Have you ever wondered why, exactly, vaccines are erroneously associated with autism? I'll tell you: In 1998, Dr. Andrew Wakefield held a press conference to announce that his research had revealed a possible link between the MMR vaccine and autism. He published his findings in the respected independent medical journal The Lancet, and spent the next few years promoting his vaccine-autism "concerns" through media outlets like the TV news magazine 60 Minutes.

My son's internal thermostat is busted, which is not surprising; atypical sensory perceptions are common in but not limited to people with autism. Since Leo doesn't care about being cold and he's also sensitive to clothing textures, we've got ourselves a boy who prefers to be all naked, all the time -- and who, if we're not vigilant, frequently is.

(Ed. Note: This is a response to the anonymous piece from The Afghan Women's Writing Project "I Am for Sale, Who Will Buy Me?" on BlogHer.)My older daughter Iz has fully embraced the tween battle cry "it's not FAIR!!"

My kindergartener Mali has become openly rude and defiant. To me, to other parents, to teachers, to other children. It's not just upsetting, it's horrifying. I blame you.

Of course I stalk my birth son on Facebook. How could I not? His barely-open adoption slammed shut fifteen years ago after his mother suddenly took ill and died, and the gods of irony handed his father the closed adoption he'd always wanted. I spent years hoping for information but listening to cricket chirps -- until two years ago, when a cynical Facebook search turned fruitful: he had a limited public profile! I've been checking in on him weekly ever since.