John Tavolta's son Jett dies at age 16

[JBean]

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[MeoW333]

Okay, now that's weird. I've either hallucinated, or you've changed your post so that it doesn't claim the second pathologist is a Scientologist now. I don't mind if you were just speculating--just wanted to see if there was a source. I DO mind if I really hallucinated the whole thing! But I guess that's no one's problem but my own! :crazy:

The source is cited in the underlined link, that's where the information came from. I qouted directly, none of those words inside the qoutes are mine. Maybe you just read it too fast so the words blended..?

 

[JBean]

You must have hallucinated that, i didn't post anything saying the pathologist was a scientologist.lol

Just mixed up posters.. no worries. honest mistake.

 

[tapu]

Okay, I like "mixed up poster" better than "hallucinating" any day. I thought someone said the second pathologist was a scientologist and I must've quoted the wrong post.

So sorry, Meow. Thanks, Jbean for being on the job. I've got you and your son in my prayers, btw. Just didn't want to make a separate post about it.

 

[SuziQ]

http://www.tmz.com/2009/01/04/conflict-over-travolta-death/

Posted Jan 4th 2009 10:45AM by TMZ Staff

There's a conflict brewing between the Bahama PD and John Travolta's camp regarding the time line of Jett Travolta's death.

People who are with Travolta are bristling at the suggestion Jett might have been left unattended for more than 10 hours, but this morning cops say they are sticking to their story. (more at link)

 

[Malapoo]

Regardless of the eventual outcome of the investigation, this is tragic. On one hand you could say someone should watch him constantly, but what sort of horrible life would that be? Seems they did have lots of safe guards in place but to still allow him to have a life not under a microscope 24/7. A seizure dog may have alerted him to "get safe" before the seizure hit, but who knows for sure. I think they loved their son and did all they could or at least believed they had so I'm not sure they "deserve" any blame. I have no doubt they themselves will question what else could we have done as parents always do after any sort of accident or tragedy.

I may dislike Scientology, and maybe Scientology prevented some avenues from being fully explored, but I think they followed their hearts and beliefs and did what they could. And since it seems they DID try meds, they obviously were not completely opposed or under the "control of Scientology". I've always felt John wasn't as robotized a Scientologist as Cruise.

 

[GreenEyedGirl]

My thoughts and prayers are with the Travolta's as they grieve the loss of their beloved son, Jett.

RIP Jett

 

[Jen38]

Jbean ((())) my heart goes out to you.

As for Jett being autistic, his parents would certainly not be the first or the last to recognize or accept that. Love and denial can overcome many obvious signs.

There is no "treatment" for an child with autism, only intervention therapies. Some might require medication for ADD/ADHD, which is common for autistic children, but there is no medication or prescribed treatment. Autism is a spectrum disorder meaning that symptoms will vary in intensity. You might have one child who could tolerate a regular classroom for most of the day, and another who could handle only 20 minutes with a break in between--and yet, both are diagnosed autistic.

You could argue that Jett, if autistic, would have benefited from more intense therapies, a very good school, etc, etc, but you could also argue that his needs would be met for life. I would always argue for a child getting the most help and achieving as much as possible, but I also have to admit that I'm not the parent of that child. It takes a tremendous amount of effort to deal with an autistic child,and the Travoltas would certainly not be the first parents to simply give up on not fighting those battles.

And with all fairness, I have found that anything brain related is unique to the individual and not nearly as certain as other medications. It is frustrating how little we still seem to know about medications and the brain. It's possible that
medication might not have any difference in this case.

I think that they could have perhaps done better, but I can't fault them for not doing so.

Excellent summation of autism, I think, as I have a son at the higher functioning end of the spectrum. It would seem, based on articles I have read these past few days, that people that knew of Jett said he was friendly and outgoing, a really good kid. If he was on the spectrum (which I believe the Travolta's have never confirmed), he was most likely at the higher functioning end.
While I disagree with the ideology of Scientology, I do not believe it contributed to this situation - this is just a very tragic accident. My sympathies to John, Kelly, and Ella in their loss.

 

[STEADFAST]

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 . . .
http://www.tmz.com/

I don't know whether TMZ is a reliable source or not.

ETA TMZ spelled the medicine wrong. It's Depakote.

 

[STEADFAST]

John Travolta issues statement:
"Jett was the most wonderful son that two parents could ever ask for and lit up the lives of everyone he encountered," Travolta said in a statement posted on his Web site.
"We are heartbroken that our time with him was so brief. We will cherish the time that we had with him for the rest of our lives," he wrote.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/us_...john_travolta_issues_first_statement_hea.html

 

[Liz]

Awww, my heart breaks for the Travolta family.

 

[MOMto5]

because says so. end of story.
THis story is just painful for me to hear. My son had a seizure behind the wheel last night he is still in the hospital but boy do I feel lucky
I am sitting here with him in his hospital room and my heart breaks for the Travoltas as they are living my nightmare.

I'm so sorry to hear about your son's accident. I'm relieved that he was lucky and hope that he is doing well. My youngest daughter is 15 and has suffered from a seizure disorder since she was born. Just hearing about this tragedy shakes me to the core. The reality is that you just can't be there every second of every day and with my daughter, there is never any warning as to when the seizures might strike. Their tragedy is my nightmare as well.

 

[JBean]

I'm so sorry to hear about your son's accident. I'm relieved that he was lucky and hope that he is doing well. My youngest daughter is 15 and has suffered from a seizure disorder since she was born. Just hearing about this tragedy shakes me to the core. The reality is that you just can't be there every second of every day and with my daughter, there is never any warning as to when the seizures might strike. Their tragedy is my nightmare as well.

((momto5)) TY...My son was diagnosed at the ripe old age of 18 months LOL. It has been a rollercoaster of ups and downs as those familiar with seizure disorders know. just when you think it's all good... BAMM right between the eyes.
I have done everything I can to protect my son, but you cannot anticipate or avoid everything. Plus, trying to do that only adds to the stigma that they are "abnormal" and leads to self-limitations and loss of life quality in and of itself.
what to do what to do.

 

[gitana1]

Oh geez! I have a 16 year old son who takes looooonnnnng baths late at night. Sometimes I go to bed while he's still in the bathroom. Sheesh! He was 16, it's not like they had to keep tabs on him every moment!

I feel for John and his family......

Bolded by me.

Apparently, they did. From what I have read, Jett was mentally disabled - something that does not come from Kawasaki disease which is an illness that is treated and goes away in a few weeks. He had that at age 2 or so, so unless he had residual heart defects from the illness, it is not something he would have suffered from the rest of his life and it DOES NOT cause mental disability. Apparently Jett was non-verbal. That and videos and photos I have seen of him suggest low-functioning autism - he is photographed toe-walking at age 16, which is a symptom, and stimming (flapping hands and rocking), which you can see briefly in the trip to paris video. He stares curiously at the cameras and someone is holding on to him and directing his every moment. People with low-functioning autism are prone to wandering and getting freaked out by noise, lights and lots of activity. Importantly, seizures are very common in a significant portion of people with autism.
Whether or not the Travoltas recognized that their son had autsim (if, in fact, he did), or whether or not they treated him specifically for that, I think it is clear they were good, loving parents. He was NOT left alone ever, according to news reports, he had a nanny who had a baby monitor so she could hear him in his room at night and there was a door alarm, possibly so he would not wander.
I don't know all the treatments used ot help their child but it seems they did detoxification therapy which is coincidentally something widely used with varying rates of success with kids who have autism. I have read that Jett was on Depakote for several years but it began to lose effectiveness so they discontinued its usage. Depakote is used for seizures, among other things so if true, that belies the claims that the Travoltas put faith over medicine. I am sure these people did the best they could with a hard situation. I am deeply saddened by their loss and wish them peace.

 

[gitana1]

They just reported on Fox News that there are 5 or 6 detective working on this case. They also said that the Travoltas say the report that their son wasn't found from Thurs. to Fri. is false--I think that's what they said, anyway. Maybe someone who heard it as well can report on it.

I hate carpet, BTW. I have it because hubby loves it, but I have cleaned and vacuumed carpet too many times not to know it's FILTHY. Whoever invented it didn't do us humans any favors. One day we'll know this and maybe it will be banned....

Oooo! I agree! Carpet disgusts me. You cannot disinfect it like you can with wood or tile floors.

 

[Hopeful One]

Interview with John's lawyers, Jett may have died in John's arms...

http://http://omg.yahoo.com/news/family-lawyer-jett-travolta-may-have-died-in-fathers-arms/17139?nc

 

[MeoW333]

Bolded by me.

Apparently, they did. From what I have read, Jett was mentally disabled - something that does not come from Kawasaki disease which is an illness that is treated and goes away in a few weeks. He had that at age 2 or so, so unless he had residual heart defects from the illness, it is not something he would have suffered from the rest of his life and it DOES NOT cause mental disability. Apparently Jett was non-verbal. That and videos and photos I have seen of him suggest low-functioning autism - he is photographed toe-walking at age 16, which is a symptom, and stimming (flapping hands and rocking), which you can see briefly in the trip to paris video. He stares curiously at the cameras and someone is holding on to him and directing his every moment. People with low-functioning autism are prone to wandering and getting freaked out by noise, lights and lots of activity. Importantly, seizures are very common in a significant portion of people with autism.
Whether or not the Travoltas recognized that their son had autsim (if, in fact, he did), or whether or not they treated him specifically for that, I think it is clear they were good, loving parents. He was NOT left alone ever, according to news reports, he had a nanny who had a baby monitor so she could hear him in his room at night and there was a door alarm, possibly so he would not wander.
I don't know all the treatments used ot help their child but it seems they did detoxification therapy which is coincidentally something widely used with varying rates of success with kids who have autism. I have read that Jett was on Depakote for several years but it began to lose effectiveness so they discontinued its usage. Depakote is used for seizures, among other things so if true, that belies the claims that the Travoltas put faith over medicine. I am sure these people did the best they could with a hard situation. I am deeply saddened by their loss and wish them peace.

Depakote is a very heavy epileptic drug, i understand why they would want to discontinue it for their son, especially at his young age, it may make worse with the side effects of it.
It's a tragedy what happened..

 

[MeoW333]

ps- i toe walk all the time, and it's a lot quieter that way.

 

[JBean]

Depakote is a very heavy epileptic drug, i understand why they would want to discontinue it for their son, especially at his young age, it may make worse with the side effects of it.
It's a tragedy what happened..

I agree. there was a point in my son's care where I had to choose between some very nasty drugs and possible seizures. I chose seizures for 15 years. They have come a long way with anti-convulsants, but unfortunately all drugs do not work the same, if at all, on all patients. It is a very tough road.
Fortunately Lamictal, which is one of the best drugs around, works well for my son, but I know people right on this board that it does not work on at all.

 

[RiverRat]

I will always remember thinking that you were the cutest little boy I had ever seen with those pretty blue eyes from your Daddy.