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First things first: the death of Jett Travolta is a tragedy, a terrible, terrible tragedy. And it seems, I don't know, wrong, somehow, to interrogate the circumstances of such a tragedy, to try to locate the cause of such a tragedy or place responsibility for it when, really, we should all just be bowing our heads and thanking the gods that such tragedy did not strike our own lives.
But if you're anything like me, your head has been spinning over all of the competing commentary concerning why and how poor Jett died. Child of world-famous actor had rare carpet-cleaner induced illness! Child of world- famous actor had seizures! Child of world-famous actor couldn't have had rare carpet-cleaner induced illness because carpet-cleaning agents don't induce seizures! Child of world-famous actor was autistic! Child of world-famous actor was undiagnosed and untreated autistic because religion of world-famous actor rejects existence of neurological disorders! Child of world-famous actor could have been saved if world-famous actor acknowledged autism and, also, didn't use toxic carpet cleaning agents!
What's a freaked-out, eco-terrorized mother supposed to think? Can carpet cleaning agents kill my children? Or should I just never let my children go the bathroom alone?
The Daily Green was the first to fuel my fear, asking, as they did, whether carpet cleaning killed Jett Travolta: Jett's death, they said, "raise(s) questions about the potentially lethal effects of past exposure to toxic chemicals in carpet cleaners, as well as about the mysterious Kawasaki Disease -- which their son reportedly suffered from."
Kawasaki Disease is a noncontagious condition that is thought believed be associated with immune system failure. The Daily Green points out that KD, like other autoimmune conditions, is thought to have environmental triggers: "For some time, experts thought an environmental toxin could be to blame, particularly one found in carpet cleaners. In fact, Travolta and Preston have long pointed to that route, since they say they used carpet cleaners extensively in their home when Jett was young."
The Daily Green goes on to say, however, that the carpet cleaning link has lost favor among many investigators, especially since scientists have been unable to replicate the results of an early study. So: carpet cleaners are unlikely to have played a role in the death of Jett Travolta, even indirectly. (Which, phew. I was *this* close to burning my carpets and letting the children bruise their knees on the hardwood.)
Some commentators have gone further, and pointed out that it was unlikely that Jett Travolta had Kawasaki Disease at all. Gawker cites CNN medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta as saying that it's highly unlikely that Kawasaki symptoms would persist into a child's teen years ("very rare," he said.) As to the confirmed cause of death being 'seizures', medical experts (including Dr. Gupta) have stated that KD is very, very rarely associated with seizures.
Jett Travolta, it seems, very probably did not die from an autoimmune condition aggravated by environmental triggers (I'm not touching the autism issue here. I don't know enough about it, nor do I want to pass judgment on the Travoltas for their attitude toward autism during their time of mourning. That is, at least, any more than I already have. Those questions can be pursued another time.) Which, as I said above, is a relief, but still. As Jen Chaney at Strollerderby wrote, "(there are) takeaways from all of (this) that I think we can agree on: as Preston (has stressed in her work for the Children's Health Environmental Coalition, which she undertook because of Jett's health issues as a toddler) we should all protect our kids from exposure to chemicals as much as we can. It's just a smart thing to do."
And? We should all hug our children a little tighter today.
Catherine Connors blogs at Her Bad Mother, where she's been contemplating death and loss in childhood and feeling really, really heavy-hearted about it.
