A TikTok mother, Shannon Willardson, recently went viral for warning people against judging others’ parenting choices.
She shared that internet trolls attempted to shame her for giving her seven-year-old daughter a pacifier
However, what they do not know is that her daughters have special needs and do not develop typically. They have an extremely rare genetic disease called congenital disorder of glycosylation (CDG), which causes developmental delays. They do not talk or walk and require tube feeding.
The family decided to share their story to raise awareness of the disease and brighten the world with their girls’ “perfect sunshine.”
Willardson’s video features her mouthing the words to a clip of Snookie from Jersey Shore, saying, “Why is everyone acting weird towards me? No seriously.” The words on the video read: “POV: the internet shaming me for giving my 7-year-old a pacifier even though she’s not typically developing.”
Willardson wrote that “different ‘rules’ apply for different-needs kiddos.”
She further shared that developmentally, her daughters are under the age of one, so it is not inappropriate for them to have a pacifier, especially since they significantly help to comfort them. All of their doctors, PT‘s, and OT‘s agree.
The comments section of the video was full of support and encouragement, with one user writing, “You know your baby best! You do what YOU need to do for her!” Another user commented, “People who have never lived with, raised or worked with people who are dev. delayed will never understand.”
Many people even suggested special pacifiers for older children and adults. One TikToker put it, “Soon it’ll be the norm to NOT make judgments based on physical appearances.” Willardson’s story serves as a reminder to be kind and understanding towards others and to avoid making assumptions about their lives and choices.
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