My friend posted a story about how PETA sent a letter to Ben&Jerry's requesting that they start using human breast milk in their ice cream instead of cow's milk. It reminded me of their latest publicity stunt--a billboard attempting to spook parents into believing that milk causes autism. So frustrating to me as a mom, school psychologist, and, oh yeah, a person with a BRAIN.
Autism is so difficult for parents to accept and understand. I'm working with a family right now that are in such a cycle of grief and denial about their kiddo's significant problems that they are refusing valuable treatment services and wasting precious treatment time.
The "immunizations cause Autism" issue continues to lurk and scare parents away from protecting their children from other PREVENTABLE diseases. The study that made that claim has been rescinded, dismissed, and proven incorrect numerous times but it remains in the hearts of those who cannot face that maybe their hurl of the biological dice didn't go their way.
Jenny McCarthy is making me nuts with her claim that she "cured" her son of Autism. She could be such a strong voice for early intervention, parent education, loving your child no matter what, etc. but she insists on spouting non research-based information about something I'm pretty sure they don't teach Playboy bunnies.
7 comments:
That billboard bothers me greatly. Like I (or any parent) need more to be paranoid about!
As an autism parent there is nothing that agravates me more than corporations manipulating parents fears with BuLL! As if mom's need more to freak them out.
AMEN ladies! I completely agree! That's why I hate Tom Cruise -- b/c of his own childhood insecurities and bad experience with stimulants, he high school education (if that) and Scientology studies qualify him to be an expert on the use of psychotropic medication. I haven't seen a movie of his since b/c that's socially irresponsible in my opinion to propogate fear based on faulty or handpicked data. Q
Love this post.
You have got to be kidding me?! Milk causes autism?! What will the come up with next? Please. I had a friend that believed the immunizations-cause-autism crap and tried to convince me of it (thanks to you I didn't fall for it). Thanks for keeping me informed!
You go girl! I couldn't have said it better myself. I hate it when people in LA try to sound all dignified and knowledgeable. Just because you may have spent a few months "researching" a part for your next movie, doesn't make you a doctor!(or politician, but don't get me started on that one) Leave it to the experts!
http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/index.php?cl=10363757
Check this link out -- it has the author, Dr. Offit, of a new book "Autism's False Prophets" discussing how these very issues related to autism and misleading or erroneous beliefs about what causes it.
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