Jenny McCarthy takes on panelists on Larry King Live
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I grow to respect Jenny McCarthy more every day. It's hard to believe the woman I continually see in the media fighting for autism got her start on MTV's Singled Out (and Playboy). Call her crazy, call her whatever you want, but this woman is fighting for what I think we all want: an answer, a cure, for autism.
Last night she appeared on Larry King Live with a group of panelists to discuss autism and vaccinations. It is Jenny's opinion--one shared by many, but apparently not everyone on the panel--that too many vaccinations too soon are the root cause of autism.
Now, she did use the BS word, but it was borne of the things she's seen and experienced. Her son, Evan, who was diagnosed with autism, died in front of her for two minutes. He is alive now, as we all know, but I was unaware that he suffered two minutes of cardiac arrest after receiving a vaccination.
This is troubling news I frankly don't want to hear the day before my own son, now one, is due in for a wellness visit that will include shots. To be honest, I am wholly terrified of vaccinations. I had them when I was a child, and I am not autistic. My son, however, seems to be receiving a host more shots than I ever had, including one for chicken pox--I had to get it the old-fashioned way.
Regardless of whether Jenny said the BS word, and regardless of what you think of her as an actress or spokesperson, you've got to admit this woman is all guns when it comes to fighting for her son. Her approach seems to be pretty in your face, but perhaps that is what it will take for something to happen. Someone has to do it. Someone has to fight for families affected by autism. I think she's the one who has stepped up to the plate to do it. And thank God for her.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Crystal 4-03-2008 @ 9:24PM
My heart literally skipped a beat when I read "her son died in front of her..." I was relieved to keep reading that it had occurred in the past and he was alive and well. What a scare.
Anyway, I didnt see her on Larry King, but I have seen her on Oprah. And I was very impressed by her and by little Evan. For having autism he does fantastic. She really has done her homework and makes an enormous effort to make sure he eats the correct foods and has the correct stimulation.
I tend to agree with her about the vaccines. Both of my kids are vaccinated. And it was the scariest decision I ever had to make as a mother.
I also agree with her that early intervention is where its at. Helping children early gives them the best chance at excelling.
Keep it up Jenny. We are all rooting for you!!
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SKL 4-03-2008 @ 11:06PM
I think it's inaccurate to use the words "the root cause of autism" in your article. I don't know what words J.M. actually uses. But the only logical way of saying this is that vaccines (or some aspect of them) may be "A" cause of autism, or the cause of "some cases" of autism. By putting forth the argument using extreme language, you ensure that most people reading it will scoff, and that is unfair.
I am in the camp that says more focused and non-biased research is needed, and also that the vaccine schedules are way too aggressive, and needlessly so. Even if autism were not a concern, I would refuse such an aggressive vaccine schedule. My kid sister had all kinds of problems from having multiple vaccines every time she went to the doctor; and while this had nothing to do with autism, I would not choose to take these risks with my children.
You can tell your doctor to hold off on the MMR vaccine, which is the one they give at the 12-month visit and also the one most often believed to be associated with autism. You can also demand that it be broken into three separate shots with a nice time gap in between. There are also other things you can do to ensure your child is less vulnerable to this vaccine.
I didn't allow my doc to give the MMR "on schedule." It was hard because he really pressured me and treated me like an idiot. But it is worth it for my peace of mind. It is a lot safer to give these three separate vaccines on an alternate schedule, recommended by an experienced doctor, which you can google. I encourage you to be strong and go with your instincts.
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ikate 4-04-2008 @ 7:18AM
I, too, didn't allow my doc to give the MMR on schedule. And I made them do it in three doses. I also wouldn't let her have more than one vaccination at a time and every shot was spaced at least 4 weeks apart. It was a huge struggle and one doc in the practice actually rolled her eyes at me. Not long after that I found a new practice where they respect my decisions as a parent.
My hesitation stems not so much from fear of autism, but the fact that both my husband and I had bad reactions to vaccinations as children. Hight fevers, rashes, vomiting, etc. I want to make sure if M has a reaction that we know exactly what she is reacting to... something you can't do if your baby is shot up with 4 different vaccines in a single visit.
LS 4-04-2008 @ 12:11PM
You know, it's interesting that doctors are resistant to spacing out and slowing down vaccinations. I used to work for a veterinarian, and always, if a pet showed a reaction to a vacc, we'd note it in the chart. The following year, either that vacc wasn't given, or (in the case of multi-vax) each shot was given separately, a short time apart. In these cases, there were no extra doc-visit charges, the only charge was for the actual vacc.
Interesting, isn't it, that ANIMAL doctors are more willing to listen to our concerns than those who are charged with taking care of people?
If I have another child, you can BET that I'll be giving those vax one at a time, and very slowly. And if the doc wants to argue, he can go jump. I'll take the kid to the vet! (ok, kidding. I'm kidding. sort of)
Cathy 4-03-2008 @ 11:13PM
I don't agree with everything that she believes, but I love that she is using her celebrity to make people listen about things that matter. Her anger is righteous and justified. She is my new hero.
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Kellie 4-04-2008 @ 1:14AM
She is a fierce advocate for her child. Right or wrong she is a fighter and that little boy is going to grow up knowing that he is so loved. Love her!
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LLN 4-04-2008 @ 8:24AM
We're giving my 20 month old son all of his vaccinations but spreading them out a bit. You may want to purchase Dr. Spears book about Vaccinations to get some alternate suggestions. MMR and Chickenpox are not usually serious in young children, rather they are serious for teenagers and adults. We figure we're taking a small risk to wait until he's 3 to give him those shots. Also, he'll be fully vaccinated prior to going to preschool so we're not potentially getting others sick.
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Sean Stone 4-04-2008 @ 8:37AM
My favorite moments?
The AMA president elect said that the benefits of vaccination outweigh the possible risks and that children need vaccinations to protect themselves from deadly diseases, Jenny held up a sheet of vaccinations and said, "yeah, but from all of these? is that really necessary?" Then one of the doctors turned to her and said, "Well, which one of those diseases do you want your kid to get then?"
Check, and mate.
I am also reminded of a speech I once heard on a television show about people who wanted to separate themselves from medicine and society...
"You're taller, stronger, healthier, and you live longer than the last generation; and we don't think that's altogether bad. You've probably never seen a 'Quarantine' sign on a neighbor's door. Diphtheria, scarlet fever, whooping cough--probably none of your classmates are crippled with polio. You don't see many mastoid scars anymore."
Stop immunizing kids, and we can enjoy a return to such things.
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Cynthia 4-04-2008 @ 12:02PM
I didn't see the show, but was Jenny seriously suggesting forgoing immunizations altogether? And did the other panelists indicate why it is essential to get them on the schedule public health recommends or did they admit it was to get the herd immunized as quickly as possible before people forget.
Responsible parents have a right and a duty to research these vaccinations and the consequences of getting these diseases at each age. The main danger to most children getting measles, mumps or rubella is passing it on to a pregnant woman. The risk to the child themselves is usually minimal. She is home with me full time until she starts school and if she were to contract any of those illnesses, obviously she would not be in contact with anyone else. I feel confident in the alternate vaccination schedule we have developed, and my child will be vaccinated - in due time.
Allison 4-04-2008 @ 8:46AM
I saw her on another talk show and I believe that she was proposing that parents have a say in their kids vaccination schedule. She didn't come across as anti-vaccine. Personally, I don't see the harm in spreading out the shots. It really doesn't have to be an issue about autism.
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Cynthia 4-04-2008 @ 8:49AM
I have also chosen an alternate schedule for MMR after considerable research. I do not believe MMR is the sole cause of autism or anything like that, but my research leads me to believe the risk of delaying this mega-vaccine with small so I'd prefer not to overwhelm her immune system at such a tender age. My daughter will receive her first MMR vaccine prior to starting school.
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eugene 4-04-2008 @ 1:07PM
Feh, my son got his shots on time, and guess what? No autism. My nephews got their shots on time, no autism, my friend's baby, shots on time, no autism my neighbor's kid got his shots on time... wait for it.... no autism.
I can't believe that we're still having this arguement.
Look, if you go outside every morning and throw magic pennies into the sky and command the sky to give you rain, eventually, by COINCIDENCE it will rain, the magic pennies and you had nothing to do with it.
I know this is an emotional issue but for chrissakes, learn the difference between correlation and causality.
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SKL 4-04-2008 @ 1:47PM
What I don't understand is why those who don't agree with using caution with immunizations have to attack those of us who do?
If the matter is important to you, do some research on why a fair number of intelligent and sane people are concerned. (Your comment proves that you have not done any research so far.) If it's not important to you, why do you feel the need to insult others?
I'm sure there are lots of things you are careful about that I allow to blow in the wind. I don't make it a practice to insult you for being concerned when it comes to your own children (assuming you have any).
And by the way, how many of you scoffers have had YOUR boosters lately? If the biggest concern is that my wee child may infect you as an adult after your vaccines wear off, which is when measles, rubella, and chicken pox can really do damage, why is nobody slamming those adults, e.g., women who may potentially become pregnant, for not getting boosters? Why inject multiple live viruses in my wee child to protect adults who won't undergo the same procedure?
Sabrina 4-04-2008 @ 2:19PM
I was just wondering about adult vaccines SKL. I know that I wasn't even AWARE that adults needed booster shots until I was pregnant with my first child. Doctors have the tendency (in my experience) to downplay or completely omit this information, and it's just as crucial to our fight of deadly diseases as children's vaccines are. I admit that I'm not sure if I believe vaccines are part of the causation of autsim, but I also don't disbelieve it. I was nervous getting both my kids their shots as well, but I bit the bullet and did it because it was what I felt was right. My grandfather is a polio survivor. He suffered brain damage, lost his entire family, and lived out his childhood in an iron lung. He's racked by tremors and has a supressed immune system, and we're just lucky he's alive. I want better for my kids and their generation. Alternate vaccination schedules are still vaccination schedules, and if that's what it takes to make people have less fear of autism, while still keeping life-threatening illnesses at bay, I think more doctors should support it.
CJ 4-08-2008 @ 2:53AM
You are really simplifying a complicated issue with your "guess what no autism" comment about your lucky friends, family members and neighbors. Jenny is not anti-vaccine she is trying to help persuade the medical community to change the schedule. Most of the us in the autism community agree with you that vaccines are necessary. Adjusting the dosage and the schedule may be all that it takes to alleviate a potential problem. My belief is that some children are born with a weakened immune system or their immune system is more fragile if perhaps they had to take antibiotics for something as simple as an ear infection. They may just be predisposed to autism and other issues and the vaccines put them over the edge. We don't know the cause at this point, but when so many children are having developmental problems shortly after being vaccinated, it seems that a link may be there for SOME CHILDREN. Not yours and all of your lucky family members and friends. But how about a little compassion for the rest of us?
isisaquaria 4-04-2008 @ 3:01PM
We have both situations to argue in my family-shots on time no autsim, no shots at all autism--The only austistic child in my circle has had no shots to date-he is 8 now. For those who blame just shots-explain that.
There are connections, and if you want to be cautious-do so, but don't jump on a bandwagon just cause you can.
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SKL 4-04-2008 @ 4:06PM
Isis, most of the people I know who have had concussions didn't have brain damage. I myself had a massive concussion at age 2 and still bear a large scar on my forehead 39 years later. I had two other concussions after that. No brain damage. My nanny's kid never fell on her head, but has brain damage. As you would say, "explain that." My sister had a couple of concussions; no brain damage as far as I know. My nephew, my neighbor . . . etc . . . pretty much everyone I know . . . no brain damage . . . so why should I believe that my child might suffer brain damage if I whack her over the head with a hammer?
I don't know of ANYONE who has argued that vaccinations are THE ONLY cause of autism. That isn't the point at all. I just don't understand why so many people don't "get" it. Time and again, this prevents us from having any kind of intelligent discussion on this topic.
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Nicole 4-04-2008 @ 6:15PM
I adore Jenny McCarthy. I have read her books. She finds humor about the awkward things in life and isn't afraid to share her experience. My daughter has had her necessary vaccines with the MMR broken up into 3 doses. Recently, there was a measles out break in our area and my mom was pushing for me to get my daughter another vaccination. I didn't do it. I did not fear of her catching it and if she did I knew that it could be treated. I am sure are many different reasons for autism. This post isn't to define what the causes are, but simply to applaud Jenny McCarthy's attention, work and research she has done thus far. She loves her son, there is no doubt. I wish them all the best.
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eugene 4-04-2008 @ 6:28PM
Here are the facts. We don't know what causes autism.
Kids who receive vaccines sometimes come down with autism.
Kids who don't receive sometimes come down with autism.
Autism tends to become apparant sometime between the ages of 1 and 2.
There appears to be a hereditary link in autism.
Here's what we know about vaccines. THEY WORK, THEY SAVE LIVES, THEY KEEP PEOPLE WHO HAVE WEAKENED IMMUNE SYSTEMS SAFE.
I swear, bunch of left wings loons, ludites and right wing religious nutjobs, I'm glad all of you found something in common.
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eugene 4-04-2008 @ 6:39PM
Oh please, enough with your sanctimonious crap SKL. I have done research on the subject and the VAST majority of data out there says there is NO LINK between vaccines and autism. You people made a big stink out of mercury based perservatives and even with those gone, autism rates have still climbed.
The fact is, kids get the vaccines between the ages of 1 and 2, and that just happens to be when most kids with autism suffer their regression. There's no conspiracy, there's no causality, there's just correlation. Here's another correlation, the majority of men who cheat on their spouses drink coffee. Did the coffee cause the men to stray? NO, they just happen to drink coffee.
And Jenny freaking McCarthy? Are you kidding me? Why was cruise a laughing stock for saying we're over medicating our kids but McCarthy is some sort of hero for running around saying vaccines cause/contribute to autism?
And let's see this list of "very respected" researchers of yours. Would it be anything like the list of "very respected" scientists that the right wingers drag up to dismiss global climate change? Or the dangers of tobacco?
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