Since California has now declared whooping cough an epidemic, there’s a push to make vaccines mandatory—eliminate all exemptions for everyone, regardless of religious or philosophical beliefs. In other words, close the chapter on vaccines. Discourage any discussion.
Yes, there are no studies proving a correlation between autism and vaccines. And yes, we have to acknowledge that many, many kids get vaccinated without a problem, and many diseases have virtually disappeared since we’ve vaccinated children.
But I don’t think the topic of vaccines is as black-and-white as many would like us to believe. Here are some facts that are generally swept under the carpet.
1. A vaccination actually doesn’t guarantee that you won’t get the disease it’s targeting.
Yep, you can still get the disease even if you’re vaccinated (although this fact is seldom mentioned in articles). Moreover, there’s no predicting who is more vulnerable to the disease.
2. The medical community is not sure how long immunity lasts.
Booster shot guidelines (as to when and how often we need them) are so often changed.
3. Different countries have different vaccine schedules.
Since there’s no universally accepted schedule for vaccines, the timing and number of shots given at one time could be important variables to consider.
I may have some personal experience with the timing of vaccines. Within an hour of my youngest daughter receiving her first vaccine, her temperature shot up, and she started experiencing convulsions. We were lucky—no brain damage as my doctor feared may have resulted, but I’ll never forget that agonizing night.
My daughter was born six weeks premature. So in a sense, she was really only two weeks old when I dutifully took her to get her shot at the two-month mark. Would she have had the severe reaction if I had waited until she was older? Who knows? After that night, our doctor wrote emphatically all over our daughter’s medical chart that she should never, ever receive any future whooping cough vaccines.
4. Today’s seniors have not received the same number of current vaccines as today’s kids.
That means we don’t have medical studies that prove there are no long-term effects from vaccines. In the absence of such data, I’m guessing we won’t find even the strongest proponents of vaccines giving their patients a signed guarantee that there will never be any adverse effects as a result of being vaccinated.
Those are just a few of the facts that need to be included in a general discussion on vaccines. And then, throw into the mix all the parents who swear their child’s neurological development significantly declined after getting a shot. I’ve met many of them. These parents often have pre- and post-videos that underscore their convictions of the change. You’ll never get them to believe that there wasn’t a correlation between the vaccine and the change in their child thereafter.
So that’s why we have to keep talking about vaccines, why we have to keep all parts of the discussion alive. Most importantly, we should be concerned about trends that automatically dismiss parents who question health and safety issues as ignorant victims of sensationalized media. Instead, we should all want to encourage healthy discussions that focus on unfiltered factual information—until we find answers that are truly satisfying to everyone.
I love an idea that’s great for everyone, and Sensory Friendly Films are just that.
AMC's Sensory Friendly Films could become a model for other businesses, as well.
AMC Entertainment and the Autism Society sponsor a monthly film day so kids with autism can go to the movies – but in a way that’s tailored to meet their needs. During these special showings, some lights are left on and the volume is turned down. Parents are allowed to bring their food since many of their children are on restricted diets. Kids can also make noises and move up and down the aisles—even touch the big screen—if they want. Best of all, no one is shooting anyone dirty looks or calling the usher.
This idea is a win-win for all, especially the following:
Families with kids with autism
Now they can go to the movies without worrying what might happen. If you don’t have a child with special needs, you probably haven’t considered how many places in the community seem off-limits to many families. That’s because parents of such kids are often judged when their child does not behave in a way that’s expected.
AMC Theatres
Without question, Sensory Friendly Films are great for business. Not only is it good public relations to reach out and acknowledge a special group of kids, but I’m betting that show times for Sensory Friendly Films are not scheduled during peak hours. So, AMC helps families, and at the same time brings in more revenue. Brilliant.
Employment for teens and adults with autism
The huge response to Sensory Friendly Films (they are offered at 67 AMC sites in 36 markets) has provided lots of opportunities to AMC employees to get to know this special population of kids. I’m guessing such rich experiences were a catalyst for AMC’s recent announcement of a new employee program. They now have plans to help integrate teens and adults with autism into the theater’s workforce. How cool is that?
Families without kids with special need
Sensory Friendly Films also addresses these families’ needs. While no one wants to appear unsympathetic to such kids, the truth is . . . most of us go to the theater expecting everyone to sit still and be silent throughout the movie. By offering Sensory Friendly Films, no one has to choose between being supportive of a child who is moving around and making noises or enjoying a movie in a still, quiet environment.
Does this mean that we should always isolate kids with special needs and forgo compassion and tolerance whenever we happen to be in the same place? Absolutely not. But I do think it’s genius any time businesses and support groups work together to meet everyone’s needs.
So why stop with Sensory Friendly Films? How many other businesses could use this model to do something similar?
Just seems like the world would be a little kinder if we continue to find ways to help each other.
