persistent mistaken belief about autistm that I encounter among otherwise untouched individuals: that autism is caused by vaccines. That there is mercury in vaccines, and that causes it, or that the vaccines themselves cause the autism. I may mention to someone, when they wonder aloud why I can’t attend something or about some other restriction, “well, X is autistic.” To which — no joke — people will often respond “OH, isn’t that caused by vaccines/mercury in vaccines/mercury poisoning?” I almost always respond “NO, as a matter of fact, that would be the one thing that has been scientifically proven NOT to be the cause.” Depending on the setting and the person, this is followed by a short or long discussion of genetics, environmental factors, prevalence (and why people think that this is a new and growing “epidemic” and why that is wrong) — etc., ad nauseum (yes, I took Latin too!).
They have the media, and it is going to be extraordinarily difficult to win the media back. Fearmongering and sensationalism are so much sexier than plain old good science and rationalism, how can we hope to compete?
I can’t wait for the day when no autism blog needs to be a vaccine blog. When will this 9-headed monster finally die??
Kristina Chew, PhD
Mar 7, 2008 at 1:28 pm
Brett says it all.
My MIL left Jim a message to tell him that some girl in North Carolina got autism from a vaccine as proved by the government……
Emily
Mar 7, 2008 at 5:11 pm
It’s like that game, Telephone or Gossip, that kids used to play. How much will the story mutute as it passes through the filters of people with agendas through the news media through the general public through telephone calls from your MIL?
Regan
Mar 7, 2008 at 5:48 pm
*Sigh*
I am waiting for the call from my sister-in-law on the heels of this news. She is a teacher–a good one. Over the holidays she made herself a project to study up on autism…unfortunately the book that she got was the one by Jepson, et al., so by the time she talked to me it was a long tedious call about the evidence, etc.
Then in some frustration she asked, “well, how the heck can I help?”
A: Help me be as good a teacher as you are, and be as good a teacher to Eleanor as you are with your other students. Love her as you do all the other nieces and nephews.That is immeasurable help.
(But I still expect the call.)
I hope Charlie stays healthy and that you are completely better soon. Thanks for sharing about crossing the street. That rocks.
Emily
Mar 7, 2008 at 7:42 pm
Mutute? What the hell is that, anyway? I meant “mutate,” of course. Thank goodness it’s spring break because obviously, I need it.
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