Thursday, January 6, 2011

Dr. Wakefield’s Freakonomics

Twelve kids. That’s where it all started, the ruckus we have today, with 12 kids. Hardly, a large sampling, hardly even a minuscule sampling, practically an invisible sampling when compared to the thousands and thousands of children we have today living with autism.  It gets worst for Dr. Wakefield.  Out of these 12, we have learned that five of the children were diagnosed with being developmentally delayed BEFORE their vaccinations.
Hmm, so now we are down to seven children to make the historical link that autism is caused by vaccinations.
Seven kids. 
Perhaps, he did as Mr. Deer has charged, and the doctor deliberately altered the facts and health histories of these children for financial gain, or perhaps it was just bad science. Many parents believe that this journalist, Brian Deer, is a hired to fuel this witch hunt.  That Wakefield has hurt the bottom line of the pharmaceutical companies and now they have launched their campaign to discredit him.  Pitchforks and torches, included. These parents will never be swayed. They are convinced. They will stand behind Wakefield, at all costs.
But the price is steep.
The aftermath of his Wakefield's findings had sweeping repercussions. Children have died from not receiving their vaccinations from this scare. The elderly and the immune compromised have been put at risk because thousands of kids were not properly immunized. Money has been diverted from researching true causes for the reason that autism is on the rise, and is still rising. Or better yet…
Let’s focus our energy on the problem at hand, not Dr. Wakefield’s guilt or innocence.  But as we continue to dispute the cause, we should be equally concerned as to how to treat and educate children with autism. We need to research as many ways as possible to reach our children that are now on the Spectrum by any and all means.  Someday, and sooner than we think, these children will be adults that need to be assimilated into the workforce and independently living.
They need to be ready!
We need to be ready!
Let’s refocus the debate to how to help those children that are here now. And while we are at it, buy a copy of "Freakonomics" for Dr. Wakefield.

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