Do you support or even consider Jenny McCarthy's idea about Autism?

I know of two different families who swore vaccines were the cause of their child's autism.....so when they each had their second child, they both did zero vaccines, both of these vaccine free kids have autism. Both families are from different parts of the state. I met them both by chance...one at a school where I was teaching, and the other at my current church (about 100 miles away from one another)

Based on that VERY small amount of information, I think it has something to do with the genes

I saw the Oprah show, and while I agree with Jenny in many ways, I think she failed to point out the different levels of autism. My son is HF and we have been able to mainstream him with the help of alternative therapy. I will agree with the other replies, money seems to be the determining factor on what type of treatment your child receives. I have experienced a lot of back lash from the autistic community for having the "nerve" to buck public service and incorporate alternative therapy into my child's treatment. Autism is both a medical and economic issue. However, I would like to point out to all the parents who are pursuing traditional therapy, twenty years ago the same therapy you are using would have been considered experimental or alternative. The only reason your child is receiving these traditional therapy is because of parents (who were most likely comparatively wealthy) when out on a limb and invested their own resources because they knew there was something better . . . We do not expect "thank yous" but some compassion would go a long way.

I think that Jenny McCarthy is still in denial about her son's diagnosis. So many parents do not want to believe that something could possibly be genetically wrong with their kids. She apparently has not done all her research if she says her son is "cured". Autism cannot be "cured", but with the proper treatment a child can live to their full potential, and possibly seem "normal"

My older son ( now 13.5) has been showing signs of something being wrong since at least 2.5 years old. Other little quirky things were going on before then, but we really knew something was wrong when he started having rages at 2.5 years old...someone suggested to my husband that a nephew of theirs had XYZ symptoms after they were put on ADHD meds ...Hubby tried to give me this theory ( not the first time) last night. He had nothing to say when I reminded him that our sons rages started 4 YEARS before he went on ADHD meds.

It would be one thing if JM said " the theory is that..." or "my son showed improvement in his symptoms with...."...From what I have heard ( i have not read her book yet) she makes statements as though there is a lot of research to back her up, and does not give as much attention to differing opinions.

I believe that there *could* be a connection in a few cases,but if shots cause autism, why do I have 2 neurotypical kids? I think it is more likely that A. our screening is much better now, so more cases are diagnosed and B. the symptoms show up around the same time the shots are given. IN the first 2 years of life a child develops rapidly, but they also need to build up an immunity to disease too.

My kids are all vaccinated, on schedule.

Cure what a ridiculous word, Personally you can educate yourself on autism and do what works best for YOUR child this is her child and yes maybe it worked for him but to use the term cure is wrong children with autism are not ill, and for those who blame the jab on autism need to understand NOT all children that have autism have had the vaccine so how do they get it genes.. Thomas has autism both him and his twin sister did have the vaccine and i am glad they did because Thomas still caught measles and was really ill sadly another little boy at Tom's school lost his life he wasn't vaccinated but still had autism

I can't stand Jenny Mccarthy, blaming vaccines for the causes of autism. With her and her followers not vaccinating their kids makes it unsafe in the U.S. for our children. I am just relieved that my state requires every child to be vaccinated before they attend school. For all anyone knows it could be the affects of the Marijuana or other illegal drugs she did as a teen or young adult that caused the autism in her child.

i really dont give 2 quacks what jenny mcarthy does or says, she doesnt effect my life, a lot of people think like that, luckily they arent raising my kids....i actually had a woman tell me the other day that i shouldn't have my 18 month old vaccinated because the mercury in the shots burned out the part of their brain that kept them sane, and in turn caused autism.....and told me not to get my dog any shots from birth because it did the same thing...anyone ever seen an autistic dog? lol..........i simply turned around and walked away, ive no need to converse with people who are that ignorant. (outside of some of these people on yahoo answers apparently, ikeep coming back here, i like some of the good ones lol)

I'm not so much the Jenny-hater but I hate the celebrity phenom of parenting in general. I don't give one whit what they do with their kids and don't tell me they have it 'just as hard' because it is amazingly less stressful if you have a carload of CASH. I always think of the millions of other moms with the same problems but no cash to throw at it.

When I found out I was pregnant the first time I was in the pregnancy section at the book store and saw her "Belly Laughs" and really thought I was going to like it but the more I sat there and read it, I was disappointed. It wasn't a good book at all....

I totally agree with you. I am not a doctor though and I have no idea if autism is caused by vaccinations....but I do know that when I worked at a shot clinic they told me in my training that the multiple shots came out around the same time that autism was broadened...it used to be not as many people were diagnosed and then they opened it and more people were diagnosed right at the same time as the multi-vaccinations....ALSO we have so much more information about autism now, it's easier to diagnose than it used to be. We don't know how many people had mild cases that went undiagnosed in the past to compare how many people are getting it now.

I am afraid of vaccinating my children because I don't want to find out that it is the cause but I do still vaccinate. I hear vaccinations only work if everyone does them but so many people are not vaccinating I really hope we don't end up with an outbreak....

I think that Jenny McCarthy's ideas regarding autism are a source of misinformation. There's no scientific evidence that childhood vaccinations are a causative agent in autism.

Chelation therapy is likewise crap!

I disagree with you. It's not so much about whether I believe Jenny McCarthy, but the fact that SHE has believed that she has found something that has worked for her child. I think it's important for moms like her with alternative therapies share their stories so that other moms can decide to try something that may not have been considered before. I think she loves her son tremendously (as I'm sure we all do), and I don't think she would exploit her son for her own benefit.

As far as writing books, I loved her books. It offered a side of pregnancy (total humorous!) that I really enjoyed. And if my child has autism (thank God he doesn't), I would definitely read her latest book.