To wonder why the f* people still think vaccines cause autism?

[coolitcathy]

Name changed for privacy reasons.

Stumbled across a Facebook group about "parents against vaccines" a few minutes ago which suggested, nay STATED, that vaccines cause autism and are essentially poison. I think the hysteria is potentially getting worse due to this Covid vaccination that's getting rolled out at the mo. Is anyone still infuriated or is the anger dying down now as we all get distracted by something else happening? Also why is autism seen as such a bad thing?

(If you're anti vax I'm open to you sharing your viewpoints but I haven't seen any information that makes me consider that outlook)

My youngest son had to be withdrawn from school due to being bullied due to the way he is. He's been told to kill himself by several of his peers.

I've been bullied all my life, including physical violence and my own mother tried to kill me when I was a youngster. I've been stolen from, exploited, used, lied to and conned over the years. I had to move house due to hatred and nastiness from the neighbours. I can't access help because of the way I am.

Yes this was following on from the fact that anti-vaxxers benefit from herd immunity, and I was making the point that they would be much quicker to get back on vaccines if everyone did actually stop using them as per their recommendation and there were subsequent consequences (which there would be). The fact that these diseases aren't prominent anymore is in major part due to vaccination.

The rise in ASD and ADHD is simply because we know more about it. There were people I went to school with that were obviously on the spectrum but back then only the most severe cases were diagnosed. But then vaccines were around then too, just not the MMR.

I wasn’t vaccinated because in the 80’s there was a lot of stuff about vaccines being linked to epilepsy and I had family members both sides with epilepsy, my mum chose not to vaccinate us. I had measles at the age of 3 and was pretty unwell (but not seriously unwell), I had whooping cough which I remember well, mumps and German measles, I have often wondered if my parents felt they made the wrong choice as later it was proven that there was no link.

@Eastie77

A small segment? Most autistic people are not in nappies or permanently non verbal. And those that are are often intellectually disabled, which is not a part of autism. So you're conflating two separate issues there.

Many are. They are pretty much the only people I work with. People with that high level of disability. And I'm pretty busy. Your experience is not the same as anyone elses. And no one is saying autistic people are bad. But life can be very hard for those people and their families who are in that situation. Youre clearly high functioning, have children, and life may be hard for you, but it's not like that is it. And people have every right to say it's hard, that they really struggle with caring, and if they had a choice, maybe, just maybe, they may have made a different one.

@Snowstorming what we've decided is to start a month later, and have one vaccine at a time, a month apart. So babys body's under less demand, has time to recover and so we know if a particular vaccine causes a reaction.

My husband had a serious reaction to a vaccine, they didn't know which one, so he reacted again and ended up with childhood epilepsy which put him in hospital a few times.

It might not be what everyone wants and I wouldn't tell anyone what to do with their child. But for me, I need to know I've done everything I can to fend off risks from every direction. It's about balancing the risks and being in control for me.

But an autistic person with intellectual difficulties is going to require similar long term care needs to a non autistic person with intellectual difficulties. I have cared for both kinds of people and there's not much to differentiate between them.

@MrsHuntGeneNotJeremyObviously

heydoggee I never said that your child was a 'bad thing'. But the condition which affects him is. His life would be easier if he didn't have autism. Now you might feel that not having it would change who he is intrinsically and I would never tell you to wish that your child was a different person. But if it HAD turned out that a vaccination caused autism, people would not choose to give it to their children and fundamentally change their quality of life in ways that might be mild but equally could be severe and that's what this debate is about. If your child had been born NT, would you choose to give him autism because it's not that 'bad'? The lady I knew couldn't leave her child alone at all - he was completely incapable of functioning without experiencing extreme distress. Hard enough when he was little but what happens when he is a strong man and she is an old woman?

My son is indivisible from his 'condition'. He is just him. So no, I am sorry, I do not think he is great and his autism is bad. He has a great life.

@Kaliorphic

A small segment? Most autistic people are not in nappies or permanently non verbal. And those that are are often intellectually disabled, which is not a part of autism. So you're conflating two separate issues there.

Many are. They are pretty much the only people I work with. People with that high level of disability. And I'm pretty busy. Your experience is not the same as anyone elses. And no one is saying autistic people are bad. But life can be very hard for those people and their families who are in that situation. Youre clearly high functioning, have children, and life may be hard for you, but it's not like that is it. And people have every right to say it's hard, that they really struggle with caring, and if they had a choice, maybe, just maybe, they may have made a different one.

Many are but statistically it is not the majority of autistics. 1 in 60 are autistic.

If I could somehow extract my son's autism, would I?

Absolutely not. Because that person would not then be my son. My son is who he is meant to be, I'm talking genetically not religiously.

The only version of my child I have is the one I gave birth to. I would not change a single thing about him.

I wish more people understood autism isn't able to be separated from the person. Its not like a broken foot or something. Its a fundamental part of who you are. How you process the world is integral to your personality

@ForestNymph

“I want to know why they hate autistic people, tbh.“

They dint hate autistic people! Stupid comment.

My adult son has autism. He has severe, non verbal autism. He can’t communicate which leads to meltdowns, huge aggressive meltdowns. He has grand mal epilepsy which he developed with puberty. He can’t make big decisions, he doesn’t even know what a decision is. He’ll never live alone, will need 24 hour care for the rest of his life. I will provide that care more than likely. If I don’t I’ll spend 100% of my time worrying he’s not being looked after properly or abused in some way.

I don’t hate autistic people but I bloody hate autism. For some people on the spectrum it’s hell. Trouble is they’re are so many “autistic” people in the public eye, some people really don’t understand how disabling it can be.

With regard to vaccines and autism, yes some parents have seen their children change Dramatically following a vaccine, not necessarily MMR.

That was supposed to quote @heydoggee I was agreeing with them

Trouble is they’re are so many “autistic” people in the public eye, some people really don’t understand how disabling it can be.

Can you explain why you've quoted the word autistic?

@ForestNymph

I wish more people understood autism isn't able to be separated from the person. Its not like a broken foot or something. Its a fundamental part of who you are. How you process the world is integral to your personality

It's just ableism. And everything is geared towards othering autism. Saying 'my child has autism' for example, like they caught it off a dirty floor.

[quote Tinselandbaubauls]@ForestNymph

“I want to know why they hate autistic people, tbh.“

They dint hate autistic people! Stupid comment.

My adult son has autism. He has severe, non verbal autism. He can’t communicate which leads to meltdowns, huge aggressive meltdowns. He has grand mal epilepsy which he developed with puberty. He can’t make big decisions, he doesn’t even know what a decision is. He’ll never live alone, will need 24 hour care for the rest of his life. I will provide that care more than likely. If I don’t I’ll spend 100% of my time worrying he’s not being looked after properly or abused in some way.

I don’t hate autistic people but I bloody hate autism. For some people on the spectrum it’s hell. Trouble is they’re are so many “autistic” people in the public eye, some people really don’t understand how disabling it can be.

With regard to vaccines and autism, yes some parents have seen their children change Dramatically following a vaccine, not necessarily MMR.[/quote]
And does he have learning difficulties or intellectual disability? Because a lot of "low functioning" autistics (i don't like that phrase but whatever) do and many of those issues come from that rather than autism itself.

@coolitcathy

Trouble is they’re are so many “autistic” people in the public eye, some people really don’t understand how disabling it can be.

Can you explain why you've quoted the word autistic?

I can tell you why. They don't think people like me or my son are real autistics. I've had this debate with "AutismMommas" before. I have a family and can talk therefore I'm not autistic I'm just ~quirkee~

I hate person with autism so much. Like its some accessory I wear. Oh sorry, I forgot my autism today. Left it in the car.

I am an autistic person

I can tell you why. They don't think people like me or my son are real autistics.

I feel like just spamming the thread with "AUTISM IS A SPECTRUM" diagrams and annotations and explanations. But it wouldn't get anywhere, because autism is misunderstood and if people wanted to understand they would ask and learn

A properly supported severely (hate that phrase) autistic person can have a great life.

The issue is the lack of support. It's societal.

@heydoggee

A properly supported severely (hate that phrase) autistic person can have a great life.

The issue is the lack of support. It's societal.

And the person who is the carer, usually the parent r they having a great life too?

Neurotypicals always make everything anout themselves. Autistic people are an inconvenience to them

The parent carer would ideally be supported too @Duggeehugs82

@ForestNymph

Neurotypicals always make everything anout themselves. Autistic people are an inconvenience to them

Here you go again..

And you claimed not to be goady earlier.

@heydoggee

The parent carer would ideally be supported too *@Duggeehugs82*

Thats also a great point. There is a shit level of support currently.

Also a lot of the stuff for parents of autistic kids is aimed at NT parents trying to understand autism. There is nothing for autistic parents of autistic kids. I understand why my kids struggle with certain things, I don't need to know that, but I think there's a real gap for things that could benefit autistic families.