Meet Hannah. The picture in this online article is small, but Hannah’s face is blazoned on the top fold of the front page of the Atlanta Journal Constitution today with the headline “How Hannah Made History”. Hannah’s case is being dubbed the first autism-vaccine link case. What will happen next is anyone’s guess. I first blogged on the Federal court’s decision to pay Hannah’s parents out of the federal vaccine injury fund last week, having no idea that Hannah was from Georgia, or that a week later, Hannah’s parents, Jon and Terry Poling of Athens, Georgia, would be holding a press conference to discuss her case.

In fact, I wondered if mainstream media would even cover this or see it as significant. I suspect that Hannah’s parents and her attorneys were wondering the same thing. So, they’re taking their story to the public and putting a face on the case; Hannah’s.

I have opinions about autism, like most people associated with it in some way. In fact, I find that most people associated with autism have very STRONG opinions about whether or not thimerasol is a factor in causing autism. If you believe, you’re adamant; if you don’t you’re just as adamant. And there is amply information in cyberspace to back either position.

What I find fascinating is the role of Hannah’s family in all this. I gaze at their pictures today and wonder what they must be thinking. My guess is that at this moment they’re pretty excited; thrilled to finally be able to tell the world what they’ve wanted to tell them all along…that Hannah’s autism was “caused” and that if a disorder is “caused” by something other than genetics (and maybe eventually even if it is caused by genetics), that implies that there’s something we can do to keep it from happening.

At the same time, my guess is that the Polings must be exhausted. I can only imagine what this battle has cost them in time, money and other things in life. They have given up a lot to get to this point, on top of pushing to get what Hannah has needed in terms of care. They have other children to care for, and lives to live. Their sacrifice for this cause has to have been tremendous. And now, being so visible in the public eye is bound to cost them as well. There's sweet Hannah's face plastered on a major national newspaper. Not only will this lend a face to the thousands upon thousands of autistic children, but it opens up the Polings to all types of scrutiny. It is truly an incredible sacrifice they are making, regardless of your opinion of this issue.

And, anytime individuals take on a governmental system, it’s as if the stars have to be aligned just right to make it successful. What the article in the AJC doesn’t mention until about halfway in is that Hannah’s dad is a neurologist and her mother is a nurse and a lawyer. Hmmm…

The other thing that continues to amaze me about the autism/vaccine controversy is how each side is using science to fight science. The arguments are long, technical and hard for most of us “ordinary” parents to understand. The CDC and all the medical associations backing the position that vaccines could not possibly have played a role in autism insist that scientific reports suggesting otherwise are flawed, but usually say that those believing in a vaccine-autism link are conspiracy theorists and lack the understanding of science.

Yet, there are an increasing number of parents of children with autism who are doctors and scientists, just like Dr. Jon Poling.

The Polings, Hannah included, will hold a press release today at 11:30 am on the steps of the Atlanta Federal Courthouse. Will there be live media coverage?

What happens next, like I said before, is anyone’s guess!

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