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Back to HumanAuthor: James Andriella
Sometimes moving forward requires us to take a step back. Language: en Genres: Health & Fitness Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Reactions Aren't "Rare": Real Stories of Vaccine Injuries - Ep: 1 Sonja Osborne-Figueroa
Saturday, 7 February, 2026
On this episode of the Back to Human Podcast we dive into a sensitive and controversial topic: vaccine injuries.I’m joined by Sonja Osborne-Figueroa, a mother of two boys, one of whom became nonverbal after receiving the MMR vaccine. Sonja shares how she began noticing developmental regressions in both of her sons following wellness visits, and how those early signs raised concerns when her younger son was required to receive the MMR shot in order to attend school. Despite strong hesitation, she moved forward. After the MMR vaccination, her son Austin became nonverbal, withdrawing into his own world. Once aware of his surroundings and able to communicate, Austin can no longer function independently and now requires constant supervision.Her story is emotional, raw, and difficult to hear. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon.This episode marks the first installment in an ongoing vaccine series. If you are a parent or know someone who would like to share their lived experience with vaccine injury, please fill out the contact form at BacktoHuman.us.In this episode we discuss:What life was like before becoming a parentEarly developmental regressions in her first son and how they raised concerns for her secondHer hesitation around the MMR vaccine and the pressure she felt to vaccinate her son so he could attend school Realizing afterward that an exemption may have been an optionThe moment they felt they “lost him” after the shotBeing gaslit, talked down to, and losing trust in Western medicineHow a disappointing neurology appointment that fueled her search for alternativesHow to approach the topic of vaccines with othersAccountability and how taking responsibility helped her move forwardInterventions Sonja found helpful: diet changes, chelation therapy, and supplementsThe financial reality of raising a special-needs childThe emotional impact of witnessing other children his age thriveSonja’s greatest daily fear: dying without proper care in place for her sonWhy she does not support mainstream autism campaigns like Light It Up BlueWhy this experience has not come with “blessings” or “gifts”The role of genetics, including MTHFR, and predispositionThoughts on delayed vaccine schedules or selective vaccinationWhy boys—particularly African American boys—appear disproportionately affectedMAPS Doctors (Medical Academy of Pediatric Special Needs)ABLE Accounts for special-needs childrenTACA (The Autism Community in Action)Recovering Kids: Biomedical Healing (Facebook group)Vaxxed documentariesAdvice for parents newly facing this realityWhat the future looks like for her son and how she’s preparing him for adulthood
