As a physician assistant with almost 20 years experience, and a mom of a child on the autistic spectrum, “conventional medicine” can be very frustrating. This week, I attended the MAPS (Medical Academy of Pediatric Special Needs) conference in an effort to help my child and my community. The number of intelligent people working to help our children, and the volume of research available is encouraging. I even got to meet Dr. Bob Sears!
Despite this glimmer of hope, I couldn’t help feeling resentful of the medical community at large. I have been thinking, when, exactly, was the moment that the medical community failed me?
-Was it preconception when I had no idea that I should have my old amalgams removed and my toxic body burden put in check?
-Was it at twenty weeks gestation when, without a thought of my unborn child, an emergent appendectomy was performed, and I was administered anesthetics and ordered imaging studies?
-Was it at delivery, when my lethargic child wouldn’t latch? When the pediatric resident tried to scare me into administering the hepatitis B vaccine, a vaccine for an illness that my newborn child was not likely to get?
-Maybe it was the two-week check up, when the pediatrician administered a vaccine for more illnesses than I agreed to . . .
-Or perhaps when she told me that all babies spit up and don’t sleep and cry when they are held by their mothers.
-Maybe it was when I was told that green stools were normal in a breastfed baby, that passing mucous was nothing.
-That crying and spitting up and arching backs were just colic.
-That blood in the stool was nothing–dairy and gluten can’t pass through a mother’s milk to aggravate a babies stomach, despite finding an article about that proved this was possible.
-Maybe it was when I was made to feel like I was over-reacting, and begrudgingly a consult to the pediatric gastroenterologist was made. Of course, since I was over-reacting, I really didn’t want to consent to an invasive procedure just to appease myself, so I said no to an endoscopy.
-I was told that breastfed babies don’t get food sensitivities, and that a mother on an elimination diet was too restrictive, or that boys do things later.
-That a disproportionate head circumference was a good sign, that my baby’s brain was growing.
-Maybe it was the propaganda in the office, questioning if Jenny McCarthy got her degree from Google university, with all the FDA BS saying that vaccines were safe…
-Just like all the antibiotics for the frequent ear infections, and the medications for esophagitis.
-Maybe it was when my pediatrician didn’t recognize the signs of an autism disorder, despite a child that wasn’t potty trained after having his fourth birthday.
-Or when the nurse glossed over the Denver Developmental Screening tool.
-Maybe it was when I had a surgery that went wrong one day before my son’s first birthday, forcing an early end to breast feeding…
So when I figured out that my pediatrician had failed me and my son, I switched to someone “more alternative”–someone who didn’t threaten me with body parts falling off if I didn’t vaccinate for chicken pox….but yet someone whose nurse wouldn’t give my child a sticker because he was too loud or wouldn’t step on the scale.
-Was it when I had to plead, then yell, scream, and cry to get a referral for a diagnosis, and for a seizure evaluation?
-When the same begging and groveling had to happen to get a note so that the school wouldn’t feed my child foods that made his bowels explode up his back and down to his toes?
I’m not sure what exact time point should mark this failure. Maybe I’m to blame? Maybe I trusted people I had no reason to trust. I had faith in an institution that has very little track record for protecting and healing children. One truth of parenting, however, is that no stone is left unturned when it comes to finding answers that work for your child. So I spent my sleepless nights scouring the internet. I found a way to get a diagnosis. I found groups that supported diet. I found biomedical interventions amid controversy and politics, but I also found hope and recovery. This week at MAPS, I found doctors and researchers that use their brains and their hearts. Conventional medicine may have failed me, but I have hope that one day evidence based biomedical and nutritional treatments will become standard, that doctors will open their eyes and their ears to this epidemic, to parents, and to the small patient that is entrusted to them.
You’ve been warned, autism. We’re taking action!
~MAPS Mom
I have been a physician assistant for twenty years, but I am a mom first
and foremost. I have three sons, two in college and one on his way to kindergarten.
My youngest has high functioning autism, as most likely I do. I am currently
pursuing a fellowship with the Medical Academy of Pediatric Special needs, a medical
group dedicated to the biomedical treatment of autism.
I wish to thank everyone who has read this entry, as well as all who have left comments. Our willingness to stand up in the face of adversity will only help the future thinkers!
Appendicitis is a condition characterized by inflammation of the appendix. It is classified as a medical emergency and many cases require removal of the inflamed appendix, either by laparotomy or laparoscopy. Untreated, mortality is high, mainly because of the risk of rupture leading to infection and inflammation of the intestinal lining (peritoneum) and eventual sepsis, clinically known as peritonitis which can lead to circulatory shock.’^”.
Check ya later
<http://healthwellnesslab.com/
Thanks for your comment. I’m so glad you are engaged. In my case, there were probably a lot of signs that I did not require surgery. Now there are many scientific studies considering medical treatment (IV Antibiotics) for appendicitis. Western medicine is very young, and still growing for sure!
Well written, gets to the heart of the matter. 1 in 6 are now afflicted with Developmental Disabilities and people need to know that it was not until a law was passed blocking lawsuits of vaccine makers in regular courts that suddenly kids began to get 70 vaccines and Autism emerged. Aluminum, embalming fluids, fetal cells, thimerosal, dangerous peanut allergies when peanut by products were added to vaccines, SIDS.. Heck, Dr. Mercola did not even study the term in 1983 because it was not in the medical textbooks then. I heard that pharmaceutical companies write most of their textbooks.
Autism was classified in the DSM in 1980. Medicine and psychiatry have not seen eye to eye on a lot of issues. The DSM seems to be more a constellation of symptoms, whereas medicine tries to prescribe a Pill for an Ill. Hopefully the visionaries of today can lead people to understand biomedical treatments for a biomedical issue.
Wow! This sounds A LOT like our story!
Maria, I’d love to know where you are now, what you’ve been doing, and how your little one is faring!
Appendicitis may be caused by pinworms. Seizures from neurocysticercosis. Treating parasites has changed my son dramatically.
Hi Caryn,
I know many people who have seen progress after parasitic treatment.
I recall a mentor’s statement on chiropractic care for low back pain…if it helps, if it makes someone feel good, and be functional, and it doesn’t hurt, go for it!
I’m not sure why some treatments seem to be a bone of contention for others. Walk a mile in my shoes, right?
Wow! I also had an emergency appendectomy when I was ~5 months pregnant with my son. Your story is very similar to mine. Thanks for posting!!
I hope things are going well for you and your son!
Great post. Fortunately when our Fiona, now age 3, was born, we did not give her any vaccinations and still have not. Thankful for alternative methods for babies today.
How is Fiona? Hope everything is great!
I’ve been feeling/thinking this way all day! 5 years ago my mom had her thyroid removed. she had a biopsy because they told her her thyroid was “calcified”. after the biopsy they told her that it may be cancer. so of course my mom freaked out and opted to have her thyroid removed. after the removal come to find out it wasn’t really cancer… so now she’s on a synthetic thyroid, which is causing issues with calcium regulation and now she’s having heart palpitations. when she probably would be fine if she didn’t ever have her thyroid removed in the first place. I was able to talk her out of doing the radiation so thank God for that. I have always questioned Medical intervention…even as a child I ran from doctors (my moms an RN). I just wish I was more of the thinker that I am now, back then… but this is before I had children and It was still all about me. I’m just so angry about this! Fucking doctors.. they are fear mongers!
I hope you have been well!
Synthyroid isn’t the only answer, there are others out there (NatureThyroid).
We all have to do what we feel is best. It seems like more and more, people are trying to place their values and beliefs on others.
Great blog! I love that we have Thinkers “on the inside” <3
Thanks Poppy!
It’s difficult to be always treading on thin ice…and conventional medical communities will try to shame people out of their opinions. I need to recall Bernie Rimland. What a smart, gentle soul.
Great post…sooo much of this sounds like our story too.
Kuddos to you for trusting your insticts and taking action!
How are things going?
I wish we all had the support we needed when those instincts kick in!