autisminsideout

Our Story

When Max was 3 months old I took him to Australia with me for a holiday. He was a happy baby, very alert and very responsive to my voice and those around him.

I returned to Los Angeles when Max was 6 months old. Two weeks after my arrival in Los Angeles, I took Max to his Pediatrician. That day Max was given 9 vaccinations in his arms and legs. Within a month after receiving the injections Max began to flick his fingers in an unusual manner when he was excited or stressed.

Let it be said. I do not believe the vaccinations were responsible for the change in Max alone; however I do believe they did damage him and trigger symptoms. Most vaccines have a toxic risk because they are made to cause a sub clinical form of the disease so that the body can immunize itself against it. If they also contain dangerous substances such as heavy metals, that is an additional issue. In some cases, for example, measles can cause damage to brain tissue and so can the vaccine. In extreme cases a child can have some brain damage from the multiple vaccines administered all at the same time.

As the months progressed I began to notice Max appeared deaf to me, He would not look at me when I called his name, He would not hold eye contact with me. Many people told me that his hand flicking was something ALL babies did and being a first time mother I shouldn’t worry but my instincts told me differently. Against a lot of people’s advice, I began to do my own research. I have never been the type of person to ignore my instincts no matter how off the wall they appeared. I spent hours observing Max and the more time I spent with him, the more things I saw. I took the key symptoms he had at the time and after typing them in the internet I was directed to various sites. PDD & Autism were words that popped up on each search I did.

When Max was 12 months old we took him for his MMR vaccination. That day, I sat down with Max’s Pediatrician and told him that I was concerned about Max’s development. At the age of 12 months Max’s symptoms were as follows.

• Limited eye contact
• No words
• No babbling
• No reaching out for affection
• Extreme thirst for his bottle
• Chronic stomach & Gas pains
• Staring at moving objects for hours
• Flicking his fingers when excited or stressed (otherwise known as Stimming)
• Rarely cried
• Enjoyed being alone

I expected Max’s Pediatrician to be concerned instead he snapped his fingers numerous times in front of Max’s face, when Max turned his head and stared at the his fingers. He turned to me and said “You are a Neurotic first time mother and you need to relax” I still can picture his face as he turned to me and said “your son does not have Autism or any other neurological condition”. He said it with such confidence and such Authority. My husband believed his words and I almost did too but I couldn’t shake the feeling he was wrong. I felt far from relaxed and at ease to be honest, I felt even more confused. I was still new to Los Angeles and my son’s pediatrician was the one person I believed would to help me. I felt very alone and while riding home in the car, I turned and watched my beautiful son staring out the window, his hands flicking over and over at the passing cars. “Max” I called… No answer. I called his name several times over and over but he did turn to me in fact he did not even know I was there.

Under the Pediatrician’s advice we took Max off Formula and put him on to cow’s milk. Over the next 2 months, Max’s symptoms did not go away and in my opinion they became more noticeable to me. He cried nightly from stomach aches. When speaking to his Pediatrician he said it would pass and it was most likely colic.

After my Max’s Pediatrician gave him the all clear everyone around us began to relax. When I brought up my decision to find answers, I was met with a lot of hesitation and even once was told, I was told that I myself should enter into therapy. No one wanted to deal with the thought that there could be something wrong. I spent one night grieving for what could be and what wasn’t, I cried, I questioned and even prayed. The next day I awoke determined to find answers.

I began my own research, reading more and more about various infant delays. I eventually read about the regional centers in each state. I learnt they evaluated children under the age of 3 free of charge and provide them with the various needed therapies. I contacted my local regional center when Max was 15 months old. A case worker came to my house and after a series of tests and spending two hours with Max she turned to me and said “You have every reason to be concerned”.

Max entered early intervention at the age of 17 months old; His intake report said “Severely Delayed with Autistic like tendencies”. We changed Pediatricians and began the journey to heal our son.

FACT

There has been a dramatic rise in Autism now 1 in every 90 boys born has Autism. In 1993 children in the USA were receiving 10 vaccinations a year, Autism was 1 in 5000. In 2007 children in the USA are receiving 36 vaccinations a year; Autism has risen to 1 in 150 children. Even though the CDC has asked that Thimersol which is a Mercury based preservative to be removed from the Vaccinations there is evidence that it is still being used along with various other toxins such as Ether and Aluminum.

My advice to any parent with concerns is to go with your gut instinct and always get a second opinion. Just because they are doctors doesn’t mean they are right.. You know you child and you are your childs advocate..

Trust your Instincts Always!

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