So, I see this woman every week during my kids' therapy, but we just had a real conversation this week. It was sad. Her son (3 yrs)does not speak at all now. She shared her story. Nutshell version is he wastotally fine, talking/interacting and doing very age appropriate things until he got his MMR. He became sick with high fever and was not well for 2 weeks. After that period, he began losing speech and going backward devlopmentally in general.
Today he is now diagnosed autistic. He has no speech and is currently in a regimen of 20 hours of therapy per week, which is common forchildren with autism. unfortunately the mom is wrestling with her insurance company b/c autism is not a 'medical condition' so they donot want to pay for treatment other mainstream (read:medicating)treatment. So, no healing options. She may go see our DAN! doc near Nashville. It's just ridiculously expensive.
To give you a ballpark onwhat this stuff costs, my children's stool & urine tests were $700+(that we pay) after insurance paid and wrote off some. Blood tests were approx $600 each. The doc visit was $1000--not covered by insurance. Phone consultations cost approx $175 for 30 mins on the phone with the doc--not covered by insurance. Meds/supplements can easily run $150 per month. And that doesn't count dietary needs.I think we will owe someone forever.
I have been sad since talking to her. This happens far too often and drug companies, media, insurance companies, government officals, CDC, and doctors either turn a blind eye or just flat out hide the truth.
It is shameful that 1 in 53 children is facing such unfair and overwhelming odds.
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