To be incredibly insulted by this?

[TwistyBraStrap]

I am currently lying on the sofa as I'm not well. DH took the DCs over to MILs this afternoon to see MIL, and his aunt, who visited MILs house.

DH has just come back and had a mini rant about his aunt, and now I am furious as well.

DS has suspected Asperger's. We are due to go in for an assessment later this month, but we are confident he is somewhere on the autism spectrum. BIL (DH's brother) was diagnosed some years ago with Asperger's and MIL has recognised a lot of the same sorts of behaviours coming from DS that she noticed with BIL when he was younger.

DH's aunt is very big on homeopathy and claims that it has cured her of various aches and pains that she's had over the years. Apparently, on this visit, she came armed with tablets that looked like sweeteners, saying that they can "cure" both BIL and DS of their autism.

What it does, apparently, is flush out the "toxins" that are put into the body with the MMR. This then gets rid of the autism which is caused by the "toxins". DH pointed out that it's not toxins, but your immune system, which can't be flushed, but she wouldn't listen.

AIBU to feel incredibly insulted by this? If there was a "cure" we would have found it by now! DS is 5, I'm not going to give him some random tablets that will do god knows what to him!

It's just such backwards thinking, it makes me rage

I LOVE that pictish - I got it for my friend on a mug - when somebody helpfully told him to take some herbal shite to 'cure' his cancer

Your MIL has a point about MMR btw OP x

Bollocks gordy - MMR is perfectly safe & nothing to do with autism

her MIL said that Snooter - unless I am reading it wrong - no need to be rude !

MIL apparently piped up saying that it's not been proven that the MMR causes autism

that was the point she had Snooter

It has NOT be proven that there is any link between MMR and Autism ergo her MIL had a point

Sorry I thought you were agreeing with MIL that MMR was full of toxins - if not then I apologise

Ignore ignore ignore. You need to develop a thick skin and get your smile and nod routine down pat, because everyone and his dog will weigh in with an opinion.

I have Aspergers - only recently discovered (I'm 25) and should be officially diagnosed next month. My mum has already suggested it was caused by antidepressants I was on in my teens - and there was me thinking that I was on the pills due to depression caused by, what was it again, oh yes, Aspergers!!! FFS.

I also have chronic fatigue syndrome (aka ME) and have already been informed by a couple of (mostly very understanding) people about their friends being cured of ME simply by visualisation.

I read something recently (in a book about ME) that has made me feel much stronger when faced with comments like this. Can't remember the exact words but basically:

It is ok for people to recommend or suggest treatments, however bizarre, because they are just trying to be helpful. It is NEVER ok for them to make you feel bad for rejecting their advice.

good lord NO - I am sane

MrsDV, I had a similar experience once - I was asleep in bed when my parents' friend pushed past them and started blessing/baptising me because she was convinced that my self harm was caused by... well I'm not sure exactly. It was terrifying to wake up to.

That must have been really traumatic for you and DD :( x

Glad to hear it!

Just ignore. I've had everything thrown at me in the 28 years my son has had Aspergers.

However, I will say this. My son was a hypochondriac from quite young. I used to give him homeopathic tablets which had a placebo effect (obviously if he was really ill I took him to the GP!!). He believed they worked, so they did (in most cases!).

That was to gordy

While we're on the subject of homeopathic bollocks, I present Mitchell and Webb's Homeopathic A&E.

MrsReiver I LOVE that sketch!!!

It's good isn't it? I have it bookmarked along with Penn and Teller on vaccinations.

hmmm so surely this is the perfect opportunity to prove the point to the Aunt.

Tell the Aunt you have been giving DS the pills and ask if she thinks there has been an improvement. When she says yes point out that you were lying and explain how this demonstrates the need for clinical trials to demonstrate whether or not a treatment works.

My DH is a doctor and has a firm trust in medicine (obviously).

His mum is a huge believer in woo and often drops 'ideas' into conversations about herbs, remedies etc. When he tells her about research, tablets, trials which show these actual meds work she sometimes smirks or looks incredulous.

Drives me batty.

i think she was probably trying to be helpful. is she particularly fixed on the issue of homeopathy? does she show a conviction which seems unreasonable to others? has she explored it in great detail? can you see where i'm going with this...

Someone once told me my daughters deafness could be 'cured' by praying and seeing a preacher :) lovely to have beliefs but if only it was so simple, I'd ignore.

google, I wwas going to come on and say similar.

some of the fringe elements of some churches are a bit like this. gives the rest of them a bad name...

Oh dear.
I do think youir aunt is trying to be helpful in her own way.
Sorry no advice, just to say keep your chin up. x