Ohio teen waited for 18 anniversary and made vaccinations against the will of parents

'God knows how I'm still alive': A Norwalk, Ohio, boy waited until his 18th birthday to get the required vaccinations against the wishes of his parents, who had resisted vaccination his entire life because they believed it caused autism. A measles outbreak in the United States prompted a young man to make a decision for himself - but before doing so, he carefully studied the issue.

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18-year-old Ethan Lindenberger made vaccinations against six diseases, including mumps and hepatitis, writes The Daily Mail. His parents refused to vaccinate their son, being supporters of the anti-vaxxer movement (in Russian-speaking countries they are called anti-vaxxers) - these people believe that vaccines can cause various diseases and even be biological weapons.

Ethan decided to vaccinate, examining the issue and concluding that there is irrefutable scientific evidence that the vaccination really works.

His mother, Jill Wheeler, who owns a children's theater company, called the move “insult” and “slap”.

The mother of seven children said: “As if he had spat on me, saying:“ You don’t know anything, I don’t trust you in anything. You do not know what you are talking about. You made a bad decision, and I will go and fix it. "

Ethan was further motivated by the fact that a measles outbreak has been confirmed in 10 US states, and Portland, Oregon, considered an anti-vaxxer hotspot, declared a public health emergency last month.

Growing up, Ethan thought his parents would teach him about the real-life negative effects of vaccinations, including whether vaccines could cause brain damage and autism. But after talking with friends, he realized he was the only one in his peer group who had not been vaccinated.

As a child, he was not vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), chickenpox or even polio, a disease that can cause paralysis and lead to death. Ethan said his mother was influenced by theories such as the work of discredited doctor Andrew Wakefield and his research linking the MMR vaccine to autism.

Wheeler commented: “I didn’t give him vaccinations because I felt that this was the best way to protect him and protect him. Due to the oral vaccine, polio began to develop in humans. And being almost completely exterminated, it soared to the sky after people began to inculcate. ”

The teenager decided to do his own research and shared the information with his mother in an attempt to change her mind—the data included official reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that debunked myths about autism.

"Her response was, 'They just want people to think that,'" Ethan says. “I was just shocked, because this is the largest health organization in the world, and they put it on the same line as some kind of conspiracy theory.”

Ethan said his mother "kind of fell into an echo chamber and received more and more misinformation." His father was less harsh in his decision, despite having the same beliefs. He told his son that at 18 he “can do what he wants.”

Photo: facebook.com/ethan.lindenberger

“I’m a very obedient child,” Lindenberger said. “I'm really not trying to act against my mom. Even though I’m 18 years old, I don’t want to do this.”

Last year, Ethan asked for advice on how to vaccinate on Reddit. He wrote: “My parents are stupid and do not believe in vaccines. God knows how I still live. ”

The message received more 1000 responses, including from other unvaccinated teens who tried to figure out how to get vaccinated without parental consent.

And what about his mother? Mrs. Wheeler says her experience with Ethan convinced her to start talking to her younger children about not getting vaccinated. She said: “It opened my eyes. I’d rather teach them now instead of waiting until they’re 18.”

Ethan said that he also tried to discuss this issue with his brothers and sisters and received a mixed reaction. His 16-year-old brother wants to give an injection, but an 14-year-old sister agreed with her mother.

Since Ethan is legally an adult, parents can't stop him from getting vaccinated. But there are no federal laws regulating this issue for minors, the situation varies from state to state. Individual states often allow parents to refuse to vaccinate children for religious, and sometimes even personal or philosophical reasons.

In Ohio, where Ethan lives, the age of consent for vaccinations is 18 years, and parents have the right to make medical decisions for their children. The state allows parents to refuse vaccination. According to Mrs. Wheeler, she did not encounter much "resistance", refusing for personal reasons.

Non-medical exemptions from vaccinations lead to an increase in unvaccinated children in states such as Oregon, Idaho and North Dakota, which exposes these areas to the risk of disease outbreaks.

A measles outbreak in the anti-vaxxer community in Washington state has led to a state of emergency being declared by health officials. Since Jan. 1, 23 cases have been confirmed in Clark County. 20 cases in children who were not vaccinated, 18 cases in children under 10 years of age.

Residents of the district who were infected with the virus attended public places such as primary and secondary schools, churches, emergency care centers, Costco, and Dollar Tree. The incubation period for measles can be 8-14 days, so it’s impossible to tell right away if a person is infected or not.

Measles is a highly contagious infection caused by a virus that is almost completely prevented by vaccination. Before the advent of measles vaccinations, more than 500 cases were diagnosed and about 000 people died each year in the United States.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that children receive the first dose of the vaccine between 12 and 15 months of age and the second dose between four and six years of age. The vaccine is 97% effective. An unvaccinated person has a 90% chance of contracting measles if they inhale the virus.

Фото: Depositphotos

Celebrities who supported the vaccine movement

• Andrew Wakefield and Elle MacPherson

Elle Macpherson, 51, is reportedly in a relationship with the “father” of the anti-vaxxer movement, Andrew Wakefield, 61. Wakefield was banned from practicing medicine in the UK eight years ago after claiming the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine caused autism and bowel disease.

The General Medical Council said his study was a "callous disregard" for children's health.

Elle has a penchant for alternative health practices and lives for “wellness cocktails,” a passion she reportedly shares with Wakefield.

• Donald Trump

President Donald Trump tweeted 20 more than once, from which it can be concluded that he believes in the theory of the relationship between vaccines and autism.

In 2014, he wrote: “If I were president, I would insist on proper vaccinations, but I would not allow one-time mass vaccinations that a small child receives - AUTISM.”

• Robert De Niro

De Niro, whose son is autistic, approved of the scandalous documentary Vaxxed, directed by Andrew Wakefield, author of the theory of the relationship of vaccination with autism.

• Jim Carrey

In 2009, Jim Carrey said that vaccines had not actually been studied for safety. In June 2015, he tweeted that "the California government is saying yes to poisoning more children with mercury and aluminum in mandatory vaccines." This corporate fascist must be stopped."

He called the CDC "corrupt" but also explained that he is not against all vaccines. “I'm not against vaccines. I'm against mercury. Some of the mercury-containing thimesoral was removed from the vaccines. NOT ALL!"

• Jenny mccarthy

Kerry's former girlfriend, McCarthy, is one of the most prominent celebrities and opponents of vaccinations. She believes that her son’s autism was caused by vaccination: “I don’t think it was just an MMR injection, it was a complex from a series of vaccinations for a child who clearly had some autoimmune disorders.”

• Charlie Sheen

In 2008, Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards were involved in a lawsuit about vaccinating their children Lola and Sam. Sheen said he would not allow a Beverly Hills doctor to make his MMR vaccine to his daughters. The actor was reportedly furious when the pediatrician performed the vaccination and demanded that this doctor no longer treat his children.

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