TMZ ~ John Travolta's Son: Meds Ultimately Did Harm

[mzmolly]

The title may be a bit misleading but HERE is the latest ~

TMZ has learned more about the medical condition of John Travolta's son, Jett, and the medication that ultimately didn't work.

We're now told the grand mal seizures Jett suffered were "frequent and extremely serious." Travolta's lawyers, Michael Ossi and Michael McDermott, tell us "each seizure was like a death," with Jett losing consciousness and convulsing.

We now know Jett was taking a drug called Depokate, a strong anti-seizure medication. There have been reports Travolta refused to give his son anti-seizure meds because of Scientology but those stories are not true.

Jett had been having seizures on an average of every four days, until he started taking Depokate. Ossi and McDermott say the drug initially worked, reducing the frequency to approximately once every three weeks.

More at the link above.

With all the chatter about the Travolta's not seeking medical attention due to religion, I thought it best to set the record straight.

Again, my condolences to the Travolta and Preston families.

[LWolf]

1. Thanks for posting this. nt

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. Depokate has horrific side effects

This poor kid was very sick.

[mzmolly]

7. That's what I've heard as well.

Such a shame.

[leftchick]

120. yes it does

poor child. Very sad for the family. :(



http://www.drugs.com/depakote.html

Before taking Depakote
In rare cases, Depakote has caused life-threatening liver failure, especially in children younger than 2 years old. Children of this age may be at even greater risk for liver problems if they use more than one seizure medication, if they have a metabolic disorder, or if they have a brain disease causing mental impairment (such as Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease, Huntington disease, multiple sclerosis, or a brain injury or infection). Depakote has also caused rare cases of life-threatening pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas). Pancreatitis can come on suddenly and symptoms may start even after you have been taking Depakote for several years. Do not take Depakote if you have liver disease or a urea cycle disorder.

Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you have:

*

a bleeding or blood clotting disorder;
*

a history of head injury, brain disorder, or coma;
*

a family history of a urea cycle disorder;
*

a family history of infant deaths with unknown cause; or
*

HIV or CMV (cytomegalovirus) infection.

If you have any of these conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take Depakote.

You may have thoughts about suicide while taking this medication. Tell your doctor if you have new or worsening depression or suicidal thoughts during the first several months of treatment, or whenever your dose is changed.

Your family or other caregivers should also be alert to changes in your mood or symptoms. Your doctor will need to check you at regular visits. Do not miss any scheduled appointments.

[qanda]

3. Sounds like they were nothing but loving and caring parents

They went through a lot with their son and my heart goes out to them. I hope people will allow them to grieve and leave their choice of religion out of it.

[mzmolly]

15. Agreed.

:( Such a heartbreaking story all around.

[Jack_DeLeon]

4. Scientology...

probably played some role in his sons death.

Its always ends badly when cultists avoid proper medical treatment.

[gblady]

8. excuse me....

while I'm with you that cults are dangerous.....

I think many more deaths are caused by "proper" medical treatment
than by avoiding traditional medical treatment...
(which it does not look like they were)



Medical Errors - A Leading Cause of Death

The JOURNAL of the AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION (JAMA) Vol 284, No 4, July 26th 2000 article written by Dr Barbara Starfield, MD, MPH, of the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health, shows that medical errors may be the third leading cause of death in the United States.

The report apparently shows there are 2,000 deaths/year from unnecessary surgery; 7000 deaths/year from medication errors in hospitals; 20,000 deaths/year from other errors in hospitals; 80,000 deaths/year from infections in hospitals; 106,000 deaths/year from non-error, adverse effects of medications - these total up to 225,000 deaths per year in the US from iatrogenic causes which ranks these deaths as the # 3 killer. Iatrogenic is a term used when a patient dies as a direct result of treatments by a physician, whether it is from misdiagnosis of the ailment or from adverse drug reactions used to treat the illness. (drug reactions are the most common cause).

[BlooInBloo]

19. Calling errors "proper" is fucking stupid.

[hfojvt]

77. How so?

Given two general alternatives 1) trust the medical professionals or 2) reject their advice based on some kooky cultish beliefs, then the errors that the MPs make is certainly part of choice #1. Otherwise what is the definition of proper?

[mzmolly]

12. Most religions could be considered cults.

Sorry.

[sam sarrha]

29. one problem with that.... links>>

by definition current mainstream religions arent usually considered cults, but if any of the mainstream religions would be introduced today, they would be roundly criticized

i recently discovered this gem.. http://users.skynet.be/sky50779/mohammed.htm
"snip...
Theophanes, a monk (752-817), wrote in his Chronography that Muhammad suffered from epilepsy. From that time most historians repeated this opinion. When in the late 19th century better notions of psychopathology became common, this diagnosis was challenged. Some thought his disease was hysteria or hystero-epilepsy, although for most scientists epilepsy was excluded. There was no definitive answer to this question. A better scientific examination of the sources has made clear that all symptoms of acromegaly are present with some psychopathological paranoid traits. Acromegaly is caused by a small tumour of the hypophysis, beginning most of the time about the fortieth year and ending in the sixtieth year with an apoplexy of the hypophysis...snip"

which also explains why no images of the prophet are allowed, the condition can be seriously disfiguring. there are islamic images of the Prophet.. full face and these with his face covered
http://www.zombietime.com/mohammed_image_archive/islamic_mo_face_hidden/

but i still think Abraham was Schizophrenic ..voices telling him to kill his child is a cinch to that connection

DEFINITION OF CULT
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cult

"snip...Cult typically refers to a cohesive social group devoted to beliefs or practices that the surrounding population considers to be outside the mainstream, with a notably positive or negative popular perception. The word "cult", which has at least eight meanings, has been a source of confusion...snip

.

[mzmolly]

51. Note the "outside the mainstream"

criteria.

Thanks for the food for thought. :hi:

[reggie the dog]

97. How so?

the kid got treatment.

[JackRiddler]

178. Your psychic detective act might be (unintentionally) funny...

were it not so shameful, in this case.

You don't know anything about the child's medical care. You have no grounds for any conclusion, including your heartless pronouncement.

The one thing you may know, because of this report, is that the child was taking the powerful psychiatric drug depakote, which is well known to be dangerous. As this is exactly the kind of treatment that Scientology rejects, you have even less grounds for spreading your prejudice that the Travoltas are "cultists" who would reject the boon of psychiatry.

On the contrary, the child's death may in fact be related to the cult of psychiatry, not that of Scientology.

[undeterred]

234. Time for you to STFU and have some respect.

[Donnachaidh]

5. So ti seems the Travoltas WERE working with doctors, despite the multiple postings about their

Beliefs keeping them from doing so.

Thanks for posting this. Too many people had a knee-jerk reaction and raved about Scientology, when in fact these folks WERE trying to do the right thing for their child, and work with actual MDs.

My condolences to them for the loss of their child. I couldn't imagine what I would do if I had to deal with this sort of loss.

[mzmolly]

10. Absolutely.

I've suggested people wait for the facts before jumping on a blame bandwagon.

I'm glad the truth is on the side of the family in this case.

[greguganus]

26. Well that's what his lawyers are saying, and they are being paid by him to say it. n/t

[mzmolly]

55. Lawyers defend their clients,

this does not mean they're lying.

[greguganus]

66. Doesn't mean they are being truthful either. n/t

[mzmolly]

71. You're right.

But I don't think it fair or appropriate to assume the parents and their attorneys are lying simply because they have a particular set of beliefs.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

85. guilty until proven innocent?

Depakote is a psych medicine as well as anti seizure med.

It can be used for more than one thing.

[ColbertWatcher]

214. Yes, it does SEEM that way doesn't it? n/t

[dkf]

6. The poor kid.

Was he supposed to grow out of it or was this how he was going to be for the rest of his life?

How sad.

[LisaL]

9. TMZ says the kid was taken off depakote (after it became less

effective).

[mzmolly]

11. Right.

At that point the meds only served to damage him further.

[LisaL]

13. Aren't there other drugs for seizures?

[mzmolly]

16. Often

when one doesn't work, the others are futile and may continue to cause harm. Must be why the family (after consulting with their neurologist) decided they'd rather have seizures vs. seizures and liver damage etc.

[LisaL]

18. I suppose if there was damage to his liver.

[JerseygirlCT]

22. I wonder if that's one of those drugs that one has to be taken

off of very, very carefully?

Poor family. What a horrible thing to have happen.

[LisaL]

25. From what I can gather, yes.

Someone should be weaned off depakote rather than be taken off cold turkey. However TMZ doesn't say when exactly depakote was stopped.

[JerseygirlCT]

31. I wasn't trying to imply that they'd done something wrong

I just had the memory that that was one of those tricky drugs - I think most seizure meds are like that.

The medications can be miraculous - but there's usually a flip side. Sounds as though his seizures were terribly hard to control. That must have been so hard.

[LisaL]

91. Side effects.

He was a skinny child then gained a lot of weight (based on the photos). One of the side effect of depakote might be weight gain.

[originalpckelly]

240. Any admission of being taken off them meds, and not replacing them...

makes it sound like something is up here.

[tomreedtoon]

248. Why do you believe The Moron Zone?

Or, maybe on DU, the acronym means The Moran Zone?

[backscatter712]

14. I'll bet that the Scientologists were messing with his meds.

They probably tried to tell him that his seizures were caused by his thetans and he needed more auditing...

Fuck Scientology...

[mzmolly]

17. Doesn't sound like it.

eom

[Beaverhausen]

20. Gee- I wonder if the OP from the thread blaming Scientology will apologize?

I won't hold my breath.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x4756152

[greguganus]

203. Apologize for what? The lawyers speak and you take them at their word? LMAO. n/t

[originalpckelly]

238. Bite me.

I will not take the word of a liar *cough* lawyer for the person who may have something to hide. You're very gullible my friend.

[Not Me]

21. I can't imagine the pain they must be going through.

Losing a child (at any age) is a tragedy beyond description.

[merh]

23. The report I heard this morning is that Travolta

tried to resuscitate his son while waiting on the ambulance.

My heart goes out for this family.

[sam sarrha]

24. i immediately thought the poor boy had brain damage from serious seizures when i saw a video of him,

i have worked with children that had frequent seizures.. and i was initially suspicious of the cult behavior withholding medication scenario. i know about the Scientologist's.. they are stranger than anyone knows, VERY FUCK'n SCARY.. BEYOND BELIEF SCARY.

[babythunder]

27. Uhh folks

why is this information being released by the Travolta's attorneys?

"We're now told the grand mal seizures Jett suffered were "frequent and extremely serious." Travolta's lawyers, Michael Ossi and Michael McDermott, tell us "each seizure was like a death," with Jett losing consciousness and convulsing."

I don't know about anyone else but my medical issues are discussed with my Doctor NOT my attorneys.

If this death was by natural and could not have been avoided why are their attorneys involved because usually a spoke person for the family would just release a statement stating how the family devastated by the loss of their family member and that the appreciate the show of sympathy......

[mzmolly]

57. The attorneys are stating the facts

given the amount of misinformation circulating I presume? If the Travoltas were Baptist, it would not likely be necessary to defend the parents of a child involved in such a tragedy.

[DS1]

28. His Lawyers say that, and most people eat that shit right up

Lawyers are the best fucking liars in the world

[mzmolly]

50. Easy enough

to verify.

[Warren Stupidity]

30. And the scientology haters just can't shut up

It appears that no matter what evidence is revealed confirming that the Travoltas were loving caring parents who did everything they could for their child, the haters will keep coming back with their unfounded attacks. It is disgusting.

[babythunder]

32. Look I get that

some on here absolutely loved Grease and Saturday Night Fever but if this child's death could have been prevented or caused because of his parent's beliefs then they shouldn't get a pass.

Also if you have nothing to add other then your righteous indignation isn't there something better you could do with your Sunday Afternoon?

[Warren Stupidity]

33. Do you have any evidence to back up your nonsense?

Please post all the links that show that the Travoltas did not provide the appropriate medical care for their child.

And no, Grease and Saturday Night Fever were terrible movies. Pulp Fiction, on the other hand, was a wonderful film.

[babythunder]

34. This is an article from 2007

une 1, 2007 -- JOHN Travolta, 53, and his wife, Kelly Preston, 44, just announced they want to try for their third child - even while they fall under increasing pressure to publicly acknowledge the disability of their son, Jett.

Travolta has either pretended there is nothing wrong with Jett, 15, or claimed his condition is Kawasaki syndrome, a disease characterized by high fever, skin rash and swelling of the lymph nodes.

But parents of autistic children say that Travolta should join Sylvester Stallone, Doug Flutie, Jenny McCarthy and Toni Braxton, who all have autistic kids, in raising awareness and research funds to cure the disease.

One magazine editor who has interviewed Travolta more than once says that the star's son is disabled - and yet he continues to behave as if nothing is wrong.

"Travolta sits there in interviews talking about how Jett loves to read or play sports, but it is clear that the boy can barely do either," the editor said.

Tim Kenny, the father of a 4-year-old autistic girl from Ocala, Fla., near the Travolta estate, told Mark Ebner of HollywoodInterrupted.com that he introduced the actor in February at a restaurant he manages "as one autistic child's father to another" but that Travolta was in denial.


"Scientology is keeping him from acknowledging his son's autism. They see it as a weakness," Kenny told Ebner.

According to the Church of Scientology, people with mental illnesses are "degraded" and capable of curing themselves by working harder on the church's teachings.

"It's fine with me if Travolta doesn't want to become the poster child for autistic parents, but every time the parent of an autistic child hears about someone else who is in this fight, it makes them feel better," said the editor who interviewed him.

"He could do so much good for autism awareness if he would just come forward."

Travolta's lawyer, Marty Singer, told Page Six: "The Travoltas are wonderful, loving parents, and their priority is their children. They have and they continue to take the best possible care of their children. To suggest anything to the contrary is very hurtful to a loving family and also would be false and defamatory."

I am a pediatric emergency room physician. We occasionally diagnose Kawasaki Disease (now properly called Kawasaki Syndrome) in young children. There are so many things wrong with the story of Jett's death that I am not sure where to start, but here's a try:

1) NO association between Kawasaki and "toxic carpet cleaning chemicals" (or any other environmental cause) has ever been established. Given that these chemicals are ubiquitous in our society, if there were an association I would expect Kawasaki to be much more common.

2) As far as I know, Kawasaki disease does not lead to brain injury or seizures. I suppose one could conjecture that if Jett had untreated heart problems from Kawasaki (which CAN happen) this could have led to a heart attack that led to seizures and death, but it sounds like Jett had seizures for a long time, which makes this a bit of a reach.


3) It would be incredibly rare to bump your head and die from a seizure.

We see children every day with seizures, and not once have I seen a child bump his head hard enough to have a brain injury from this. Of course, prolonged seizures or seizures that occur while doing something dangerous (driving, swimming, etc.) can lead to brain injury, but otherwise this is a stretch. Also, autistic children can exhibit self-injurious behavior, especially if untreated, and can exhibit behavior such as intentionally hitting their heads against walls or other hard objects. It is much more likely that a head injury led to brain injury (the cause of death) and the seizure than the other way around.
4) For John Travolta (and the news media) to report that Jett died from either Kawasaki or a seizure is incredibly irresponsible. I gurantee you that we will see 30 children in our emergency department in the coming days whose parents have read this trash and are worried that their child is at risk for death from one of these causes, and every parent with a child who has a seizure disorder will now lose more sleep because of this BS.

I am eager to learn what the autopsy shows, but unfortunately I don't think the questions of autism or a seizure preceding death can be diagnosed at autopsy.

[Warren Stupidity]

37. The link for that?

[babythunder]

41. Here's the link

http://www.nypost.com/seven/06012007/gossip/pagesix/pagesix.htm

Again if they weren't seeking proper medical treatment for their son then there is clearly a problem.

[Warren Stupidity]

46. ah page six - say no more

[babythunder]

49. So you think it's all lies

in the article? Besides Page Six in terms of gossip mags is pretty legitimate it's not as though they get their info from some random people on the street most of their stories are verifiable. They just happen to not report on very serious issues but it doesn't make it untrue.

[Warren Stupidity]

64. page six is a gossip column

you are making criminal accusations against the Travoltas and backing your claims up with a link to a gossip column. If you weren't serious I would suspect you of just playing games here. Instead you seem clueless. Fortunately for you, you have lots of company also doing the same regarding the Travoltas. It is DU's local crop of Nancy Grace clones, desperately seeking scandal. Vile behavior, really.

[Shakespeare]

143. In this case, I'll personally vouch for one of the sources.

Mark Ebner (not the author of the piece, but quoted in the piece) is a friend of mine going back many years, and a damn good investigative reporter. He won't report unless the information is ironclad.

[muriel_volestrangler]

150. All Ebner did was pass on the opinion of a restaurant manager

that doesn't really get us any further.

[mzmolly]

152. Mr. Ebner

merely quoted the father of an autistic child, however. It would appear that this parent is THE source for the unsubstantiated rumor that Scientology would not allow for the family to acknowledge a diagnosis of autism? Parents of autistic children are not qualified to diagnose autistic children. Also, a diagnosis would often come from a neurologist and the family is said to have been working with such a specialist.

:shrug:

I will say at least the article offered the Travolta's side of the story.

[mzmolly]

59. I've seen this loaded

speculation before. I am not convinced. The Travoltas had a right to privacy, regardless of their child's condition.

[babythunder]

67. Again I ask

did the Travolta's not clearly state in interviews that there child suffered from Kawasaki disease?

Also if this was a case of a regular parent whose child died because possible negligent behavior by the parents would they not be questioned by child services if not the police? They certainly wouldn't be able to claim that they want to maintain their privacy.

[mzmolly]

73. Years ago.

Again I ask, why should they have been required to update the masses on the evolution of their son's issues?

If this had been a "regular" parent, this family would not be scrutinized as they are at present. The child had a team of caregivers. Can you name one "regular" parent who would be called negligent for taking such measures?

[tigereye]

117. aren't deaths from seizures relatively rare?

Asking since you are a physician. I know a little about them from my work with kids, but not the medical end.

[blogslut]

172. The young man hit his head

It is unclear whether or not he hit his head during a seizure or suffered a seizure as a result of hitting his head. Nevertheless, according to the police spokesperson, Jett died from hitting his head.

link: http://www.tmz.com/2009/01/02/john-travoltas-son-dies/

[babythunder]

36. Also if a child has an illness

but the parents refuse to seek proper medical care or even acknowledge the illness you wouldn't consider that negligent?

[Warren Stupidity]

38. You've assumed your conclusion.

Please provide that data that shows that the 'parents refuse(d) to seek proper medical care'. Refusing to talk publicly about their child's medical problems is basic good parenting, and none of your damn business.

[babythunder]

44. You need to either follow this a little more

closely because your either missing a few facts or your just choosing to be obtuse.

1.Kelly Preston stated on television that there son was "cured" after detoxification and purification treatments. However, she did acknowledge that he had a lot of allergies.

2.John Travolta stated that his son became sick with Kawasaki syndrome after being exposed to household cleaners. Yet most medical professionals refute this claim stating that there is never been an established link between toxic carpet cleaners and this disease. Furthermore medical professionals have also stated that even if he was suffering from this illness it does not lead to seizures

3.You must have missed the part about how they not only refused to discuss their son's illness but also refused to acknowledge that he was even afflicted with it.

[Warren Stupidity]

47. You need to provide some evidence that they have not

provided proper medical care for their son or admit that you do not have that evidence.

[babythunder]

52. Look

if you aren't able to clearly comprehend the sections in which both parents refused to acknowledge publicly and personally that their son had Autism then I don't know what to tell you. Seriously it's getting difficult to explain to someone over and over again the same information.

Kelly Preston and John Travolta both stated NOT from a gossip magazine not third hand information but from both parent's mouth that the kid was afflicted with Kawasaki disease.

Do seriously still not get that?

[muriel_volestrangler]

104. Which doctor said he did have autism?

And why would they say so publicly? Or did Travolta or Preston say later that he had had autism all along?

[babythunder]

114. That's the whole point

the Travolta's weren't using medical doctor's opinions about their son but rather he was be treated through "detox and purification" as per Kelly Preston and John Travolta

[muriel_volestrangler]

116. So you have made the autism diagnosis yourself, based on your extensive contact

with Jett, have you?

[babythunder]

136. Umm what are you talking about

I was question the medical viability of the so-called "detoxification and purification" process that their son was on. Or did you complete not read my post

[muriel_volestrangler]

141. You have stated that Jett had autism, and that the parents refused to acknowledge that

So you must have knowledge of this diagnosis. If the parents never said it, it must have been a doctor (I'd have thought that was a breach of confidentiality, but it does happen sometimes). Or you examined the boy personally, and are now making your diagnosis public.

[babythunder]

145. Can you point me

to that post where I stated unequivocally that Jett Travolta had autism?

[muriel_volestrangler]

151. #52 and #90 (nt)

[babythunder]

154. I was pointing out

what others around the Travoltas have said about the child and the second post was reference to MzMolly's back forth about her opinions? It may not have been autism but clearly the child was disabled which the parents refused admit.

[muriel_volestrangler]

161. You were stating it as fact, not as 'what others have said'

And 'those around the child' in this case is a restaurant manager - it would seem that the Travoltas go to the restaurant sometimes, but even that's not clear from the gossip column. Since they say he was on medication for some time, until its (desired) effects became less, and they had carers for him, to claim they refuse to admit he is disabled is clearly wrong.

But I'm glad to see you starting to back-pedal on the autism claim.

Are you the emergency room physician, by the way? Or was that just a copy from the various places on the web that quote appears?

[babythunder]

175. Look this stuffy is obviously circustantial

but I do believe the Travolta's story about about their son being afflicted with Kawasaki. He may have suffered from Autism as well as other ailments. But I definitely believe that this child was disabled contrary to what the Travolta's have stated. Also where is your information because clearly I am wrong and you are right so by all means bring your information to the table.

[mzmolly]

191. I've not seen one quote that shows the Travoltas denying a disability.

I think you've bought into the spin and that's a shame.

[muriel_volestrangler]

202. I'm not claiming to have any information

I was questioning where you got your certainty from. Now you're saying that he may have suffered from autism, and and perhaps other things too, then I think we're all in the same boat - we don't know, the parents had the right not to talk publicly about their child's medical condition if they didn't want to, and we're better off waiting for the autopsy results, and any investigation after that, if there is one.

[Midlodemocrat]

164. Again. No one's business but theirs.

Your audacity at castigating them for refusing to make public their child's disability is simply disgusting.

[babythunder]

184. For a doctor you sure are slow on the uptake

if the Travolta's didn't make his condition public at all I could totally respect that but the fact remains that both him and his went on Nationally televised interview and stated their son suffered from Kawasaki and was cured through "detoxification and purification" also being a doctor do you support this type of medical treatment? Would you subscribe this to a patient?

[Midlodemocrat]

189. Do you mean prescribe?

And, where the Travoltas suggesting that everyone do that? Going with no.

Do yourself a favor. Switch out of medical school and find some other way to support yourself. Preferably one that doesn't involve grammar.

[babythunder]

195. Sorry it was a typo

sometimes I write too fast. So do you agree with the treatment of "detoxification and purification"?

[Midlodemocrat]

176. What business is it of yours or anyone's for that matter if they

didn't admit publicly that their child was disabled?

If you truly are a pediatric MD, you seriously need to bone up on dealing with parents. Seriously.

[tigereye]

123. well, parental responses to their kids's autism are highly complicated

Probably no one will know exactly why this young person died unless there is an autopsy. You would think that the parents would want to know the exact cause. It's unfortunate, though, that so private and painful a matter is fodder for the media.

[mzmolly]

131. They've requested two autopsies

from what I've read. One will be conducted in the Bahamas and one in the US.

I agree, it's sad that this tragedy has become such fodder.

[tigereye]

134. do they have more expert docs in the Bahamas?

just kidding. Yeah, it's a shame.

[mzmolly]

135. No but the authorities

there are investigating so they want an autopsy of course.

[mzmolly]

60. Hear hear!

Refusing to talk publicly about their child's medical problems is basic good parenting, and none of your damn business.

[babythunder]

62. Only they didn't do that

they talked about their son's medical problems only they were stating that he suffered from Kawasaki disease.

[mzmolly]

63. They did initially to inform people about what they believed led to the child's, then issues.

But they needn't have a press release about every bowel movement their son had in later days, just to satisfy the media and or parents of neurologically challenged children.

Autism is a diagnoses and the symptoms can mimic other issues. The fact that some parents saw similarities between their autistic children and Jett Travolta does not mean he had the condition and/or that the parents were in denial.

[babythunder]

70. So then you believe

the boy had no medical aliments except a few allergies as per Kelly Preston?

[mzmolly]

75. I believe

the matter was a private family one. However, the article I posted indicates that the child suffered from seizures and had reason for constant supervision. Why? Who the hell cares what his diagnosis was? If the child had proper care, why does the label matter?

Obviously the child had more than allergies, as the family has indicated that he had Kawasaki's Disease and seizures etc.

[babythunder]

82. Again if they were you or me

you don't think child services or the police wouldn't be taking a hard look at us? If you think it's a private family matter why post in this thread or any thread having to do Jett Travolta's death why not just send a gesture of sympathy to his website or fanclub?

[mzmolly]

88. There is an

investigation into any death, this one is no exception. However I am confident that if were you or I, we'd not be considered to blame unless there were evidence to support such a notion.

As for the private family matter question, you're taking my comments out of context, obviously.

[bettyellen]

121. the families explaination tying the seizure to Kawasaki is bullshit + raises a red flag

and it gets worse knowing travolta follows a psuedo scientificic cults non medically recognised judegement and treatment- they de toxed him according to the beliefs of L Ron the charlatan.
So.. it's there in print they were already subbbing Scientology's medical suggestions for real treatment. Horrifying, but the mom admitted as much. It totally fits that they would be adverse to calling Jett's conditon autism- because they believe autisitic people can heal themselves. That's why it's curious that he was not currently on siezure medicine. It would fit w/ Scientology teachings not to take the meds. Filling a prescription doesn't mean they actually had him on hte med. An avowed scientologist following L Ron's teachings closely is not exactly a conspiricy theory- it would be the most normal thing in the world. I feel sorry for the Travoltas loss, I also feel sorry they are ot of their minds with the Scientology bullshit.

[mzmolly]

128. The family has not tied his death to this condition. However, seizures are a symptom

in some cases.

Almost all children with Kawasaki disease are quite irritable. Because blood vessels throughout the body can be affected to varying degrees, many other symptoms might or might not be seen. These include diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, cough, runny nose, headache, arthritis, burning urination, mouth sores, sensitivity to light, nerve weakness, confusion, or seizures.

For all we know the child had a heart attack.

Children can die from heart problems during this illness. They can also die from heart attacks later in childhood or as young adults.

http://www.drgreene.com/21_378.html

I realize Scientology is not popular, however this does not excuse jumping to conclusions. I've heard all of the things you claim above in other conversations and on the internet, but I'm awaiting the results of the investigation personally.

[bettyellen]

139. you're not adressing how Scientologist will not treat seizures- why;s that?

it's very commonly known they do not belive in treatment for autism, maybe you need to do some research.
very funny coincidence that devoted scientologists claim seizure meds don't work- when the same idea came from L Ron, the only one we know of who's "medical" advice they actually did follow and respect? Sorry, but it looks like the Scientologists put poor Travolta on a fucked up path here.

[Midlodemocrat]

165. Actually, they don't acknowledge the existence of autism

because they believe it to be psychological in nature rather than neurological.

Seizures are generally not associated with autism. They happen, of course, but it is more unusual than not.

[bettyellen]

207. i know! and they don;t allow usage of medicines that work on the brain... they blame the sick

and think it's all under your power to fix. with vitamins and sauna, but no psychotropics meds. including anti seizure meds.
horrifying.

[mzmolly]

171. First of all the child had taken anti-seizure meds and the OP addressed just that.

Additionally, I am not convinced that Scientology doesn't allow for a dx. of autism, however if they were treating the seizures (until the meds no longer helped) what does the label matter?

I've heard that Jenny McCarthy is a Scientologist? I don't know that it's true, but if it is it makes the claim that one can't acknowledge autism because of the religion a bit less likely.

[bettyellen]

205. you heard wrong about Jenny and you don;t know enough about Scientology 's policies + practices

(and they are easily find) you choose ignorance, so it's not worth it to waste any more time with you. seem syou;re the one who;s happy enough to post totally vague rumours instead of doing research , and that's pretty ironic.
no one knows if he gave this anti seizure medicine a fair trial or did more than fill the prescription- and his parents were of the position that a freak named L Ron knew better than most specialists- that's pretty sad. vitamins and sauna for anything and everything that ails you, it;s very sad.
do yourself a favor and get googling, you're completely in the dark here.

[mzmolly]

208. I've viewed the claims about Scientology

as well as the denials about such claims. I am not in the dark, I'm simply not convinced that what I've read is true.

[bettyellen]

215. your post would indicate that "viewing" is accurate as far as the depth of your knowledge goes.

sure why you bother, but i do know that's why i will cease to bother with you!
c u later!

[mzmolly]

221. Well unless

either of us has been a member of the church that's all anyone has done in terms of research ... read.

[bettyellen]

224. actually I have met current and former scientologists..but never you mind...

you're the one happy to spread silly rumours about Jenny Mc Carthy and shows no interst in digging deeper. you're the one who feels comepleely unable to discern anything about Scientology. hey, if it works for you to plead ignorance- go for it! and goodbye.

[mzmolly]

226. I didn't

spread rumors about McCarthy, I said it has been suggested she is a Scientologist. She does have good friends in the group. But that's beside the point.

The Travolta's reportedly sought medical assistance for their child, which goes against claims to the contrary.

[bettyellen]

229. i know they have their lawyer talking about treatment... it;s facinating, if not credible.

you really don;t know much about this cult at all, LOL.

[mzmolly]

230. Again

I've seen various claims, and I've seen them disputed.

[bettyellen]

232. and you're not able to find enough info or analyse said info to discern what;s what..

and that's okay if it works for you. no one's going to force you to actually form a thought or opinion of your own if you feel you're incapable!

[mzmolly]

235. I've not found any evidence

that the Travolta's neglected to care for their child, true. My OPINION is that we should wait for FACTS before suggesting that this family is in ANY WAY responsible for the death of their child.

Yesterday many here said the child was denied anti-seizure meds because he was raised by Scientologists, that appears to have been FALSE.

[bettyellen]

243. you're right -no one truly knows why siezure medicine was witheld from this kid

and we are both free to form our opionions as to why. i base my guess on prior knowledge of the parent's treatment plan for this kids during a prior life threatening illness- vitamins and "detox" therapy. I think they behaved like negligent morons who fell for quakery. I hope it was just that one time!

[mzmolly]

244. No one even knows if a seizure is what

took his life. Perhaps it was a heart attack? Perhaps it was a medication side effect? And, heck if that's the case we can exonerate everyone can't we?

[bettyellen]

247. the issue with Scientology is simple- they don;t like siezure meds- Jett suffered from seizures

and his parents, Scientologists.. did not give him seizure meds.
It's really an issue of principle if Scientology parents are at all competant or fit to oversee tratement for anyone who has any sort of mental health problems. Or do they all follow the Sci-Fi vitamin solution as Tom cruise expounded on not too long ago. These people routinely admit, nay brag they withhold treatment, then they trot out lawyers to deny it.

[mzmolly]

249. I'm out.

Good night.

[bettyellen]

251. night molly!

[mzmolly]

58. I don't wish the medical choices these parents

have had to make on anyone.

[Dorian Gray]

216. Unless you have proof that

they were negligent due to their religion, which you don't right now, I'd be careful about the vile rumors that you are aiding and abetting.

This is a tragedy and there is nothing wrong with feeling sympathy for the parents.

[undeterred]

236. I agree.

Instead of having the decency to apologize, they keep piling on. Travolta does not deserve this.

[mountainvue]

35. More:

http://gawker.com/5122788/travoltas-rumored-gay-lover-discovered-dead-son

A TMZ.com story on the death of John Travolta's 16-year-old son, Jett, mentioned that he was found by family nanny Jeff Kathrein — but it didn't run a famous picture of Travolta kissing Kathrein.

In 2006, Kathrein and Travolta were caught by paparazzi locking lips. The Travolta camp's official explanation: Why, John kisses everyone like that! But in the wake of a teenager's death, no one stopped to ask who the man who found him dead is, and what his relationship was to the kid's father.

Kathrein is one of the Travolta family's two nannies. On his website, he describes himself as a photographer; he mostly lenses weddings. His qualifications for childcare are unclear, other than being a Scientologist like Jett's parents, John Travolta and Kelly Preston. Kathrein's wife, Ana, is also a Scientologist. (Some Scientology critics believe the church forces gays and lesbians to stay in the closet and pursue heterosexual relationships, frequently citing Travolta and Preston's marriage.)

snip

Take the family's unchallenged assertion that he suffered from Kawasaki disease, an immunological syndrome which causes painful inflammation, after exposure to carpet-cleaning chemicals, and that he died after hitting his head after suffering a related seizure. At least one doctor disputes the notion, saying that there's no link between chemical exposure and Kawasaki disease and that it does not cause seizures.

[Warren Stupidity]

39. oh well travolta has teh gay. That settles it.

you folks are sicker than the scientologists, and that is pretty damn sick.

[mountainvue]

42. The point is that his caretaker was unqualified. n/t

[Warren Stupidity]

45. Oh so including the 'travolta's gay' crap was an accident?

Or is it that the nanny is unqualified to be a nanny because, uh, why exactly? What the hell are the qualifications for being a nanny? You've now elevated the nanny into some dubious position of 'caretaker' as if this was some certified healthcare provider position. This was the NANNY. There are no qualifications of being a nanny.

[babythunder]

65. Connect the dots here

if a child is special needs then you cannot just hire a regular nanny you should be hiring someone that has worked with children that have special needs. It's not as though the family didn't have resources to find a child care provider that specializes in children with disabilities.

Would you be this cavalier about your child's care?

[mzmolly]

68. The child had a TEAM

of professionals and other people that monitored him. If only other special needs children and their families were as fortunate.

School teachers deal with special needs children as to child care workers. None are more qualified than the friend of the family who may have had a special bond with the child in question.

Does every parent with a special needs child need hired help to be considered less "cavalier"?

C'mon...

[babythunder]

74. Umm where did you get

your information? Right now there is conflicting accounts and if this child had a "team of professionals" why was he left dying alone in a bathroom for 10 hours? This according to the authorities.

[mzmolly]

78. I don't know that I buy the ten hour time frame.

But, even if that's the case, most teens sleep for that amount of time. The child was found in the am, and was said to have gotten up in the NIGHT to use the bathroom. Most children are unsupervised for at least eight hours each evening when they turn in for the night.

[Warren Stupidity]

81. Obviously John murdered the kid.

I mean it is clear as day.

I give up. I should never have responded to any of this garbage.

Can we attack the Catholics now? I really hate the Catholics.

[babythunder]

83. You stated that

he had a team of professionals with him around the clock and he even had a baby monitor in his room so again even if he was in the bathroom for an hour how could that have happened if he was being watched so carefully?

[mzmolly]

86. So he should have hired help watch him sleep

in order for the parents not to be considered negligent?

The case against the Travolta's has become utterly !@$ ridiculous.

[babythunder]

90. Make up your mind

your not even keeping your opinions of these events straight.

You refuse to acknowledge that the child had autism

You refuse to acknowledge that this child's seizure was caused by Kawasaki disease

One minute you say he had a team of professionals the next you say you can't be sure he had more then one

Then you say that you don't buy the 10 hour time line

Then you say that his parent could have very well thought he was asleep

Then you say they can't be held accountable for not knowing that their child lay dying on the bathroom floor

The best of all is that you claim over and over again that this is a private family matter yet you started this thread

[mzmolly]

96. Make up my mind?

My opinion has not changed. It is as follows WE DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED UNTIL AN INVESTIGATION IS COMPLETE.

I refuse to acknowledge what isn't proven, true.

I refuse to acknowledge that no matter WHAT ailed this child, it was none of our business.

I refuse to pretend that I made claims I never did.

I refuse to suggest that a child with a team of caregivers is "neglected".

I refuse to blame parents for a tragic death because they have a different set of beliefs than I do.

...............................................................................................................................................


Feel free to carry on your with your bizarre vendetta. But don't expect not to be called on it.

[babythunder]

98. Well can you at least explain your own

waffling you seem to not be sure about anything nor do you seem familiar with comments that were made by the Travoltas regarding their son. Through all of this uncertainty on your part you continue to participate and create threads about Jett's death.

I haven't even mentioned Scientology in my posts because if this death could have been prevented through better care the parents should garner most of the blame.

[mzmolly]

100. Show me where

I waffled and I'll be glad to clarify your lack of understanding regarding my consistent commentary. I'm very familiar with the comments made by the Travolta's and I'm also familiar with the media attempt to milk this poor child's death.

Also this is my FIRST thread about Jett Travolta and my SECOND conversation. Perhaps given you have me confused with others this explains your confusion on my position?

[babythunder]

105. He's a public figure a movie star

and there behavior and comments have led to these questions that the media is bringing forth.

Also you must either not really know the Travolta's comments or you just choosing to ignore them because there is clearly something off about their statements regarding their son.

[mzmolly]

109. I know the comments they've made.

And, I know that some have twisted the commentary in an attempt to spin a scandal out of a tragedy.

[babythunder]

118. So you don't find anything remotely

questionable about the Travolta's care of their son? None of their comments make just for a moment think "wait something seems a bit off"?

[mzmolly]

124. Nope.

I think they loved their son unconditionally and it was apparent.

[babythunder]

142. I'm not questioning their love

for their son I just think they were dangerously misguided and ill-informed. I also find it disturbing how some people elevate celebrities to such a level in which refuse to believe anything bad about them.

[mzmolly]

153. Your thoughts are based solely upon wild

speculation at this point.

[Midlodemocrat]

168. I find it disturbing how people are so willing to

'Frist' someone they've never met for shits and giggles.

[mzmolly]

174. As do I.

Especially in the case of a child. UGH.

[babythunder]

93. Also he didn't die in his sleep

in his bed. My parents weren't constantly hovering over me while I was growing up but if I was passed out in the bathroom they would have known. You don't have to be a super parent to know that your child isn't in their bed or to not have heard someone fall in the bathroom. This stuff isn't rocket science

[mzmolly]

99. He got up to use

the bathroom after going to BED for the night.

My husband is a 6'3" tall diabetic who weighs over 200 pounds. He got up and collapsed one night breaking his shoulder. This happened at about 4AM and it was due to a diabetic seizure. We had a small home at the time and while he was in the next room when it happened. I did not hear him fall. I did not discover him until I got up for another reason. when I found him he was moaning and bleeding from the mouth from chewing the hell out of his tongue. He'd have died had I not been lucky that night.

I'm not sure what dark scenario you're suggesting here? Do you suggest the child was murdered? Do you suggest people in the home heard him fall and thought "let's let him die"? What are you specifically saying?

[babythunder]

102. First off

I'm sorry your husband broke his shoulder

but Jett collapsed around 11:30 at night so I can't imagine everyone in this house was sound asleep. Also the Travolta have said repeatedly that they keep very late hours (john stated he goes to bed around 7 A.M and Kelly around 3 A.M).

Again this isn't too difficult to follow I'm not suggesting the Travoltas murdered their son rather I just think that they weren't providing the proper medical care for their special needs son which may have directly or indirectly led to his death.

[mzmolly]

107. All speculation.

We don't know who went to bed when.

I think it's outrageous to suggest that they were not providing proper medical care without any evidence to support such a notion. In fact, the evidence points to the contrary.

The problem is that many are ASSUMING this is the case because of the religious beliefs of the family. This is simply wrong. Some are using the death of a child to attack Scientology. It's absolutely disgusting IMO.

I understand that Scientology is controversial but can't we have some compassion and wait for more information before we jump to conclusions?

[babythunder]

110. Okay

then by all means provide the information in which the Travoltas talk about the care they provided to their son? And you keep accusing me of not providing information yet YOU HAVE TO YET TO PROVIDE AN EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT THIS BOY WAS PROVIDED PROPER CARE. Hell I would even take a quote from one of the parents just stating what kind of medical care their son is receiving?

Please show me where I even mentioned Scientology?

[tigereye]

127. how would anyone know that, other than the family and their support staff

or doctors? :shrug:


I agree with mzm that it probably isn't fair for anyone to speculate about parental care of children, medically fragile or otherwise, or parenting skills, without all the proper information.

[babythunder]

133. Again your are off base

I'm not making my judgements on third party information but from statements that John Travolta and Kelly Preston have made. Please re-read my comments before assuming that I'm basing this strictly on speculation.

[tigereye]

138. lots of parents are in denial about medical issues, illnesses and complex

diagnoses, not just folks who espouse Scientology (that is entirely different discussion - I disagree with most of their precepts that I have seen) - that isn't new. My point was that it's absurd, really, for anyone on a message board, regardless of their profession, not involved with the situation or with first-hand knowledge, to speculate.


I did read your comments. They started as quite relevant, and kind of devolved into bickering from there. :shrug:

[babythunder]

148. Again I'm not speculating

I'm pointing to comments by John Travolta and Kelly Preston about their son and stating that I find something to be very off about their son's situation or at least the explanation they have given to the media.

If it was private family matter why make any comments at all just not say anything and deal with it privately. But they were the ones to come out and state that their son had Kawasaki disease which was caused by ingesting toxic chemicals, and of course they openly discussed their son' so-called cure through detoxification/purification. So please stop trying to spin my comments into something I picked out the air. Look you think everything is kosher that's your opinion but it isn't necessary for you to join the propaganda machine of the "Travoltas can do no wrong".

[mzmolly]

155. Look the comments in question have been made over years.

These statements were not issued in relation to the death in question.

[mzmolly]

132. You might want to try reading the OP?

eom

[babythunder]

137. Oh you mean the medical diagnosis

given by the lawyer/friend? And you say other have questionable information.

[mzmolly]

140. And scuttlebutt information

from bloggers diagnosing the child with autism and calling his death related and/or murder are more credible? I see...

[babythunder]

149. What information did I provide

that ever stated that Jett was murdered? Now your just making yourself look like a jerk when you start pulling things out of your ass like this.

[mzmolly]

156. You haven't

said this, but others have implied that the child was defective according to their religion and was being replaced by a new, improved human being.

I meant not to imply that you have said this. However you have suggested that the family is neglectful without one shred of evidence to support this conclusion.

[babythunder]

159. You have yet to provide one

link to anything with the exception the original link to the TMZ article. I've asked you repeatedly to show a quote or something that suggests that their son was receiving medical care not just the Scientology cures?

[mzmolly]

163. Depakote is not a scientology cure.

And TMZ broke the story initially.

[babythunder]

188. Which he was not on

so whats your point?

[Midlodemocrat]

158. Actually, she's not the jerk here.

And, if you are truly a pediatric ER physician, which I doubt from your posts, you had better educate yourself but quick on the long term effects of Kawasaki.

Yes, it's got an unknown etiology, but when Jett Travolta was two, it was becoming very, very common for the medical community to believe that this particular illness was brought about by the cleaning agents in carpet cleaners. I have a son Jett's age and I remember this well.

Another thing you are missing. No parent, EVER, is under any obligation to tell anyone the truth about their child's maladies, which is obviously something you missed in medical school. John and Kelly's desire not to disclose Jett's disabilities has no bearing on this.

There is no pharmacologic treatment for autism. Period.

Jett could have been one of the unlucky who suffered such extensively high fevers while battling the Kawasaki's that he sustained brain damage. It's rare, but it happens. I would expect an MD to know that, especially a pediatric MD.

Jett appeared to have ataxia which could also be a result of brain damage.

As far as the caretaker goes. It could have been something as simple as the fact that the child liked the guy. Additionally, Jett was a big kid. Perhaps the caretaker was physically able to slide him onto the floor during a seizure, roll him to the side and keep him comfortable until the seizing passed.

The Depakote could have harmed his liver which could be why they took him off it. It is extremely toxic to the liver. Again, I would expect an MD to know that.

Seizing and hitting his head in the bathtub is not all that uncommon. People die in the bathroom every day. This poor little guy happened to be the son of famous people which is why idiots on a message board are disparaging their care for him.

[mzmolly]

166. Well said.

Thanks. :hi:

FYI ~ I've read that Kawasaki can harm the heart permanently as well and might have caused a heart attack? :(

[Midlodemocrat]

167. Absolutely.

And, there are other 'viruses' out there that can destroy the heart in literally a 'heart beat'.

My husband has a work friend whose 3yo received a new heart a few weeks back because her heart was completely destroyed by a virus. By the time they got her to hospital, (they thought she had a bad cold) all traces of the virus were gone.

I posted about it in the lounge.

And, I have to say, I am astonished at the 'Fristing' of this child and his family. It's disgusting.

[babythunder]

170. Are you a medical doctor?

Also they don't have disclose anything but their son but why talk about it all if they wanted it to remain a private family matter (which I could totally understand). Almost everything I've read from medical professions regarding the Travoltas story have found it a bit off.

Don't listen to my opinions but here's a few comments from medical professionals.

Dr. Scott Alenick, a pediatric cardiologist in New Jersey, told FOXNews.com in an interview last year that Kawasaki disease is a condition that affects children, especially boys under the age of 5, and causes aneurysms and blockages in the blood vessels.

"We usually see it in the winter, but it can occur year-round,” Alenick, who has treated hundreds of cases of Kawasaki disease, said. “It is very unusual to die from Kawasaki disease.”

According to the American Heart Association, more than 4,000 cases of the disease are diagnosed annually in the United States. It occurs more often in boys of Japanese and Korean descent, but has been identified in children of all ethnicities and races, Alenick said.

While the condition is not preventable, it is treatable with most children recovering from the disease. In fact, less than 1 percent of Kawasaki cases are fatal.

The danger of Kawasaki syndrome is that it can cause large aneurysms in the blood vessels that feed blood to the heart, said Alenick.

“Kawasaki doesn’t come in degrees of severity, but it varies in that it may cause no aneurysms, small aneurysms, moderate aneurysms or giant aneurysms,” he said. “Giant aneurysms are more common in babies. But it’s the aneurysms that form in the vessels and the arteries that feed the heart that have the potential to cause a fatal heart attack.”

[Midlodemocrat]

173. I have a PhD from UCONN in child and adolescent psychology

and I spent many, many long days in the ER on rotation .

And, you?

I don't see what bearing your cut and paste has on what I posted either.

and, Fox News? Almost as relevant as PageSix.

How about the CDC's page? Where the unknown etiology is acknowledged, but the fact that teenagers can suffer the ill effects of said disease is mentioned as well?

[babythunder]

181. So how often in your medical

rotations did children come in from deaths related Kawasaki disease? Also I never proclaimed to be giving a Professional Medical opinion nor do I pretend to be a medical professional because really anyone on the internet can claim to be anything so it's irrelevant what any of our so-called qualifications are.

[Midlodemocrat]

183. Did you not upthread say you were a pediatric ER doctor?

And, fortunately, I didn't encounter any deaths from Kawasaki. That doesn't mean children didn't die, however. Mainly because the treatment of said is to bring down the fevers, reduce the edema, etc.

The LONG TERM effects are more of a concern.

And, I've been here long enough and met enough DUers, that my credentials are pretty solid.

Quote from you upthread:

I am a pediatric emergency room physician. We occasionally diagnose Kawasaki Disease (now properly called Kawasaki Syndrome) in young children. There are so many things wrong with the story of Jett's death that I am not sure where to start, but here's a try:


:shrug:

[babythunder]

185. Pay close attention

I AM NOT A MEDICAL DOCTOR I was posting comment from other medical doctors who discussed the Kawasaki disease. Please pay better attention.

[Midlodemocrat]

194. THANK GOD!!!!

Although you might want to correct that. It's very misleading.

I was starting to worry about someone with your comprehension and writing skills treating children.

[babythunder]

197. As opposed to the doctor

who supports treatment of children that consists of "detoxification and purification" yea that's not too disturbing.

[Midlodemocrat]

199. Something of which you have no first hand knowledge.

Just gossip mongering on the internet.

[babythunder]

201. I would think a medical professional

would be a little more responsible in this conversation. Really ss your love for John Travolta that strong that you cannot bring yourself to admit that this detox/purification process is just a magic potion?

[Midlodemocrat]

209. Could you point to the post where I said I loved Travolta?

Thanks. :eyes:

Bow out now, you're outmatched.

[mzmolly]

177. Just because it's not immediately fatal

doesn't mean that it can't eventually lead to death. If the child died as a result of heart or brain damage caused by the disease years ago, it will not be classified as a fatality related to the disease.

As to the child's other issues, mental retardation also leads to communication issues etc. Jett Travolta may have developed brain damage as a result of high fever (related to his bout with K.D.) for all we know.

[Midlodemocrat]

179. I watched the video of that child in Paris with John.

It was pretty obvious to me that his parents loved him. I think that's kind of all that needs to be said.

[mzmolly]

182. I agree.

The child appeared adored and accepted. If only every child had such apparently loving parents.

[Cronus Protagonist]

252. What if his bathroom is a quarter of a mile away from your bedroom?

Would you still hear him fall?

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

87. anyone with kids knows

that even if you watch them around the clock, things can happen.

This child had a serious health condition, but instead of them institutionalizing him,
they had 3 nannies to watch him when they weren't with him.

[Warren Stupidity]

72. I do not know one damn thing about the care this child did or did not receive

and neither do you. The 'fact' that a nanny was perhaps gay and male demonstrates nothing other than the alleged fact that a nanny was perhaps gay and male. You, little newbie, are not connecting dots you are jumping to conclusions. Shamelessly. Their son died. How about: 'leave them alone'? There will be an inquest. Actual facts regarding the death will be established. Then you can either continue your little vendetta ignoring the facts, or come back and tell me how wrong I was. Until then I suggest all of you Nancy Grace wannabees take a giant dose of Shut Up, for decencies sake.

[babythunder]

76. What exactly are you trying to

prove this issue concerns me because like I said if this poor child's death could have been prevented then all those responsible should be exposed. But what's your angle because you cannot be deluded enough to believe they read these forums particularly at a time like furthermore these questions are being asked on many websites. Even experts are questioning the validity of the Travolta' account of their son's illness.

[Warren Stupidity]

80. I find the vendetta against the Travoltas based on their religious beliefs

revolting. In general when I see revolting crap posted here I object to, I respond with something like 'if you can't substantiate the revolting crap you are posting here, perhaps you ought to stop posting it'.

As you cannot substantiate the revolting crap you are posting here, perhaps you ought to stop posting it.

[babythunder]

84. I posted quotes

from the parents that they stated in interviews. But I do think it's funny that all you've offered is your irrational anger about people discussing this and not facts of your OWN

[mzmolly]

101. Bravo

once again!

[sendero]

187. I find you characterization ..

.... of Scientiology as a "religion" revolting. It's no more a religion than the Manson family.

As for what happened with his son, well I just don't know, and it's not up to me to find out. I will say that I've taken Depakote for about two weeks and I informed my dr to find another drug. NASTY stuff.

[Cronus Protagonist]

253. Good job!

I concur.

[mzmolly]

61. I'm not sure we can assert that?

He had more than one caretaker as well.

[Beaverhausen]

40. shame on you

what the fuck is "gawker.com" and why post a bunch of gossip about a family who just lost a son.

You disgust me.

[mountainvue]

43. No, shame on the parents for letting someone

so obviously unqualified care for their sick son. This is a legitimate issue no matter what. If these people were not celebrities the authorities would be all over them. If you were a millionaire would you let a photographer take care of your special needs child?

[Beaverhausen]

48. your source is gawker.com

I'll withhold judgement until the investigation is complete.

[tigereye]

129. I have worked with many families with special needs or medically fragile

children.


Most of them had no or few additional resources to hire staff/caregivers for their kids, but often depended on the state/MA for additional supports. They did the best they could, with medical, schooll and other supports. I think it really depends on the severity of each child's medical needs, and we have no way of knowing the facts of this situation, or diagnoses. Most authorities would accept that the parents were doing the best they could with that particular child's needs, until there was proof otherwise.

[MiniMe]

53. That isn't the time to ask those kinds of questions

He just lost his son. You may not like Travolta, but asking that question is as bad as those reporters who have to interview people right after they have experienced a personal disaster.

[babythunder]

54. There is a difference

a natural disaster cannot be prevented but if this child's death could then it just be investigated to the fullest.

I just HATE when I read in the news about a child whose death could have been prevented. Whether it's because they found their parent's unlocked guns, or because they lacked the proper access to medicine, or because they died of alcohol poisoning etc. This world has entirely too many senseless deaths.

[mountainvue]

126. FWIW, I'm a huge fan of John Travolta.

I just think this is a big white elephant in the room.

[mzmolly]

56. The family never said he died

as a result of a seizure related to Kawasaki Disease. Sheesh, what total garbage from Gawker.

[Zomby Woof]

69. Losing a child is the worst hell on earth a parent can experience

[mzmolly]

79. I sincerely hope

you have never experienced such a hell ZombyWoof.

:(

I simply can't imagine.

[Zomby Woof]

108. I have not

I cannot imagine, either. I can only offer sympathy and sorrow - and hope that it is not presumptious of me to state that it must be the worst thing a parent could experience. It just strikes me as a fundamental truth: No parent should outlive their child.

[Torem]

89. That was my suspicion from the get-go

Similar to what happen to Anna Nicole Smith's son.

[LisaL]

92. Did you even read it? He was off the med (depakote) when he died.

[ColbertWatcher]

94. Interesting. However, that doesn't explain why the child was left alone ...

... for nearly 10 hours (http://www.aolcdn.com/tmz_documents/0102_travolta_incident.pdf ) with or without medicine.

[babythunder]

95. Didn't you hear the

authorities have a vendetta to meet out against Scientology so surely that 10 hour time line is made up OR

better yet how can a parent know that their child is passed out for 10 hours in the bathroom.

:sarcasm:

[mzmolly]

112. The authorities

haven't made claims of neglect.

[mzmolly]

103. This is debatable. However he is said to have gone to bed

for the night. He was found in the am.

[np33]

106. Then why

have caretakers for your son if they don't even check to see if he made it to bed?

[mzmolly]

111. He did make it to bed. At 6PM. He said wasn't feeling well.

eom

[np33]

115. Do you have a link

to this?

[ColbertWatcher]

125. "He said" Are you sure about that? n/t

[mzmolly]

130. I'm as sure as I can be

while not being in the room with the kid, yes. This presumably is according to several witnesses.

Why not ask those diagnosing the child with autism and saying his parents refused proper treatment if they're "sure"?

[ColbertWatcher]

147. No one outside the cult was allowed near the child.

Which is why he was "diagnosed" and "treated" the way he was.

But, you're right, there needs to be a thorough investigation as to what really went on.

[mzmolly]

157. More

unfounded speculation I'm afraid.

[ColbertWatcher]

193. You're correct-- similar to the "speculation" that says the child had Kawasaki Disease.

More needs to be known before anything that's been said can be believed.

[Midlodemocrat]

198. I remember when Jett Travolta was diagnosed with KS

I have a son the same age. Kelly and John were actually very vocal in the mid 90s warning people about this. At the time, it was believed that the carpet cleaning agents DID cause KS.

Now the etiology is listed as unknown because it is still a relatively new disease process.

[ColbertWatcher]

200. Yes, and like all science corrections are made as more is discovered. n/t

[mzmolly]

204. The child had a dx of Kawasaki Disease.

That is not speculation.

I'm glad you agree that we need to wait for the facts. THAT is all I ask.

[ColbertWatcher]

210. We should wait for facts a not repeat unfounded speculation like the diagnosis of KD. n/t

[mzmolly]

211. That part is not unfounded.

eom

[Midlodemocrat]

213. It was 14 years ago. I clearly remember it. What makes

you think the dx is unfounded? John and Kelly made plenty of noise back then about what was perceived as the dangers of carpet cleaning chemicals.

I don't understand your point here? It seems as though you are just itching to pin it on Scientology, when there is a better than average chance that their religion had nothing to do with this.


People hit their heads and die in the bathroom every day. This child just happened to have famous parents, hence it's news.

[bettyellen]

217. scientology prefers you refrain from using seizure medicine- and the travoltas did refrain

after trying it (for who knows how long really).
their only self described preferred treatment was vitamins and saunas, goobelty gook from L Ron himslef- and that's pretty fucked up. That's a pretty clear connection to me.

[Midlodemocrat]

218. If they were willing to try the the depakote, it would appear to me

that they were willing to go against Scientology to do what was best for their son.

My guess would be, and of course, it's just a guess, that the child's liver enzymes were being affected by the depakote and they chose to take him off the seizure meds rather than destroy his liver which would kill him. Seizures are rarely fatal; it's usually another issue like aspiration or hitting of the head.

Additionally, depakote is rarely the drug of first choice to treat seizures; dilantin is. If they were treating him with depakote, there's a better than average chance that they tried dilantin with less than satisfactory results.

[bettyellen]

219. have you ever heard of patients who have very extreme seizures opting not to medicate

at all? wouldn't he then be getting other tretement? it will be interesting to see how agressively they worked to treat this kid, I really hope they did all they could.
But the total lack of seizure meds sounds odd, but starts to make more senese if you know about the insane medical dvice that comes out of the mouths of scientologists. You know if you don't belive something will wotk- you tend not to give it a shot, and if you believe the opposite- well there goes the Mom bragging about healing him with vitamins, and sauna etc..which is really just horseshit.
at any rate, i would take anything they say with a grain of salt, we're all inferior beings to Scientologists and they don;t feel the need to answer to us. I already sawed veiled threats of lawsuits (defamation) coming from the Travolta camp.. and medical statement coming from the lawyer- how weird is that?

[Midlodemocrat]

220. I actually treated some patients with such severe seizure disorders

that medications didn't work. It appears to me that the Travoltas, in giving Jett depakote, were truly trying to do what was best for their son.

Anticonvulsant medications are like anti-psychotics or other neuro drugs. Trial and error, trial and error.

[bettyellen]

223. but they weren't giving it to him, and so we don;t know that they had the strength to go against

Scientology's dictates for once and give the medicen a fair shot. for all we know, they took the script home and tossed out the pills. if they are practising scientologists, they don;t believe anyone knows better than L Ron and they do not answer to the likes of you and me or non scientology doctors.
it is what it is, and we will probably never know the truth of it now. thanks for your perspective, it's sad any way you look at it.

[Midlodemocrat]

228. According to the OP, the child had been taking depakote.

:shrug:

[bettyellen]

246. the lawyer says he had been taken of fof it. not sure when.. but i saw it added

that the lawyer says he was on it for a year... he goes into much more detail about the siezures themselves- sounds like the lawyer was briefed by a doctor in detail. very odd. never heard of a lawyer giving out this kind of detailed medical info this instead of a doctor- have you?? anyway- they seem to be giving this all straight to TMZ, if you're curious.
as much as i distrust scientologists, you have to admire how they cross their t's. i'm telling you, i wouldnlt be suprised to get a supenea from those suckers myslef, LOL. JT's lawyers have already used the word defamed today. ouch.

[Midlodemocrat]

169. Link?

[mountainvue]

192. I wouldn't be surprised if the attorneys

who are doing all the talking are Scientologists as well.

[bettyellen]

225. Lawyers are like the kings of Scientology - they are what keeps ex members in line and keeps

"defamatory" meaterial out of the public eye. they want no one to read or belive that Theaan bullshit until they are all bbut broken because they'd be laughed off the planet if it was more widely known. That's how they survive- lawsuits and more lawsuits.

[mountainvue]

190. By many of the accounts I have read, Jett was

uncommunicative. I doubt he ever said anything.

[mzmolly]

233. Granted he may not have been highly

verbal but that doesn't mean he never spoke or communicated his feelings.

[ColbertWatcher]

144. I have not heard this, however since you say it's debatable, perhaps ...

... what's needed is a thorough investigation?

[mzmolly]

160. I agree.

Regardless of the circumstances a complete investigation is required.

Peace

[AtomicKitten]

113. It is truly tragic when any parent buries their child. :(

[AwakeAtLast]

119. I lost a friend from college with the same kind of seizures

He was on Depakote as well. He went to bed one night and never woke up. His parents believe he had a seizure in his sleep. Had he been standing when that seizure came on, I would presume he wouldn't have survived it. This sounds very similar to the Travolta family's experience. Tragic circumstances, the family has my sympathies.

[undeterred]

122. Seizure drugs are icky.

This was no easy choice.

[proud patriot]

146. My son takes Depakote

He takes it for Bipolar mania

[Midlodemocrat]

162. Drug of choice, usually.

I would assume, and you know what happens when one assumes, that Jett Travolta didn't do well on dilantin, which is the drug of first choice for seizures, especially grand mal ones. Hence the depakote.

[mzmolly]

180. I have a family

member who has the same issue. Couldn't tolerate the side effects of Depakote so she now takes Lithium.

[Midlodemocrat]

186. JMHO, but in treating the bipolar

I always had more success with Lithium. Sometimes the oldest drugs work the best. :shrug:

[mzmolly]

206. Seems that way in this case?

With other meds she has become a drooling zombie (her description). She doesn't like that of course. ;)

[Midlodemocrat]

212. Unfortunately, the drugs to 'level' out the bipolar have

some unpleasant side effects.

Additionally, many folks who are bi-polar don't mind the 'manic' phase, so they go off the drug or drug cocktail, and then they crash. It's a real challenge to get bi-polar folks to stay on a medication regimen. Unfortunately, the pharmaceutical community hasn't hit upon the right compounding.

I find it very sad. Mental illness in this country is so under treated and so many go by the wayside.

[mzmolly]

222. I have witnessed

what you speak of. My relative has gone off her meds for "energy" to "get stuff done". :(

[Midlodemocrat]

227. Seriously, though, doesn't it sound somewhat appealing?

1-2 weeks of super, duper energy?

Of course, the crash that comes afterwards is horrible, but man, just think what we could do with that kind of burst of energy. I'm not surprised that so many patients are non compliant.

[mzmolly]

231. Indeed

I understand the appeal LOL. Unfortunately, the super energy is often followed by delusions for my rele. OY!

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

196. self-edit

self-edit

I see the title is not yours. :)

[originalpckelly]

237. Who is there source on the Depakote? The lawyers of the people in question?

As we all know, the best source of information is the lawyers of a person who may have something to hide. It's not like I should be suspicious that their own lawyers are full of shit.

Things don't sound right here. You're telling me the kid was on a medication that also has psychiatric use?

[Medusa]

239. The source is a scientology lawyer

you do the math. :eyes:

[mzmolly]

242. Link?

Thanks.

[mzmolly]

241. According to the article, the child was on medication

that stopped working and caused liver damage. Not at all uncommon with this type of medication. Additionally, medications often times have more than one use.

Also, I'm not sure when attorneys became villainous here.

[mzmolly]

245. I'M OUT.

"ENJOY" the continued discussion.

[glinda]

250. My cousin died from his meds, seizure in a pool.