No-vax

[Maggie Mae]

Awww I thought this thread was going to be about the segment on the Today show today. It was about physicians who are denying clients who refuse to vaccinate. It came on just as I was leaving.

[Austin]

I wouldn't use the toe-walk as a diagnostic by any means, but I have noticed a lot of people with autism (both adults and kids in my former job as a special ed TA) do walk on their toes. I've always figured it was a sensory thing, not a sign of an ASD itself. Non-ASD people can have sensory issues too :)

Oh, absolutely. I just wanted to point that out for young mothers who may observe this so that they don't panic. It does not necessarily mean anything of any great import. Certainly get things checked out if there are other concerns as well, but as you say, in and of itself it is not diagnostic.

Another thing that supposedly indicates maybe ASD, I've read, is when the child chews the front of his shirt or his shirt collar. Both of these boys (again, unrelated) did that. Once he got in school, my son went through shirts like crazy and it drove me nuts and I know it drove BFF nuts, too. But it was just a habit that my son developed when he was concentrating on anything (such as schoolwork). He grew out of it by about 5th grade.

The only thing strange that my son does now on a regular basis is that he feels the need to take the caps off of stuff and sniff it. Last night, he came in after closing the restaurant (late) and I was in bed reading and he sat down on the edge of the bed to talk to me. While he was there, carrying on a conversation, he managed to pick up every product on my nightstand that had a cap and unscrew the cap and sniff it. Lotion, Ben-Gay, lens cleaner, lip balm.

I have no idea what this means - lol

[Kitchen Princess]

It's just a quirk. Remember Brad Garret on Everybody Loves Raymond? His character always touched his fork to his chin before he put it in his mouth.

One of my kids chewed his shirts when he was about 8. He always had chapped lips as a result. He outgrew it. I have a kid that never goes anywhere (even to bed) without socks. This summer he finally did swim a lot without anything on his feet (he's 27). We call him a Never Nude. :)

[formergothardite]

I grew up in that same country and have never heard that before. I obviously missed that part of our culture :?

Do people really freak out there about wearing black to a wedding? Is it "just not done"?

[galaxygirl]

Do people really freak out there about wearing black to a wedding? Is it "just not done"?

Not as far as I know, we're pretty laid back people. Unless things have changed in the six years since I moved to the US, I'm just sitting here being confused. Black is not just for funerals, two of our Queens had white funerals.

[Austin]

I don't think I'd wear black to a daytime wedding, but I would to an evening affair.

[BlackHawk]

all the weddings I've been to, even as a child, were black and white affairs. I've never been to one that wasn't formal, and thus you wore your tuxes and little black dresses (okay, as a kid they weren't little, must uphold modesty).

[JesusFightClub]

I'm Scottish and I always grew up with "you don't wear black to a wedding". Seen like bad luck, or something, or as though you wished the couple ill.

[ladypuglover]

I'm Scottish and I always grew up with "you don't wear black to a wedding". Seen like bad luck, or something, or as though you wished the couple ill.

And in Japan, white was thought of as what one wears to a funeral and red to a wedding. It all comes down to customs and if they are still curent customs. I do believe some brides do wear white now in Japan, but I may be wrong... about the whole thing. ;) But today, in America it is fine to wear black to a wedding and colors to a funeral. Customs do change and maybe faster here because of so many different people doing the melting pot thing. :shifty:

[clibbyjo]

It's just a quirk. Remember Brad Garret on Everybody Loves Raymond? His character always touched his fork to his chin before he put it in his mouth.

One of my kids chewed his shirts when he was about 8. He always had chapped lips as a result. He outgrew it. I have a kid that never goes anywhere (even to bed) without socks. This summer he finally did swim a lot without anything on his feet (he's 27). We call him a Never Nude. :)

OMG, my 9 year old sleeps in socks and is never without them either! Even on the hottest summer days he will wear socks, walk around the yard in socks while the other kids are in bare feet. He is trying out of the swim team next week. :)

He also chews on his shirt sometimes.

[NurseNell]

OMG, my 9 year old sleeps in socks and is never without them either! Even on the hottest summer days he will wear socks, walk around the yard in socks while the other kids are in bare feet. He is trying out of the swim team next week. :)

He also chews on his shirt sometimes.

I always wear socks except when swimming. I wear them with sandals. I wear them to bed. The thought of walking barefoot gives me the heebie jeebies. I don't chew on my shirt. :geek:

Nell

[fundyfunland]

I am a R.N., peds. My DH is a M.D. Our younger son and his wife don't vaccinate. We each said our piece, then shut up because we are the grandparents, not the parents. But it scares me, esp since they often travel to Colombia. The county they live in currently has measles.

The only thing I would do today if my kids were young is get the immunizations on a different schedule. I do think too many vaccinations are given at once. I'd go much slower but by school age they'd be up to date. I would not give the varicella vaccine. Every case of chickenpox I've seen in the last several years has been in an immunized student.

About 10 years ago I caught pertussis from an unimmunized student. I was very ill. The student's 6 month old nephew died.

I'm old enough to remember polio, which took several of my classmates. My Dad lost 4 siblings to diptheria. I'd hate to see these diseases come back, and they will if too many people opt not to vaccinate.

Nell

Going in for the plunge....holding my breath, and.....jumps.....

Amen sista! I'm all over the standard vax schedules. We keep getting outbreaks here (in ontario) of diseases that were, more or less, wipedout decades ago. People who don't vax put all vulnerable un-vaxed people at risk. How selfish!!! And uneducated of them. Study after study have shown the effectiveness and safety of vaccines. The studies that purported to show major adverse reactions have been disproven, as they were poorly designed &/or seriously biased.

As a nurse, I'm all over scrutinizing medical interventions. I think the pharmaceutical companies are pushing treatments that are sometimes useless, and more often, redundant, for profit. But when it comes to standard vaxs, it just makes sense!

[Austin]

I hope I didn't imply anything with my post! It was just something I pointed out that today I would've probably been evaluated for something on the autism spectrum along with the various other 'quirks' I have versus when I was younger and special needs only meant those kids who were struggling in school. My bipolar and anxiety issues probably would've come to light a lot sooner actually, even if I was *that* kid. My old teachers still make a big deal about how intelligent I am. It's kind of embarassing.

I hate having to walk with my full foot. I think the only time I do is when I'm running. I also chew on my zipper on my coats and hoodies. I think that's more an anxiety quirk than anything else though.

But yeah, I'm almost positive my uncle is on the autism spectrum. It's kind of sad actually and he's just seen as weird and not likeable. I can't think of someone as not likeable when they can recite almost all episodes of the Simpsons from memory!

Oh, no, Maul. I didn't think you were implying anything at all. I don't know where or how the line gets drawn between quirks and being on the spectrum. I'm sure it depends on the child and whatever else is going on.

[StarrieEyedKat]

Oh, no, Maul. I didn't think you were implying anything at all. I don't know where or how the line gets drawn between quirks and being on the spectrum. I'm sure it depends on the child and whatever else is going on.

Here's the criteria that's generally needed to be diagnosed on the spectrum - http://www.autreat.com/dsm4-autism.html

When I was going through my training, we were taught to look for a host of things - I wish I could find the checklist but it's similar to the DSM-IV, just a little more broken down - and children needed to meet at least 6 or 7 of the criteria to be considered autistic.

[InkyGirl]

And in Japan, white was thought of as what one wears to a funeral and red to a wedding. It all comes down to customs and if they are still curent customs. I do believe some brides do wear white now in Japan, but I may be wrong... about the whole thing. ;) But today, in America it is fine to wear black to a wedding and colors to a funeral. Customs do change and maybe faster here because of so many different people doing the melting pot thing. :shifty:

When I was in Japan I saw a couple of weddings and one bride wore a traditional western bridal gown, veil and all; the other wore a traditional Japanese Kimono - and both were beautiful! I love the Japanese culture... *missing Nippon*