From the New York Times:
www.nytimes.com/.../18swimmer.html
A Disabled Swimmer’s Dream, a Mother’s Fight
By ALAN SCHWARZ
Published: June 18, 2008
SAN DIEGO — As Kendall Bailey swims, his praying-mantis limbs flapping him forward, something about the water disguises his many maladies: cerebral palsy, mental retardation, autism and more. Only in a swimming pool do they dissolve and allow his troubled body and mind to be all but normal. He is happy, safe and possibly the fastest disabled breaststroker in the world....
The bottom line is that this is a wonderful story about a kid who is able to compete at a high level despite some serious problems. There is a lot of serious debate as to any correlation between vaccinations and a perceived increase in the number of autism diagnoses. For that matter, there is a lot of debate over whether the increase in the diagnoses of autism is a result of changing standards or not. I am certainly not qualified to state unequivocally that one side is right or wrong. And, to add to what Allen said, having never met this young man, how can any of us begin to diagnose his problems.
Tell me again what waste-to-energy plants or alternative energy have to do with the discussion about a disabled person competing as a swimmer at the Paralympics!
The bottom line is that this is a wonderful story about a kid who is able to compete at a high level despite some serious problems. There is a lot of serious debate as to any correlation between vaccinations and a perceived increase in the number of autism diagnoses. For that matter, there is a lot of debate over whether the increase in the diagnoses of autism is a result of changing standards or not. I am certainly not qualified to state unequivocally that one side is right or wrong. And, to add to what Allen said, having never met this young man, how can any of us begin to diagnose his problems.
Tell me again what waste-to-energy plants or alternative energy have to do with the discussion about a disabled person competing as a swimmer at the Paralympics!
