[cupcakes]

Spoken like a person who does not have a child with mysterious "mild mental problems". Really, you have no idea, none at all. I had your cavalier attitude with my first child and then my second mysteriously started developing these problems *gasp* after his 12 month old round of shots. I'd love to show you pictures of a smiling, attentive baby at 9 months and a virtual zombie at a year old. Vaccines have nothing to do with it--yeah right! At almost 4, my son is only now starting to say words a little more sporadically, pay attention to warning signs, etc. He starts a special preschool in a week which YOU and I and every taxpayer get to pay for. Your attitude is why I take NO shame in accepting these special services. If recommendations like yours help put him where he is, then you and everyone who blindly gives a nod to vaccines can help pay for his care for the rest of his life.

[Paved Paradise]

May the Lord truly bless you and give you strength. Our local paper ran a very moving three day series on a local family with three sons (set of twins and oldest boy)whom have all been diagnosed with autism. The oldest was normal until about 18 mos. I think it was and then regressed. The article moved me to tears. The suffering that poor mom and dad have been through was something I never really thought about. It made me have a new appreciation for parents going through a trial like this. However, there is much, much hope, because of some new therapies. The financial toll it takes, not to mention emotional and physical, is beyond most people's comprehension. I admire you for your courage; I now know that no one with a child like this could survive without it.