Vaccines Did Not Cause Rachel’s Autism: My Journey as a Vaccine Scientist, Pediatrician, and Autism Dad by Peter J. Hotez
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
It’s good to finally have a work that shows someone who has a family member with autism AND deals with vaccines.
Vaccines do not cause autism.
I would have appreciated hearing more from Ann about raising Rachel, especially since the burden of childcare and dealing with Rachel’s autism fell on her. It would have been good to hear from Rachel too, but then she may have opted out of putting her point of view in the book and that’s okay.
It was helpful showing how Rachel progressed and how she behaved along with the input from Ann who had noticed something was different with Rachel before the diagnosis of autism. Showing the struggles, battles, heartache, and the good was helpful in showing that those on the autism spectrum and their families have to deal and cope with behaviors from their loved ones without a lot of support especially as an autistic child becomes an adult. It was also helpful to show an autistic girl because autism in girls has increased in the last few decades. Having a face to put to the diagnosis rather than a meaningless phrase of paper will help many see the humanity of those with autism rather than a impersonal diagnosis.
It’s genetic and has about a 1000 genes that affect the development of autism with only 65 genes currently identified. The genes that cause autism affect development in the womb, not caused by vaccines. Autistic behaviors start before certain vaccines are given, ones falsely accused of “causing” autism. People are born with autism, not infected with it. Those with autism are usually born with a larger head (macrocephaly), don’t bond or don’t bond well with parents, cry easily and can’t be consoled as babies, start overdeveloping their brains starting at 6 months, may regress in development milestones or be slow to meet them and are usually diagnosed between 18-24 months.
We don’t provide enough services and support for those with autism and families that have an autistic family member. Vaccines are safe. Let’s put more effort into developing and funding support and services for those on the autism spectrum and their loved ones. That’s what we really need more of.
The Library Made Me Do It 