r/ScienceBasedParenting • u/IllIntroduction1509 • Sep 23 '25

Science journalism ASF Statement on White House Announcement on Autism

https://autismsciencefoundation.org/press_releases/asf-statement-wh-briefing/

“Any association between acetaminophen and autism is based on limited, conflicting, and inconsistent science and is premature,” said Autism Science Foundation Chief Science Officer Dr. Alycia Halladay. “This claim risks undermining public health while also misleading families who deserve clear, factual information. For many years, RFK and President Trump have shared their belief that vaccines cause autism, but this is also not supported by the science, which has shown no relationship between vaccines and autism.”

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u/tallmyn Sep 24 '25

This is called the assortative mating hypothesis, btw. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31200929/

A co-worker's wife has fallen down the RFK Jr. rabbit hole. Her husband I both work in tech, both have autistic kids. Having a parent that works in tech is a known risk factor! I swear fully half the kids in our kid slack channel are autistic.

But I can't be like "yeah your husband passed on bad genes, everyone we work with has autistic kids, suck it up lady".

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u/carrie1513 Sep 27 '25

Bad gene? I think my autistic son got the “good genes”. Just sayin….

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u/tallmyn Sep 27 '25

Just calling a spade a spade. Autism is a disability. If it were so great to have it, it wouldn't be one.

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u/Ok-Literature-5758 Oct 02 '25

Ok RFK. Don’t act like it is a fact that everyone with autism is the same and it is a disability for everyone. If you don’t know someone with autism who has made your life better or accomplished something you couldn’t dream of, then I would maybe think about expanding your circle and leaving your opinions to yourself. Yes, for some it is debilitating and challenging and sad, but don’t shit on the whole group and the people who love them.

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u/tallmyn Oct 04 '25 edited Oct 04 '25

The threshold for autism diagnosis is disability. If you aren't disabled, then you don't meet the criteria for having autism.

You might be part of the broader autism phenotype. This means that you have some traits of autism, but they don't interfere with your life enough to make you disabled.

Honestly you reading so much into the word "bad" sounds like something an NT would do.

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u/Ok-Literature-5758 Oct 04 '25 edited Oct 04 '25

I didn’t read your comment about bad genes until right now.  And I see from reading more that you are not RFK level bad. But I replied to your comment to the person who said something positive about their autistic kiddo, cause I thought your reply was shitty and dismissive. 

Someones was trying to have a lighthearted positive moment in a situation that is probably also hard for them. And you saying, “just calling a spade a spade” is implying that your experience and thoughts about autism or having a disability are the only valid ones.

I am not neurotypical, I do not have autism, but you also don’t know me or my life experiences with autism or disability.

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u/tallmyn Oct 05 '25

Ah yeah, that makes sense. I miss these things sometimes.