DEFIANCE: Ohio teenager gets vaccinated behind his anti-vaccination parents’ backs.
By Emma Carson, Staff Writer
In February of 2019, the story of 18-year-old Ethan Lindenberger attracted much attention after he got himself vaccinated despite his anti-vax parent’s beliefs. Back in November, Lindenberger asked for help on the social news website Reddit, stating: “my parents think vaccines are some government scheme… Because of their beliefs I’ve never been vaccinated for anything, god knows how I’m still alive.” He felt that as a legal adult he should be able to get the immunizations, and after receiving advice on Reddit, this is exactly what he did.
Lindenberger first received vaccinations for measles, HPV, and hepatitis, choosing to inform his parents only after he got the vaccinations. His parents, still strongly standing as anti-vaxxers, were not thrilled; according to his mother Jill Wheeler, Lindenberger’s decision was “a slap in the face.” Wheeler is part of the anti-vaccination minority, who believe vaccinations are linked to and cause autism, based on Dr. Andrew Wakefield’s 1998 study first presenting the idea of not vaccinating because of serious side effects. This study, however, has since been repeatedly discredited and retracted, finding little to no evidence that vaccinations actually cause autism. For people to still believe that vaccines cause the condition is unreasonable.
This also raises another ethical question: why do people believe autism is the worst thing that can happen to their child? It’s a big, uncomfortable question that many anti-vaxxers are hesitant to answer. Shouldn’t any parent believe their child deserves life, even if it means having a neurological disorder? Autism is a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication. People are diagnosed based on a wide spectrum ranging from high-functioning to severe cases. The only semi-believable evidence anti-vaxxers could propose is the increase in diagnosed cases of autism, which can just as easily be discredited because of the newer spectrum outlook on autism, or an increase in population. Back in the early to mid-20th century, little was known about autism, so those affected often went undiagnosed. The one label given for all neurological disorders was mental retardation. When more research surfaced around autism, more cases became diagnosed, just around the time that more effective vaccinations were developed.
Lindenberger’s actions caused a ripple effect, convincing many older unvaccinated kids to pursue health and safety even if it meant weakening the relationship with their parents, especially after a measles outbreak that spread to 10 states. A point that Lindenberg made concerns his younger siblings and their weaker immune systems. The time in between immunization appointments especially for infants and toddlers is dangerous if the people around them are not vaccinated themselves. Being vaccinated ensures that the entire public is safe from deadly diseases. Teenagers and young adults who are looking for answers about vaccinations can find information and certain state laws on how to get vaccinated. In states such as Oregon, Washington, Texas, and Pennsylvania, laws state that if a teen is mature enough, they may oversee their own healthcare without their parents permission, allowing for non-vaccinated children to become immunized.
In a world where the deadliest diseases can be prevented, it is only reasonable to become immune. If autistic children are undesirable to some people, it is our job as a society to remove the stigma, as it is with any controversy. Every person deserves unconditional love, especially autistic children who might struggle to understand why they are different. Public safety is the most important factor and though anti-vax parents may think they are wise and all knowing, it is their children who use the logic in their brains the most, keeping themselves and the entire population healthy and alive. Lindenberger set a life-saving example and will make history by rebelling against his anti-vaxxer parents.