The actress and wife of a former NFL quarterback inspired the anti-vaccine movement, after her son was vaccinated against her wishes. Today she wears a new role as she tries to bring the two sides together: peacekeeper.
When Jenny McCarthy’s son Evan received the diagnosis of autism, it was Holly Robinson-Peete who picked her up when she was down. The two hadn’t previously known each other and didn’t have a reason to, but one phone call ignited McCarthy to pick up the pieces of her life and push forward. The first night they spoke, the conversation lasted into the wee morning hours. The rest was history.
“Whatever I did to help inspire her to become so vocal and to advocate, I’m very happy to have played a part in that,” Robinson-Peete says. “She’s a force of a nature who doesn’t need a lot of prompting.”
Robinson-Peete is someone who has and will continue to travel a very different path. Her journey into autism came long before McCarthy was a blip on the autism radar screen. In 1999 Holly had just come off a long stint on the hit TV sitcom Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper. Her husband, NFL quarterback Rodney Peete, was trying to adapt to a new football team in Washington, D.C., after four years in Philadelphia. Meanwhile, their son, Rodney James (RJ), was regressing while his twin sister, Ryan Elizabeth, was showing great progress.
Robinson-Peete does believe her son...
Robbie Woliver tackles an alphabet soup of disabilities
Poor muscle response. Awkward social behavior. Inability to remain focused. Sensory issues. Is it autism? Is it auditory processing disorder? Is it ADHD? Or is it a combination of all three? Most doctors would rush to judgment about a child’s disorder to give him or her a concrete, singular diagnosis without taking into account the obvious intersections of indicators. A textbook disorder label is not good enough anymore – a holistic approach is the future of disorder treatment.
As opposed to the cold and disconnected Merck manual feel of most resource books, Robbie Woliver offers us Alphabet Kids.
Alphabet Kids explores the world of comorbid, or coexisting, disorders. The overlap between disorder symptoms and signs can many times lead to a less than thorough diagnosis and a lack of proper treatment. Woliver successfully layers powerful narrative with comprehensive research that gives readers a solid starting point in helping to address the true needs of the child. Although the book lists comorbid disorders in alphabetical order, it’s the book’s purpose that gives warmth to its pages and conveys an urgency for further research and action. Woliver’s research spans the globe to include perspectives not limited to our shores.
The decision made in favor of the family in the case of Bailey Banks v. the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is not surprising, given the evidence. It does, however, raise questions about the difference between cases such as Banks' and the three Autism Omnibus test cases that were recently found in favor of the HHS. The answer might must be in the questions that are being asked.
This case begins in a familiar way. He was born in October of 1998, and developed normally during his first year of life. He had no signs of chronic illness or delay. During his 15-month check-up in March of 2000, Banks was deemed in good health and received the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination. Sixteen days later, he had a seizure and was taken to the Emergency Room. Scans, examinations, observations and several diagnoses followed.
In July of 2007, Special Master Richard Abell ruled in Vaccine Court that Banks had experienced "a proximate sequence of cause and effect leading inexorably from vaccination to Pervasive Developmental Delay."
According to the United States Court of Federal Claims decision, the day after Banks was admitted to the hospital, he received a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. The treating radiologist found evidence of "a demyelinating process of immune etiology such as may be seen with ADEM or perhaps post-vaccination." Further neurological examinations...
By Lauren S. Henry
Children with special needs, disabilities and behavioral disorders are as unique as fingerprints. Each child requies a different type of support. A child’s atmosphere is often overlooked although it is one of the most integral with regard to nurturing their individual needs. Parents often focus on the obvious things. As an example, if we have a boy, we incorporate the “typical boy” subject matter in their room, such as trucks, race cars, football and overly bright primary colors. However, without knowing it, we can be exacerbating their already heightened sensitivity to color, landscape and pattern. The same goes for the types of materials we utilize within their surroundings.
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The ball that…never rolls? The Rib It Ball has crinkly, handle-like ribs along its sides (yes, a ball with ‘sides’). In addition to providing tactile stimulation, they ensure the ball never rolls too far after a missed catch. The Rib It is very easy to throw and catch. Its light weight ensures harmless bounces off unsuspecting heads. The only downside is it requires large inflatable balloons (two are included) which are inserted and provide the ball’s shape. Parents without the lung capacity of a Michael Phelps will need an air pump with a large nozzle.
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NEW COMPLEX GENETIC DISABILITIES WE HAVE NO ANSWERS FOR
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Growing up as a child I remember learning about the Great Depression in school. I must admit I don't remember much of the historical details, but the images of people stand...
