Children with Disabilities

[lizerbean]

I recently learned of a boy who was born with a condition called Trisomy-18. I read the story of how this boy Eliot fought for 99 days to live life, and of another trisomy-18 baby Claire who was less fortunate. I was touched by their tales, and by the strength of their parents. However I still do not understand much about this condition. I know it is a disorder caused when there are three chromosomes in the 18th space in someone's DNA. But how is it caused? Is there a cure or treatment for it? This is new territory for me. As a new parent, I worry about what life holds for my young son. I thank God every day that he is strong and healthy. I pray for the children who are not as fortunate, and for their families who must bear their struggles. I am not a religious person (far from it actually!), but the stories of these children give me faith and hope for the future. Although Claire and Eliot are Home now, please keep them (and all our children) in your thoughts and prayers. With love, Gabriel's Mom.

[makenewmoneynow]

Hi New Mommy,

I read your post because I am a mom of a special needs child and I have done extensive research on alternative therapies that help children with special needs. I have never done any research on that particular condition, but I could have referred you to someone who could have helped you if it was your child.

Since you are a new mom you may want to carefully research vaccines and immunizations. This is a very important decision that every parent needs to make for their children and the decision may differ from child to child. I never even thought twice about it when my son was born. A friend told me I needed to research it, but I was so overwhelmed with all the complications of my son's unexpected condition, that it took me awhile to collect myself enough to focus on it.

There are  doctors and nurses on both sides of this debate. Hep. B and MMR are the most controversial along with just the ridiculous number altogether of vaccines given. I did not immunize my son after 6 months. He did not get the MMR, thank GOD! A dear friend of mine's child had a reaction to the MMR vaccine and was then diagnose autistic after being in perfect health up until that point. It was a clear and drastic change that occurred immediately after the vaccine was given.

I have yet to find a child diagnosed with autism who DID NOT get vaccinated in general. I have not looked in the last 6 months but so far the AMA is not releasing that information. I believe they said it is not available at this time. If anyone knows where I can find this information I would love to read it. The good news is there are a handful of successful therapies that do reverse autism if the child is lucky enough to have open-minded parents.

To share my experience with the decision whether to vaccinate or not, I found a very good homeopathic doctor and asked her what children were vaccinated for that she DID NOT feel comfortable treating homeopathically if my son were to get it. She said there was not anything. So even though I did not follow the USA mainstream medical protocol, which I do not at all now. I had a solid Plan B.

Very happy to hear you are a new mommy of a healthy baby girl! Isn't being a mom the greatest? 

[go4thegold]

my mom actually works with handicapped people al the time

[liljp617]

Trisomy-18 is also known as Edward's Syndrome, and as you said, is characterized by an extra 18th chromosome.  The process it happens under is:

A healthy egg or sperm cell contains individual chromosomes — one to contribute to each of the 23 pairs of chromosomes needed to form a normal cell with typical human karyotype of 46 chromosomes. Numerical errors arise at either of the two meiotic divisions and cause the failure of segregation of a chromosome into the daughter cells (nondisjunction). This results in an extra chromosome making the haploid number 24 rather than 23. Fertilization of these eggs or sperm that contain an extra chromosome results in trisomy, or three copies of a chromosome rather than two.[7]

Trisomy 18 (47,XX,+18) is caused by a meiotic nondisjunction event. With nondisjunction, a gamete (i.e., a sperm or egg cell) is produced with an extra copy of chromosome 18; the gamete thus has 24 chromosomes. When combined with a normal gamete from the other parent, the embryo now has 47 chromosomes, with three copies of chromosome 18.

If you're not familiar with it, you'll probably have to go read a little about meiosis in order to grasp some of the terminology and explanations used above.

As far as I know, there is no cure/treatment and the rate of survival is very low.  More elaborate:

The survival rate of Edwards Syndrome is very low. About 95% die in utero. Of liveborn infants, only 50% live to 2 months, and only 5–10% will survive their first year of life. Major causes of death include apnea and heart abnormalities. It is impossible to predict the exact prognosis of an Edwards Syndrome child during pregnancy or the neonatal period. [3] The median life span is five to fifteen days.[4][5] One percent of children born with this syndrome live to age ten, typically in cases of the less severe mosaic Edwards syndrome.[3]

The rate of incidence/occurrence increases as the mother ages, usually becoming more prevalent in the woman's 30s.

[hjh1974]

I have yet to find a child diagnosed with autism who DID NOT get vaccinated in general. I have not looked in the last 6 months but so far the AMA is not releasing that information. I believe they said it is not available at this time. If anyone knows where I can find this information I would love to read it. The good news is there are a handful of successful therapies that do reverse autism if the child is lucky enough to have open-minded parents.

I have found this to be true as well.  I'm very selective about anything that goes into my child's body, including vaccinations.  I had a reaction to the MMR when I was younger as well.  Scared the crap out of my mom and has made me very cautious as well. 

[ahunter300]

How do you think the proposed health care programs will affect Children with Disabilities? I have a sister that had a major disability and the state of Florida had her sterilized when she was placed in a state care center.   

[liljp617]

I have yet to find a child diagnosed with autism who DID NOT get vaccinated in general. I have not looked in the last 6 months but so far the AMA is not releasing that information. I believe they said it is not available at this time. If anyone knows where I can find this information I would love to read it. The good news is there are a handful of successful therapies that do reverse autism if the child is lucky enough to have open-minded parents.

The more interesting point would be to find significant numbers of children who weren't vaccinated and don't have autism.  It doesn't do much good to make the tie between autism and vaccination; you could just as easily make the tie:  I've yet to meet a child who got the common cold or flu who hadn't gotten vaccinations early in life.  Does that mean anything?  Not really.

[julius11]

Yes, it is sad. My daughter was born with a deformed ear.  I remember crying for days thinking how bad things will be for her.  And then last year I met my brother two kids who are both autistic.  I realized right away that crying over a deformed ear is nothing because it could of been worst.  Its so unfair how one or two defect in chromosomes can cause things to go wrong with our beautiful children.