Letters to the Editor
Juliebird
Published Letters: 2096 Editor's Choice: 107
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"spoiled" by good fortune
[Read the article: Autism debate, Take 5,832]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]It took less than 2 generations to completely forget the very real heartbreak of losing children to disease. Measles, typhoid, diptheria, small pox, polio ... these words sound like monsters from Greek mythology. But until the middle of this century these diseases killed *thousands* of children every year. Go look in a graveyard with stones from the 19th century. Count the number of children who never lived to adulthood. See the stones that testify to the wiping out of an entir family within days. Go to parts of the wolrd where children are not uniformly vaccinated and see them sick and dying.
And yet, today, I hear so many many many parents say that vaccines are overrated, or else outright frauds, some evil collusion between pediatricians and "the pharmaceutical industry" designed to take our money and put our kids at risk. "We don't need vaccines" they tell me "Better hygeine will keep us safe from the measles and polio." (As if the Norwalk virus outbreaks on cruise ships arose from people living in medieval or third word squalor).
Yes, vaccines present a small risk of side effects to a small percentage of children (not, I believe, of autism, but I'll let it go at that). So could taking your next breath. Nothing in this world is without risk. But I wish more parents would truly educate themselves on the very real, very threatening risks of not vaccinating.
And, if parents are truly worried aboutmercury contamination, they should lobbly loud and hard against the greatest producer of mercury in the environment: burning coal.
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if I had a newborn
[Read the article: I want a perfect wedding, but my in-laws are trashy]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]the last place I would want to be is at a wedding reception, where it is loud, rauccous and, erm, slobbery. How many drunken relatives (or mere aquaintances?) would want to hold/kiss/dance with/feed cake to the baby? How soon after the reception would the baby be likely to come down with some nasty virus? No thank you.
I think a bride is allowed to ask that children under a certain age not attend. (My wedding reception was on New Year's Eve and went until midnight ... and beyond. It was not a place for little kiddos. But my cousin threw a back-yard barbeque reception on a June afternoon, and family dogs were invited. Both celebrations were fantastic. One was not better than the other).
However, there is some ettiquette to follow. Make sure the rule applies equally. If no one under 10 is invited, that includes your favorite 9yo neice who is "very mature" for her age. If guests need help with childcare (particularly out-of-town guests), the bride (or someone helping her) should see to securing - and maybe even paying for - a sitter. And if someone shows up with a kid ... get married anyway.
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what color sticker?
[Read the article: Rush Limbaugh and the "phony soldiers"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]So, we ar supposed to "Support the Troops" by not uttering whisper of protest against the Global War on Terror. Unless the Troops speak out against the war. Then we can villify them.
Check.
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autism and parenting
[Read the article: Autism debate, Take 5,832]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I thought the whole "blame the mother" theory of autism went out in the 50's. Back then autism was believed to be caused by "refridgerator mothers" who didn't show enough affection to their sons. Now some posters would have us believe it's the mothers who over-astimulate/over-schedule their babies are to blame? Gee, thanks.
Makes me want to put on my pearls and vacuum.
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Is Breastfeeding a Decent Answer?
[Read the article: Girlhood, interrupted]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Yes.
What, do y'all work for Nestle and Similac?
An infant nurses for 6 months, on average, in the United States of America in 2007. (The AAP recommends an infant nurse 12 months or more.)
If estrogens and esters in meat, soybean oil, or other sources are a serious cause of early puberty, a growing child gets far greater exposure from eating these foods directly for over a decade, than she does from drinking mother's milk for a few months.
Given that breastfed girls are less likely than their formula-fed counterparts to develop breast cance, ovarian cancer, diabetes and obesity, I think it's reasonable to stick with "breast is best" as a general policy.
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now show me a unicorn
[Read the article: Girlhood, interrupted]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Here are some links, though it's just the tip of the ice berg:
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1552-6909.2007.00145.x
http://www.mchlibrary.info/pubs/PDFs/breastfeedingtib.pdf
http://www.breastfeedingonline.com/toxins.shtml
http://www.mothering.com/articles/new_baby/breastfeeding/dont-trash.html
http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/vocbaby.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/070213101557.htm
http://www.breastcancerfund.org/site/pp.asp?c=kwKXLdPaE&b=3266517
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6583485.stm
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1552-6909.2007.00145.x
In all these articles, and many,many more, breastfeeding is shown to *lower* the risks associeted with precocious puberty.
I found *one* reference that stated:
"Breastfed girls exposed to high levels of PBB in utero (>7 parts per billion) had an onset of menses one-half to one year earlier than breastfed girls exposed to lower levels of PBB (11.6 years vs. 12.2-12.6 years respectively). Perinatal PBB exposure also caused earlier pubic hair development in breastfed girls but little association was found with breast development."
However, the article also stated that direct exposure to the toxins is greater *in utero* than through breast feeding.
Proof? Maybe enough for some, probably not enough for others. I can't "prove" unicorns don't exist either, but I can remain confident enough of their nonexistence to not worry about being gored by a unicorn horn when I'm out walking.
My greater point? Yes, toxins, estrogens and esters are bad news. Get rid of the toxins, get rid of the estrogen-contaminated meats and the soybean (canola)-oil infused everything. Get the mercury out of the air. Get the pesticides off of the fruits and the veggies.
Breast feeding is not the problem, although "toxic breasts" and "poisoed milk" make sexy(?) headlines. If every baby in America switched to formula, the other genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors would still create girls entering puberty too early. But those girls would be without the many, many benefits and protections breast feeding gives them.
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Well, David, babies die
[Read the article: Girlhood, interrupted]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]http://www.ibfan.org/english/news/press/press10may02.html