I'm the mother of two unvaccinated children. My son is 7 and was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome...
"I'm the mother of two unvaccinated children. My son is 7 and was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome (an Autism Spectrum Disorder) at 4.5. My daughter is 18 months and neurotypical. Before my son was born, we decided not to vaccinate because my husband has ADHD. We thought the vaccine risks were worth it if we could spare our children a lifetime of ADHD. I suspected Asperger's Syndrome as early as 3.5 in my son, but didn't understand what kind of doctor to see for a formal diagnosis until my son was 4.5.
As I've come to learn, autism is now considered a nuerobiological disorder, affecting the entire body, not just the brain. Doctors have also now acknowledged that autism has both genetic and environmental causes. Some like to say, "Genetics load the gun, but the environment pulls the trigger." Looking back, though we didn't vaccinate, I can see other factors that contributed to the toxic load on my son. In 2005, we didn't know the crucial role beneficial flora play in gut health. He was born via c-section and didn't receive the flora like babies born vaginally. When he was a couple weeks old, I took antibiotics because I had a bad sinus infection. Through my breast milk, the antibiotics cleared out what little beneficial flora his newborn gut had grown on its own. I unknowingly had post-partum depression, which I self-medicated with sweets, letting the yeast gain a stronghold in my newborn's body. By one month old, my son had painful reflux and green foul-smelling stools, both signs of damage in the digestive system.. My pediatrician told me I shouldn't worry because he was still gaining weight. I delayed solid food until he was 6.5 months and kept him gluten and casein free until after 1 year. His reflux and stools improved and he ate a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. At 13 months, I introduced gluten and casein, including 16 oz of cow's milk daily, and by 15 months, he had eliminated all but one vegetable from his diet. I believe these proteins were too hard to digest in a compromised gut, leading to more damage and yeast.
After my son was diagnosed, the doctor suggested a yeast overgrowth because of his aggressive behavior. Urine tests verified the yeast and suddenly the random hives, tummy aches, yellow crust on his scalp, and strange bowel habits made sense. But after 4.5 years of yeast overgrowth, the damage has been done. We have been able to heal his digestive system through special diets, medication, supplements, and probiotics. The hives and dandruff are gone. And while his behavior has improved, he still struggles with the anxiety and social deficits of autism. I shudder to think how things might be had I vaccinated.
For my daughter's health, I did things differently. I gave birth vaginally. I took high dose probiotics as well as vitamin D throughout my pregnancy and after she was born. I also took no antibiotics or medications while pregnant or breastfeeding. I gave her probiotics daily from birth, delayed solid foods, and have introduced gluten and casein only minimally into her diet. At 18 months old, she has a healthy varied diet and outstanding social, cognitive, and language development."
