New Scientific Study Links Autism to the Consumption of Strawberries

Big news for our community. Most moms try and eat healthy while pregnant, but that may be damaging. Recently its been found that strawberries, while innocent looking in nature, are actually being linked to autism. Also, in kids that already have a diagnosis that are consuming them it can actually make the symptoms worse. The cause for it is not the berry itself, but the seeds. Kids on the spectrum that have seedless strawberries were shown to have an improvement in social skills and to be calmer. SO it seems that the seeds are to blame for autism.

I am sure you are all thinking I have lost my damn mind. You are right. I made everything up in the above paragraph. There is no study about strawberries that links autism to strawberries, that I know of at least. I am sure you could google one and find it though.

I am writing this because I get so frustrated by all the bullshit that gets floated around as the “cause” for autism. I understand that for most parents this diagnosis comes with a blow, felt directly in the heart and stomach. We all wonder why, what happened in the joining of dna and growth that autism developed. Did it happen immediately? Did it happen when I was pregnant? Was it something i did? Did it happen at month 3? Or when we chose to vaccinate? (BULLSHIT also, don’t get me started on those crazies) Or maybe it was the deodorant I used. Or maybe the town I live in is near a power plant.

Really, we could go on and on and on looking for a cause. The part about this that frustrates me so greatly is that for every person that has a theory, there is a computer waiting to spread that theory and infect the paranoid parent in us all. Just because someone writes it doesn’t make it true but there are always people out there that will grab onto it and run holding it close. I understand the urge people have to search for this reason. Deep down we all want someone to tell us that it isn’t our fault. That there was nothing we could have done differently anywhere along the line, autism just happens. If there is a cause then there would be a reason. If here is a reason then it is no ones fault. THere are a lot of parents who search and search for the cause because if there isn’t a cause then maybe we have to face the fact that there isn’t anything to blame. If there is no one to blame then maybe there is no one to be angry at.

I feel like autism in my family means so many things. I have to work really hard on my kids. There is never a moment of relaxation, I have to always be on my toes, correcting their behavior or what they say. Trying to predict what they will do next or how they will react to certain situation. We saw max’s Dr. at the lurie Center recently and she asked me a question that floored me. She asked “With all that they have going on, do you ever get a chance to just enjoy being a mom?” My answer was a swift no, with tears pricking my eyes because i hadn’t really thought about it. No one had ever asked me that. I spend all my time managing because the second I stop thats when the break down happens. All the hard work that the magical ABA fairies have done, and the hard work that I have put in can easily slide backwards and be forgotten if not maintained. So I can see why people want an answer or a cause. SOmething to blame in those moments when I want to rip my hair out or start screaming at them for just being them.

Here is my gift to you all. As it stands right now, all of the stuff you read on line is a theory. Even the best hospitals in the world have not solved this mystery yet, they are working theories and research. For now. Maybe someday in the future we will know the reason there are so many now, and maybe its something that could be prevented. Or maybe it isn’t. I just urge you all to not spread the crazy. Somewhere out there reading your crazy is a mom who is tired and wants to cry. She may see your crazy and believe it, and then start telling other people who may mistake your theory as an actual fact. THose people will form an organization against strawberries with seeds and then some scientist will have to work on genetically engineering strawberries without seeds which I am sure will have an effect on our fragile eco system somehow.

Maybe this is dramatic? I don’t know. WHat I do know is I am not looking for a cause. Instead I enroll my kids in any research study I can find in our area to help science understand my kids better. I also lovingly feed them strawberries and any other kind of fruit they like.