That Was Then, This is Now: A Note on the Literary Corpus of Jenny McCarthy
As you’ve perhaps already heard, celeb autism mother Jenny Mccarthy has been named one of the 10 women who inspired us in 2007.
The zany blond struck a serious note this year, going public with her son’s autism diagnosis. Her book Louder Than Words: A Mother’s Journey in Healing Autism was honest, informative, down-to-earth and sometimes painful. McCarthy took a gamble, going public with her problems and shattering her fantasy image. Mothers everywhere thank her.
“Honest” and “down-to-earth,” okay, okay.
But “informative”? Only if you like your facts served up with a “zany” (read: questionable) adherence to the truth. A passage (see p. 82) that is set in 2004 or 2005 shows McCarthy looking up information on Google—-but the statistics she cites (that 1 out of 150 children has autism and that 1 in 94 boys is autistic) were released by the CDC in February 2007—-in the (now) past year. Other errors: On p. 127, she mentions a “hepatitis C vaccine” but there is no such vaccine; on p. 197, she says that CARD is the “only national organization” providing ABA: What about this provider?. Abraham Reichenberg’s research correlating older fathers and autistic children was published in September of 2006, at least a year after McCarthy claims she heard of it.
As for McCarthy “going public with her problems and shattering her fantasy image”: I thought she already did this in this 2004 book about “what to really expect when you’re expecting” (reviewed on review on Bookslut, who comments—in reference to a certain aspect of the female anatomy, but the phrase applies to McCarthy’s views on pregnancy and more: “She doesn’t give a damn about real”). And then there was this 2006 book about being the mother of a baby and “moving on” and also this 2005 book about being the “first year of mommyhood” and then, just to cite the whole corpus, Jen-X (1997).
With books published in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, I guess 2008 is going to bring another volume of the McCarthy annals (Autism Laughs?……..). But I’m not one for predictions, so I’ll wait and see.
In the meantime, I’ve noted some other errors in Louder Than Words: A Mother’s Journey in Healing Autism and will write about those soon.
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POSTED IN: Baby, Books, History, Parenting, Treatment, Vaccines
77 opinions for That Was Then, This is Now: A Note on the Literary Corpus of Jenny McCarthy
Emily
Jan 1, 2008 at 6:29 pm
If only you’d had a couple of B-list celebrity flings and posed for Playboy! Then a bazillion people might read a book you author about autism and get some real information for once. Just a thought. ;) It’s too bad that fame and intelligence (or even fame and good research skills) aren’t mutually inclusive requirements.
Angelique
Jan 1, 2008 at 6:39 pm
You know, this whole book smacks of something that was rushed to print, doesn’t it? I mean, were no “fact checkers” in place at all? Guess not.
*sigh* The Hollyweird machine holds more weight than medical discoveries, doesn’t it?
I applaud you for even reading this strange book!
Angelique
Jan 1, 2008 at 6:40 pm
Okay, that was confusing… I re-read my post…
I meant that Hollyweird has more of an effect on people than does any medical discovery.
Hm… still doesn’t seem to make sense. Hope you get my meaning! My brain must have turned to mush on me…
Cliff
Jan 1, 2008 at 6:55 pm
I largely came to the similar conclusion in reading the article “10 women who inspired us in 2007″ (and while there may have been women who inspired me in 2007, McCarthy, while not an unsympathetic figure, was not one of them). I finally finished up the book and wrote about it on my site as well, and while I appreciate the position she was in, with all of the fears involved, I certainly didn’t appreciate some of those… details.
Cliff
KC'sMommy
Jan 1, 2008 at 7:43 pm
I can’t stand Jenny McCarthy. Makes my blood boil. There are many reasons why, too many to list here. Maybe Bimbo Scientist Of The Year?
Kristina Chew, PhD
Jan 1, 2008 at 9:16 pm
@Cliff—thanks for your review.
@Angelique, both comments made sense!
@Emily, alas, yes, my “connections” are most ordinary and on the other side of “famous”—-have always been in the pulling oneself up by the bootstraps mode!
@kc’s mom—maybe Google PhD award….
Regan
Jan 1, 2008 at 9:30 pm
Well, it was titled “inspired US”.
I note moms around this country who worked their keesters off to get health insurance legislation for autism passed in their states, and others who are in progress. I have noted moms on this blog and elsewhere who are working to bring issues to light in their school districts and state in the interest of improving conditions of restraint and seclusion. I note moms who have shepherded cases of appropriate placement all the way to the Supreme Court, sometimes beyond the point where it would matter for their own children. I note moms out there who reach out their hand in a first-hand way to help the families of newly diagnosed children to navigate their way through the unfamiliar, and others who show up to support others going through IEP meetings. I note moms who go through advocacy training on top their other daily responsibilities to become better informed on public policy and how to facilitate progress in that arena.
Undoubtedly more than 10, but those are the women who inspire ME.
Marla
Jan 1, 2008 at 10:18 pm
Gag. That is all I can think of to say. So many more women deserve an award more than her.
Kristina Chew, PhD
Jan 1, 2008 at 10:49 pm
Think we’re going to have to nominate a few names among the above too……..
Emily
Jan 1, 2008 at 11:41 pm
Amen, Marla. Gag, hurl, powerbleh. Good observations, Regan. It’s as much a commentary on what people find noteworthy as it is a commentary on the relevance of anything this woman did for the true benefit of people with autism.
Morgan
Jan 2, 2008 at 1:09 am
Okay, I’ll start. I nominate Loni Allen of Parents Helping Parents (www.php.com) in Santa Clara, CA for personally shepherding parents through the IEP process. She has for years, by the force of her own will, developed and operated a parent-training course in educational advocacy that has been incredibly helpful to hundreds of parents.
Parents face a system of complex rules and regulations that is stacked in favor of the school district. (And, I’m sorry to report, school districts often have strong priorities that conflict with educating our children.) Loni has helped countless parents develop the skills to effectively advocate for their children.
Liz D.
Jan 2, 2008 at 2:27 am
Well, you know what I think.
And I like what Morgan said — I’m a PHP member, but haven’t met Ms. Allen yet. But I’m training to follow in her footsteps.
Kristina Chew, PhD
Jan 2, 2008 at 2:47 am
Ok: Is it time to start our own list with Ms. Allen as the first official “nominee”?
Regan
Jan 2, 2008 at 3:42 am
My nominees are
Lori Unumb, Marcella Ridley and Lisa Rollins:
Grassroots organizers and Chairs of the
Ryan’s Law Grassroots Gang
Ryan’s Law, now 38-71-280 South Carolina Statute
Which requires treatment by health insurance coverage for anyone diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder through the age of 16, with a $50,000 maximum benefit/year.
The blog narrative presents a testimony to determinination.
http://scautisminsurancebill.blogspot.com/
resilientmom
Jan 2, 2008 at 5:02 pm
Perhaps we, who are so involved with the “A”
word, believe that Jenny McCarthy’s impact on autism made a lasting splash. I disagree.
Last month I visited a recent Barnes and Noble and asked where the book might be found……………..drumroll……………..IN THE TEENAGE READING SECTION…along with the Baby Sitter’s Club series. The clerk also informed me that there had been very little interest in requesting the book.
I stood on line, and a mother in front of me turned around and said, “I just returned it, it told me nothing”
Having made this observation, I do believe that Jenny’s 15 minutes of autism fame will fade and she will continue to enjoy Playboy bunny status, which is her right. Whether it be Candy commercials sitting on a toilet, or posing for magazines, it’s a free country.
When she speaks for autism, I worry, simply because of her lack of education on the matter.
pickel
Jan 2, 2008 at 7:14 pm
I have not bought the book simply because I can’t…can’t bring myself to do it. I have read everything out there on her and what she says about autism and it is all misleading so I suppose that is just what the book is.
I used to have respect for her (when she first started speaking out) because I thought she would do something good but all she has done is talk in circles.
Discussing Autism » Blog Archive » Jenny McCarthy in the Top Ten?
Jan 3, 2008 at 2:44 pm
[…] at Autism Vox has actually cited some errors in the “informative” text in her post: “That Was Then, This is Now…” As far as a top ten list goes how about these women? Americas North Shore Journal has a list of […]
chrisd
Jan 3, 2008 at 5:31 pm
I know that this is totally late in the game but I would like to nominate Dr. Susan Burkhardt. She is the director the psychology department at St. Xavier University in Chicago. She is a tireless, caring advocate for our kids. Due to her efforts, the students receiving psychology degrees will be informed about autism. Before her presence at the college, the students studied one page in their 4 years.
One page.
And this is one little Catholic university in Chicago.
So, I’m nominating her.
Oh, and this university is in the backyard of Ms. McCarthy’s high school alma mater.
Kristina Chew, PhD
Jan 3, 2008 at 6:52 pm
Thank you! Believe it or not, one of my colleagues at the Catholic college that I teach at used to teach at St. Xavier.
wskrz
Jan 4, 2008 at 4:54 pm
Thank you very much, everyone, for coming up with much more deserving and hard working people than Jenny that deserve the credit for “most inspiring.” These people will potentially affect the way our children (and other kids in the future) get proper coverage and care with their advocacy. Jenny only makes me have to explain to people who don’t know anything about autism that it doesn’t make people into soulless shells because of their dietary or vaccination choices.
It ticks me off to see the average mom with minimal resources having to fight the Big Guys to get what they need for their kids (education, therapy, insurance coverage or whatever) and getting absolutely no recognition or assistance, while those with the money, the connections, the status, the agent and the mouth get more attention than they deserve.
This and Last’s Weeks Top Posts
Jan 6, 2008 at 12:48 am
[…] That Was Then, This is Now: A Note on the Literary Corpus of Jenny McCarthyMore mistakes in McCarthy’s September 2007 book, Louder Than Words. […]
Kelly
Jan 12, 2008 at 12:54 am
Jenny is a Hero!! She has written the truth that someday will be proven, Vaccines are poisoning our kids!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kristina Chew, PhD
Jan 12, 2008 at 1:08 am
@wskrz—-McCarthy writes a few times words to the effect of “celebrities don’t have it so easy” and so tries to represent herself as a “regular gal”—-tries.
@Kelly—-Exposure to thimerosal, a preservative that contains ethylmercury, during childhood is not a primary cause of autism.
Kelly
Jan 12, 2008 at 3:50 am
Wow ..did you get that from the CDC? Epidemic’s are not genetic, Ms.Chew
Bonnie Sayers
May 4, 2008 at 5:51 pm
I was not aware of her making such a list. Is this why she was at the Correspondent’s Dinner at the White House? Her dress left little to the imagination. What a Ho!
http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2008/04/judging_the_attire_at_the_whit.html
Bonnie Sayers
May 4, 2008 at 5:52 pm
Chicago Sun times no longer has that article on their site. This is the link you have on the second line.
Kelly
May 6, 2008 at 10:36 am
Wow Bionnie that was mature to call her a ho. Maybe you are jealous that you dont look that good in a dress like that?? Come on now and grow up!!
sharon
May 7, 2008 at 10:12 pm
I wish people would stop bashing Jenny McCarthy. I applaude her for her efforts to bring more attention to this issue and like it or not - she has! Jenny McCarthy wrote about her experience, not mine or yours, but hers. It may not require a rocket scientist to read it but it does provide some helpful information. Jenny McCarthy does not claim that her book provides all necessary information for parents of autistic children. I could care less about the choices she has made in her career atleast she is able to go on Larry King and bring attention to this epidemic. If I am going to bash anyone it will be the three pediatricians I took my beautiful child to that dismissed my concerns and told me everything was normal. Or perhaps it will be the pediatrician who injected my child with vaccines knowing that my concerns presented a red flag and vaccinations should be postponed. Maybe it will be the insurance company that provides zero coverage for autism treatments. Yes, it will be one of those or any of the other noncaring, money driven, so called professionals I’ve encountered the past three and half years but it will not be Jenny McCarthy.
Emily
May 7, 2008 at 10:28 pm
Jenny McCarthy is an idiot and needs to shut her mouth before she does further irreparable harm. She’s not just writing “her” story–she’s disseminating it and her made-up solutions and “information” with the intent that other people will follow her lead. And I’m willing to go out on a limb here and state that she’s not selling that garbage or making those appearances for free. I’m also guessing that she’s just as money driven as anyone else, given that whole “I posed for Playboy” thing; or perhaps it was really just a stand for women’s rights or Indigo girls or something.
Pediatricians follow the algorithms they learn and use the information they have. The answer to ignorance or lack of information isn’t bashing; it’s pursuing further research so that information about the early signs of autism is at-hand and clear. There is a huge deficit of understanding and of information about the earliest signs, although a couple of recent studies have helped identify some of the earliest signs and the AAP has handed down guidelines for early screening of ALL children.
Regan
May 8, 2008 at 12:32 am
If Jenny left it at her experience and didn’t try to extrapolate it to the level of evidence, then I could live with it.
As another parent with a child with autism, I am tired of those with money or celebrity speaking for “autism”, as if they were speaking for me or for my child, especially if their most notable credential is a limitless self-opinion, a self-identified “big mouth”, and way more money than the average Joe out there has to purchase services.
If anyone in Hollywood wants to get my applause, go to some states and help with advocacy for insurance coverage, such as Joe Pantoliano did for the bill in PA, or for educational advocacy, such as Gary Cole does for LA’s Help Group.
Jenny McCarthy yelling “bullsh**” on Larry King at officers of the AAP and CDC, and plugging a book with errors (Hep C vaccines, which do not exist) and anecdotal shifting goalposts (Evan different at 5 months and then Evan different after his MMR) do nothing for me. She likes Lovaas or CARD? Fair enough. Do some national advocacy for acknowledgement of the Surgeon General’s report of 1999. Show up at a few IACC meetings.
Right now it’s mostly the J Mc show. Check back in 5-10 years and see where it stands.
Kristina Chew, PhD
May 8, 2008 at 12:49 am
@Sharon,
Hope your child has been doing well?—It is not easy for any of us.
I think there is reason to have some serious concern about Jenny McCarthy’s views on what causes autism, insofar as she has taken a very public stance about vaccines as a cause. The science does not back this up. Further, while (on the one hand), she is “just a mom” like many of us, she has a certain notoriety and access to the media that the average person does not; hence, whatever she has to say (about autism; about anything) resonates much further than when most of us speak about autism.
Kelly
May 8, 2008 at 11:33 am
You people are just sad. Isnt it important that the information is getting out there? She is raising awareness and that is the point. I think that a lot of you are jealous and angry. Vaccines are the cause for this Pandemic and you can choose to close your eyes or keep them open.
Kelly
May 8, 2008 at 11:36 am
Emily .. Do you always talk like that and tell people that they should shut their mouth? Where do you come off calling her a idiot? She is a hero plain and simple. Let me know when you are going to be on Larry King and I will be sure to watch.
Kelly
May 8, 2008 at 11:38 am
Sharon. I own a group on CafeMOM called Autism,Mercury Poisoning and everything in between. You should join us.
Kristina Chew, PhD
May 8, 2008 at 11:41 am
@Kelly, It might be “awareness,” but it’s with a big dose of misinformation about vaccines. Very best.
Bonnie Sayers
May 8, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Okay, now I know who Kelly is - widespredpanic on cafemom. I had to block her and her group members from posting things on my page at Cafemom.
She also runs another group called Moms against vaccine enforcement (MAVE)
Probably did not recognize me since my name is here and not my usual id of “autismfamily”.
My group on CafeMom is called Autism Resources.
Bonnie Sayers
May 8, 2008 at 12:58 pm
of course I find a typo after posting. The ID at cafemom should read
widespreadpanic
Kelly
May 9, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Bonnie you are a freakin idiot and no one wants to be in your stupid group anyway. Stop being jealous and calling people out that you know nothing about and only wish you could be as cool as. You never had to block me Loser!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kelly
May 9, 2008 at 4:34 pm
Oh yeah and Widespread Panic is a band Bonnie no paste and copy.
Kelly
May 9, 2008 at 4:44 pm
MS Chow you are misinformed at the very least.
Kristina Chew, PhD
May 9, 2008 at 4:53 pm
@Bonnie, interesting….
@Kelly, Some name for a band!
Kelly
May 9, 2008 at 4:56 pm
They are the greatest you should check them out on Youtube. They are kinda like the Dead. Bonnie is lieing she may of blocked me but there was no need. She is Jealous of Jennie and anyone else that could look that good in a dress.
Kelly
May 9, 2008 at 5:17 pm
Bonnie you sure are a real looker.
Regan
May 9, 2008 at 5:32 pm
Kelly, we may not see eye to eye, but on your recommendation I checked out widespreadpanic That is a great band–like the Dead, as you said, with a little Leo Kottke thrown in for good measure. I don’t keep an eye out for bands much anymore, and my daughter’s recommendations run to punk, so thanks for pointing them out.
Kassiane
May 9, 2008 at 5:52 pm
Jenny isn’t a hero, she’s a menace.
Are you the Kelly with the Moms on a Mission for hyseteria (er, autism) who’s husband came after me with a knife at ASA a few years back? I’m short and skinny and was about 20 at the time. Real big of your organization if that was you. REAL big.
If not, there is enough overlap in members that I don’t feel like an asshole bringing it up.
Kelly
May 9, 2008 at 6:27 pm
Kassiane
No I am not that kelly. There are a few people with the name.
Bonnie Sayers
May 9, 2008 at 6:48 pm
Kelly the blocking had nothing to do with jealousy or Jennie. To refresh your memory an admin of your group posted a journal which was a copy of something Ellen Notbohm wrote and I called her out on the copyright infringement and contacted Ellen with the link to it as well.
The emails sent to me were nasty and vile over the taking of someone else’s content and not citing the source or even asking for permission to use that material.
There were a few people in your group that posted comments on my page and sent emails to me that were cc’d to you and a few others. They were harassing me because I posted the link to where the content was stolen and posted it on her page.
The mean spirited emails I got were all saved and sent to the management of that site. One of the members even called the author names for not wanting to share her work. Everyone was ignorant on copyright infringement laws and I was verbally attacked because I follow the laws and did not consider it sharing of information.
Here is a little snipet:
“If this author in question has a problem with people sharing her work in the hopes of providing some understanding and insight into the world of autism, and she is only worried about self-recognition, I will spread that to as many people in the autism world as I can. She will be black listed as someone who is just trying to make a buck off of the misfortune of our children. Just as I am about to do with you, your name and your websites.”
==============
One more:
“Bonnie,
You do whatever makes you feel important. I am glad that you will be forwarding my note to her so that way she will be apprised of the fact that if she wants to start a controversy over posting one of her articles pertaining to autism, then her reputation will suffer as a result. You are the most egotistical, self absorbed, trouble maker that I have had the misfortune to come in contact with here on cafemom. Like I said previously, wouldn’t your children be better off if you gave them the time and attention that you are wasting in this endeavor and those similar? What kind of a person spends all their time looking through journal posts in the hopes of catching someone posting something without expressed consent? What a pathetic little life you must lead. ”
==========
All that visciousness over a posting showing where the original content was from and how one needs to cite sources and get permission before posting published work from someone.
I received the emails and have possession of them and can share them with whoever.
Bonnie Sayers
May 9, 2008 at 6:54 pm
I wanted to explain to Kristina that I felt the need to make it clear on what the issue I had with Kelly and her group on CafeMom.
I feel since many of us are writers that it is important to show how people react when they take published content off the internet and post it on their blogs, etc and how they need permission and must cite sources.
==============
All content that you post to CafeMom must comply with these TOS and the CafeMom Community Guidelines. You take sole responsibility for all content that you post on the Site and the consequences of posting that content. You are responsible for obtaining all necessary rights to upload, post and distribute the content, including obtaining permission from any person shown in a photo that you upload or identified in any writing that you post. You agree that you will not upload, email, transmit, or otherwise make available any content that is
any materials that could infringe any copyright, trademark, publicity or privacy right or any other intellectual property right of any person or entity unless you have first received permission from the owner of those rights to use the materials;
==========
http://www.templetons.com/brad/copymyths.html
http://www.writerswrite.com/journal/sept97/cew2.htm
Kelly
May 9, 2008 at 9:26 pm
Bonnie. You were rude to my Admin who is also a GrandMother and I removed you from the group. Almost everything on CafeMOM is copied and pasted. What about the Hot topics?? You need to loosen up. I was never vile to you so be honest.
Kelly
May 9, 2008 at 9:28 pm
Jennie is a hero! Who else is talking about Autism on TV????
Kelly
May 9, 2008 at 9:31 pm
Kassiane
Someone came at you with a knife? Where do you hang out? What is ASA?
HCN
May 9, 2008 at 10:02 pm
ASA = http://www.autism-society.org
Kassiane
May 9, 2008 at 10:09 pm
Yes, Kelly, someone with a view just like yours that autistics are poisoned vile creatures came at me with a knife at AUTISM SOCIETY OF AMERICA several years ago.
His wifey told him to, because I shook up her paradigm too much, being an autistic adult and all.
Jenny isn’t a hero, she is a menace.
Kelly
May 9, 2008 at 10:26 pm
Kassiane
You can calm down Honey it wasnt me. Our Son is only 3 and I dont go to ASA functuions. My Son was poisoned by vaccines and you are right it is vile. You dont know me so that must of been what you meant right? Wow people really act cool here with the cloak of the Internet………
HCN
May 9, 2008 at 10:38 pm
Kelly said “My Son was poisoned by vaccines and you are right it is vile. ”
How do you know? Which vaccine?
Emily
May 9, 2008 at 10:54 pm
I think Kelly’s words speak for themselves as an example of the kind of people who find McCarthy a “hero.” Obviously a member of the “lowest common denominator” club.
HCN
May 10, 2008 at 12:23 am
Well, I am curious as to which vaccine caused the poisoning and why she thinks so.
Personally, my sympathy for Ms. McCarthy only go so far as to also having a child with a seizure disorder and some very severe speech and language disorders (plus some other issues).
Of course, my son had his seizures starting when he was two days old, before any kind of vaccine (he is 19 years old, so it was before the HepB). They started as little shivers, and then got stronger and longer with each seizure. Fortunately they stopped after he received a dose of phenobarbitol at the Infant Intensive Care Unit at the Children’s Hospital.
He did get weaned from the anticonvulsant when he was a year old. Only to suffer more seizures when he became very very sick (from a disease that there is now a vaccine to prevent).
This was all before Google, so I had to go to an actual library to read up on seizures, language development and child development (when you have a kid with developmental disorders knowing what is normal and what is not gets to be very important).
My kid has been to a couple of neurologists, and neither would ever speculate as to what caused his seizures. It was always “unknown etiology”, except for the last one which was caused by an illness. Very unlike both of his cardiologists. The cardiologist say that his heart condition is genetic, and the new one said that the younger kids will still need to be checked because it is a type of condition that can manifest itself up into their twenties.
So, I am just curious as to how one definitely determined that the vaccine “poisoned” their kid.
Kassiane
May 10, 2008 at 12:37 am
No, Kelly, autism isn’t vile. People who treat autistic people like we are lower than standard issue human are vile.
That includes your precious Saint McCarthy, who has met autistic adults yet persists in LYING and saying we don’t exist. That includes your LYING vaccine-fear mongers. And yes, at this point they KNOW they are lying.
Does your son know you think he is vile? I sure hope not.
HCN
May 10, 2008 at 3:10 am
oh, wow… I know that my son is not vile. He is a very sweet soul.
Even though he could not speak at all when he was three years old, he is becoming very independent. He is 19 years old and in community college. It was his own decision to repeat a college-prep writing class, all the time complaining that high school did not prepare him for college! (okay, it was special language arts, and it was his decision to not do the homework… but he is doing it now).
Kassiane
May 10, 2008 at 3:45 am
HCN, the vileness question wasn’t directed at you, I know you don’t think that about your son, I see your comments around.
It was towards Kelly and her “vaccines ate my perfect baby who is now a vile deformed creature” attitude. It’s really very much a scary thing to see from the point of view of one of those apparently vile and deformed creatures *wry smile*
Kelly
May 11, 2008 at 11:41 am
Kassiane You are very wrong. My Son is not vile. The fact that he was poisoned by at least 8 shots with mercury is Vile. You need to get a life and keep your ugly comments to yourself. I Love my Son and I am glad that I am not your child. You have a lot of illusions about people that you dont know and It is very sad.
Kelly
May 11, 2008 at 11:45 am
HCN
We have done testing and his little body is full of Thimerasol. He had the Hep-b at birth and 3 boosters. The others I would have to check his records. This is what happened to us and it does happen to other people. Vaccines caused our Son to be Autistic and there is nothing beautiful about that.
Cliff
May 11, 2008 at 11:53 am
Clarify; usually the theory of themerisol damage involves a small(way too small in truth to normally be considered effective, but that’s not the point) amount of themerisol causing damage that then, because of the age, develops in a damaged way for that. It usually doesn’t involve actually having large amounts of themerisol. Given that there are no usually considered sources for themerisol outside of the vaccines, which carry a tiny, tiny, tiny amount of the stuff, where is all of this themerisol coming from?
Cliff
Kelly
May 11, 2008 at 12:03 pm
Cliff he had 8 vaccines with Thimerasol. His body could not get rid of it. It is in his system causing Autism WEe have done Hair, Urine, Blood and stool tests. They have all come back the same. Mercury Toxic.. The Mercury came from the vaccines he had.
Cliff
May 11, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Right, but there isn’t simply the amount of mercury ever present in a vaccine to have your child be “filled with it”. In fact, you could have taken a far greater number of vaccines with themerisol and never reached the point of childhood mercury poisoning. So where would these levels have come from? Surely you’re not saying that the amount increased as he grew, are you?
Cliff
Kristina Chew, PhD
May 11, 2008 at 12:11 pm
And autism is definitely not vile—not that I should have to say that!
Cliff
May 11, 2008 at 12:13 pm
Unfortunately, it seems you must say just that, and that you’ve said it a lot at some level, haven’t you? It’s an important thing to say, for sure!
Cliff
HCN
May 11, 2008 at 2:56 pm
Kelly said “We have done testing and his little body is full of Thimerasol. He had the Hep-b at birth and 3 boosters.”
I call this a bunch of BS. He is too young to have had the “thimerosal” filled vaccines. Plus the HepB schedule is a total of three shots, not four. (don’t pull the “they did not really remove it” crap, that is also a bunch of BS… just because you keep saying it over and over and over does not make it true)
If you had him tested by Doctors Data or the Great Plains laboratories, you’ve been played. They are trying to sell you stuff, not give you any meaningful information.
You seem to be playing the “Oh, look at me! My boy is poisoned! Oh, look, look… it was done by THEM, THEM! I had nothing to do with it! Oh, poor poor me!”
You have a three year little boy. You should know that your anger is misplaced (and you even paid for it if you had to send off his hair or urine to a laboratory out of state). Your attitude towards him does and will have an effect on him. You need to get past the worthless blame game and start doing constructive things for your child’s development and well-being.
What you should be doing NOW is familiarizing yourself with IDEA (the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act). You need to find out what special preschool opportunities are in your community (look for ChildFind, http://www.childfindidea.org/ ). Plus there is the whole medical insurance bit to wade through. You should also be looking to see if your community has neurodevelopmental therapy opportunities like “Rite-Care” or local university clinics (my younger son got language therapy at the university speech and hearing clinic from speech therapy students for $10 an hour, that was 13 years ago, so rates have gone up).
Get over yourself, and start thinking about your child as a child who needs some extra help.
Oh, and here is some much better reading than McCarthy:
“No Time for Jello” by Berneen Bratt (also a mom who looked very hard for a way to “cure” her son… I think this book should be given to anyone when they first get a diagnosis that their child is not “perfect”… I found it a great antidote to the “how to cure your brain damaged baby” that I read after my son’s last seizure)
“Not Even Wrong” by Paul Collins (a dad of an autistic little boy)
“Unstrange Minds” by Roy Grinker (another dad of an autistic daughter, who is an anthropologist who studies autism in other countries)
Kelly
May 11, 2008 at 4:45 pm
You are all a bunch of BS…. FUCK OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kelly
May 11, 2008 at 4:51 pm
I love my Son and I know he will be fine. You all should put your energy towards something good instead of this stuopid site. See ya it is Mothers Day and I have many things to enjoy with my Family.
Kelly
May 11, 2008 at 4:51 pm
Kristina Chew, PhD
I wanted to add that Yes Mercury Poisoning is vile and that it is causing this Pandemic of Autism!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bonnie Sayers
May 11, 2008 at 4:54 pm
Such a negative attitude. What a shame she blames it on autism. Hopefully the comment with the F word will be deleted by admin.
Cliff
May 11, 2008 at 6:53 pm
Well, there we go. A clear, exciting thesis followed by detailed logical support and kind, patient consideration of differing points of view all in graceful rhetorical style.
Sorry, had to say it.
Cliff
Kristina Chew, PhD
May 11, 2008 at 7:06 pm
@HCN,
I could have used your comment and suggestions (IDEA, insurance….) back in the days when Charlie was first diagnosed.
@Bonnie,
I think I’ll let the comment you note stand, though if there are more comments with language of the sort not appropriate for my college classroom, I’ll have to moderate them
@Cliff,
Thanks for saying it!
Kassiane
May 11, 2008 at 7:39 pm
Well. I sure feel like *I* got owned…
HCN
May 12, 2008 at 12:36 am
Kristina said “@HCN,
I could have used your comment and suggestions (IDEA, insurance….) back in the days when Charlie was first diagnosed. ”
Well, that is the main bit about the process, isn’t it? Knowing what your rights are as a parent, plus knowing where and how to get the therapy the child needs.
Plus there are the other factors: socialization, dealing with crowds, finding a dentist willing to work with a child who has sensory integration issues, and just finding educational situations that are not part of a school that are actually useful! (we were lucky with having local community centers that had small classes for kids and understanding instructors, the same goes for swimming classes)
Then there is the search for good therapists, and even better therapy for a budget! One other book I think was very useful was Patricia McAleer Hamaguchi’s book on Childhood Speech, Language and Listening Disorders. In the back was a list of resources for parents, including the suggestion to check for local college training of therapists. My local university has a special preschool set up to work with special ed. kids. In the 1970s it concentrated on Down’s Syndrome, now it works with autism (it is called the Experimental Education Unit).
This is the stuff that should be explained to all parents with disabled kids. I was fortunate in that our son was referred to speech therapy when he was just over two years old (back in the days when it the “wait and see” attitude was common). And from the speech therapist we learned of the special ed. preschool my son ended up in…. And then from the parent meetings at the preschool I learned of the Scottish Rite Center for Childhood Language Disorders (now called Rite Care)… and on and on.
This was all before the internet.
When we did get internet in 1996, I found more good information from the Compuserve Disabilities Forums. Back when the information was actually useful (and when I first encountered the Wrights of WrightsLaw).
This is the kind of stuff that is in the three books I mentioned (oh, make that four if you include Patti Hamaguchi’s book!). This is where you blog excels, showing how to deal with the everyday and the education. The same with Susan Senator’s blog (and book! I forgot to mention her book! It is also a good recommendation!).
Anyway, Happy Mother’s Day.
I spent mine in the garden, and my teenage children all gave me gifts (bought my husband, sorry even as they get older some things stay the same).
Kelly
May 12, 2008 at 12:19 pm
It is sad to know that I can be called out when people are making up things about me. You all have fun with each other. I am going to focus on getting my Son better. Good luck with your hate blog.
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