Was Madeleine Autistic?

[lalalemon]

I haven't posted in Madeleine's forum before, indeed i've only just noticed that it has been reopened, so have been reading various threads that i'd never read before.

I have read at least twice (i've read a lot of stuff so couldn't tell you exactly where) that Madeleine was/might have been autistic. Is this true? And if so, why on earth was this never made public knowledge?

And if she is/was autistic, what differences could this make to her case?

Lemon xx

 

[Melanie]

Do you have an MSM link that indicates this? I've heard it on some trash sites, but not via a reputable source -- unless I'm mistaken, I believe this is a rumour.

MOO

Thanks,

Mel

 

[lalalemon]

I read it here:

http://truthformadeleine.com/about/madeleine/

and have also read it in a couple of threads here in Madeleine's forum.

 

[SapphireSteel]

Madeleine's eye imperfection (coloboma) can be an indicator of additional health problems including mental impairment.

http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/Coloboma.htm

 

[sherlockh]

Madeleine's eye imperfection (coloboma) can be an indicator of additional health problems including mental impairment.

http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/Coloboma.htm

What coloboma? There is quite a story about that 'coloboma'. At first the McCann's made a huge fuss about it, as that it was so unique and so everybody could easily recognize Madeleine. Some say that making such a uniqueness known was very dangerous as the abductor would now be more inclined not to keep her alive. But in the words of Gerry McCann:

"Certainly we thought it was possible that [the publicity] could possibly hurt her or her abductor might do something to her eye . . . But in terms of marketing, it was a good ploy."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/dec/22/madeleine-mccann-icons-of-the-decade

Fast forward to the Piers Morgan interview on CNN in May 2011.

MORGAN: Madeleine had a very distinctive eye pattern, didn't she? Tell me about that, Kate, in case people see somebody they think may be Madeleine. Tell me about her eye.

K. MCCANN: If I'm honest, we haven't put too much emphasis on her eye, because I think you have to be very close to her to see it. But her eyes are slightly different colors, and one of them has this brown fleck in it. But you do notice, particularly on photographs, but --

MORGAN: Slightly distinctive eye colors and a little fleck.

MORGAN: And do you know if that would be still there if she's now eight years old?

G. MCCANN: Certainly believe it wouldn't have changed. I think there's been a pattern to be still there. That it's -- the technical term is coloboma, where there's a defect in the iris. I don't think it is actually. I think it's actually an additional bit of color. She certainly had no visual problems.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1105/11/pmt.01.html

'Bit strange' that these doctors now claim that it wasn't really a coloboma after all. Never put too much emphasis on it? Really? Who hasn't seen the pic of Madeleine's coloboma? Why this change in 'marketing'? My best guess. No coloboma means more sightings. JMO.

 

[Donjeta]

http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdesped/download/pdf/dbColobomaEye.pdf

According to this it appears that a coloboma of the iris doesn't have to cause visual problems if the defect doesn't extend to the lens/retina/optic nerve.

 

[SapphireSteel]

There is a Coloboma Moms support group on Facebook for mums with children with this defect.

Behavioural and developmental problems are common.

I had no idea the potential seriousness of what this minor defect can indicate.

To the original poster who asked "what does this mean in Madeleine's case?"...I guess the theory is that she was not perfect, therefore expendable...especially after her perfect siblings came along.

There is a theory about (which I do not subscribe to) that her disappearance was planned before the family even got to Portugal.

Clearly appalling and almost unbelieveable but so are most aspects of this case.

 

[brit1981]

The defect in Madeleine's eye does not mean she had mental impairment. There is a condition where children with a type of mental impairment also have a similar eye defect, but the presence of the defect does not mean the person has this condition. It is a bit like how a low mental age is also a symptom of down's syndrome, but just because someone has a low mental age it does not mean they have down's syndrome.

I have never read anywhere other than internet forums that madeleine had any health problems or mental impairment. The case files have a report from her GP and they do not mention it.

 

[badhorsie]

The defect in Madeleine's eye does not mean she had mental impairment. There is a condition where children with a type of mental impairment also have a similar eye defect, but the presence of the defect does not mean the person has this condition. It is a bit like how a low mental age is also a symptom of down's syndrome, but just because someone has a low mental age it does not mean they have down's syndrome.

I have never read anywhere other than internet forums that madeleine had any health problems or mental impairment. The case files have a report from her GP and they do not mention it.

I have never seen a medical report about Madeleine. Where did you see this?

 

[brit1981]

I am certain it is in the case files. Its just a brief statement from her GP saying she had no problems. As far as I can see the idea that madeleine was autistic or mentally impaired is an internet myth

 

[Donjeta]

A link would be nicer than "I'm sure it's somewhere".

However, here it is.

http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/PH-HU.htm

He did not personally treat Madeleine, his testimony is based on the absence of hearing about any complaints from the ones who did.

Madeleine was seen by the duty doctor when born and by our nurses during the routine vaccinations. If there had been cause for concern in any of the children, it would have been brought to my attention, and this did not happen.

A number of causes for concern go unnoticed during routine vaccinations.
Not saying that Madeleine was ill or disabled in any way, just saying.

The word of a doctor who wasn't personally involved in the care of the child is basically just hearsay. "No one told me she had anything to worry about so she must not have had."

My own children have been diagnosed with some stuff that they never noticed at the routine visits.

 

[brit1981]

He was her GP, hence if there was cause for concern he would have been made aware. This is standard practice in the UK, the practice nurse who administers the vaccinations (notice he says our nurses) adds to the same medical notes as the GP, and tests from hospitals are forwarded to the GP.
But the point is there is no record of Madeleine suffering from any mental impairment. The eye defect is not a condition that is only found in people with mental impairment. I do not see why people should take the word of people on the internet who have had no access to madeleine's medical records, have never once met with her etc over the word of her own GP.

 

[Donjeta]

I notice that he doesn't mention the eye problem either so it must not have been brought to his attention so she must not have had one.

 

[fabgod]

Donjeta
thanks for taking the time to find the report.
I would love to have known what questions the PJ wanted to ask the Doctor, from reading the report by the GP, it seems that the questions were fairly general and it almost seems like a character witness in the fact he is stating how well he knows KM, rather than give details about the Parents and Childrens medical records

 

[brit1981]

donjeta,
she did not have an eye problem, there were no vision problems. It just affected the way she looked, he does not mention her hair or eye colour either. Just because someone looks a bit different does not mean it is a problem. Her GP had access to all of her records, any information from hospitals etc are put in these records in the possession of her GP, and he states there were no problems.
Has anyone here actually seen anywhere other than internet gossip where it states madeleine had health problems.

 

[BritsKate]

Hair and eye colour do not present the possibility of blurred vision, ghost imaging or a decrease of visual acuity.

 

[brit1981]

But her GP knew her, and knew she had no visual problems, and that the "defect" only affected how she looked not her vision so why would he mention it. She had no vision problems. he says she had no health problems, her eye "defect" was not a problem.

 

[BritsKate]

It had the potential to be a problem for the rest of her life though. Colobomas in children very often lead to the necessity of vision correction and sometimes even lead to a detached retina or glaucoma. It very simply is not as benign as freckles or a birthmark.

This is a condition that would have to remain monitored as the moment it did begin to affect her sight treatment would be key to avoid further loss of visual acuity.

 

[brit1981]

it can cause problems, but if someone does not have problems because of it then it is not going to be mentioned as an issue. It is not a case that someone has this and has vision problems, that can occur depending on the severity. But there is no record of madeleine having health problems or autism etc.

 

[fabgod]

It amazes me how some people can state things as fact when responding to another post, unless they are very close to the person involved, how could they state something from the limited statement made by a GP
Odd in my opinion