Autism: The Vaccine

I've written recently (Autism Awareness Month) that, I'M AS AWARE AS I'M GOING TO GET! and I've written that we are past Awareness and now we are moving on to ACCEPTANCE and then I got ANGRY. Hey, it happens to the best of us.

I'm still getting daily emails saying,  "Vaccines cause Autism" and I'm getting an equal number of emails that say, "Vaccines have nothing to do with Autism". Again, I refuse to take sides. I still believe that vaccines are just one more of the many environmental triggers that are causing this huge upswing in Autism diagnosis. I'm mad that there is crap in my food that isn't food and there are chemicals in my water that don't need to be there.  I'm working around these issues as best I can in the limited amount of time I have.  Why do my kids have Autism, I don't know. I'm quirky, they are quirky, lets leave it at that for a moment.  

What I want to think about today is different than chemicals and pharmaceuticals.  I want to think of Autism as a vaccine. I'm not saying it can cure itself, I'm saying that all the awareness is maybe the acceptance vaccine we Autism parents are looking for.  Think about it, how many times have you felt the need to explain yourself to a complete stranger? Maybe you are wanting to give an excuse? Maybe you are wanting to give and explanation? Maybe you are advocating? Educating? 

My child has Autism and we are having a difficult time right now. I'm sorry if we disturbed you.

Now, how many times do you hear in response,

My nephew (neighbor, student, brother, friend's son), has Autism too. 

The fact is 1 in 50 children are being diagnosed and it's higher in school age children. No matter the cause, the facts are the facts.  We are Autism families and we won't lock our children away, we will go to the park, will we take vacations, we will go out to dinner and non-Autism families will see us.  Some will understand because their nephew (niece, neighbor, student...) has Autism. Some will not.

Over time those who have not been touched by Autism, will be. They will have a grandchild, a child, a friend's child, a nephew who will be diagnosed and then they will learn.  Learning doesn't automatically guarantee acceptance, but for those with open minds and kind hearts it can.

Like vaccines, 100% of the population will never be fully vaccinated with this magical Autism Acceptance vaccine. In some,  the formula will just not take and they will remain judgmental and annoying. There's nothing we can do for them, they are just too far gone for us to reach.

I think I will always wonder why my children got Autism. I will have bouts of anger at a diagnosis that I cannot yell at or hit to find relief.  But more so than any of that I do hope that this Autism Vaccine takes hold, that all the work we are doing right now will some day change someone's life. Maybe it will be for my sons, maybe it will be for yours.

A friend of mine pinned this on Pinterest today and I'm glad she did. I was thinking about Autism: The Vaccine last week and this is exactly why...