Until she was nearly two years old, Marissa Maver was developing like any normal baby would.
But after a series of vaccines between the ages of 18-20 months, her parents said she began to show signs that something was not right.
‘At three and a half months she was sitting up, and she walked at 12 months,? said Marissa’s mom Tammy. ‘She was developing normally, and fast up to that point.?
Tammy and her husband Pete, who live in Lake Orion with five-year-old Marissa, and their other children; Adam, 7, and Andrew, 2; found out Marissa has autism after they took her to see a neurologist when she was two.
‘A lot of people will just tell you she shows the signs,? Tammy said. ‘The neurologist just told us to come back in a couple of years. She’s come a long way since then.?
The Mavers said Marissa started ‘chatting to herself,? and later would flap her hands.
‘You could tell by looking in her eyes, she was gone,? said Tammy. ‘We had to start spoonfeeding her again.?
Tammy said that although there is ‘definitely a genetic component,? to autism, she and Pete believe Marissa’s was triggered by the series of vaccines she had as a baby.
‘Pete’s brother has a form of (autism),? she said. ‘But Marissa kept seeing people, and we still didn’t accept it until she had an antibiotic and she started regressing.?
The Mavers have not vaccinated their youngest child.
‘Otherwise, I believe he’d be exactly like (Marissa),? said Tammy. ‘Our biomedical doctor believes vaccinations had something to do with (Marissa’s autism). Her tests showed she had high levels of mercury, which was in the preservative for the vaccine.?
The Mavers said Marissa’s autism affects everyone in the family.
‘She has a hard time telling us what she wants,? said Tammy.
Marissa requires a lot of daily supplements in her diet and last year the Mavers had over $30,000 in uncovered medical expenses.
In June, they began sending Marissa to the Early Intervention Center (EIC) in Birmingham, where she attends school five days a week in the mornings.
The EIC’s mission is to provide proven and appropriate services for children with autism while expanding the research base, educating the public and disseminating information related to the disorder.
The EIC is a non-profit organization, however, it costs the Mavers $3,400 a month to send Marissa there, amounting to $38,400 a year.
Pete, a sales account manager for Delphi, obtained his realtor license and started working for Real Estate One after the family’s expenses began to accumulate.
‘It costs us about $300-400 a month for her supplements,? said Tammy. ‘The biomedical part (of autism) is a huge piece. She’s really sensitive to anything that goes into her body.?
To help pay for some of Marissa’s schooling at EIC, the Mavers will hold a fundraiser on Nov. 11 at the Knights of Columbus Hall on Orion Road.
The event will be a charity dinner and silent auction and the Mavers hope the fundraiser will be something they can do once a year.
‘A lot of people can’t afford (EIC) unless they do fundraising,? Tammy said.
Pete said since Marissa started attending EIC, she has become ‘more in tune.?
‘She can do better in the classroom,? added Tammy. ‘A lot of the kids that go (to EIC) can be transitioned into regular schools.?
Pete said that has always been their goal for Marissa.
‘She’s getting into other kids faces more’paying attention to the other kids,? added Pete. ‘We want her to blend in.?
Having Marissa at EIC, where she takes classes as well as participating in group sessions, is more ideal than having someone come to their home to work one-on-one, Tammy said.
‘The consistency is so important,? she said. ‘Our goal has always been for her to be in the classroom with no aide. So she doesn’t have it so hard, so she can make friends. To be a normal little girl.
When Marissa isn’t able to express herself, the Mavers said she will become frustrated and ‘have fits.?
‘She goes through phases,? Tammy said. ‘Repetitive behavior, which with autism is called ‘stimming.? Sometimes she taps her fingers. The more we keep someone in her face, the more she’ll be engaged.?.
The Mavers have tried a number of different types of therapy to help Marissa and they won’t stop anytime soon.
‘She did some vision therapy at home’she regressed after that, but you want to try everything,? Tammy said.
?(Therapists) don’t know a lot about (autism), they are still learning,? said Pete.
‘We’ve done a lot of research on our own. I’d rather look back and say that thing was a waste of time, rather than not try it at all.?
‘Our attitude from day one was, we don’t care if we have to live in the street, we’re going to do what we can to help her,? Tammy said.
The Mavers have ‘high hopes? for Marissa being at EIC.
‘She could be there for two years,? said Tammy. ‘And there are still other avenues of therapy we’d like to explore, like neurofeedback’they retrain the brain waves.?
The Mavers have established a website with Marissa’s story, as well as links for autism websites and information about the fundraiser, at www.marissasfund.com