Promoting Scientific Literacy vs. Pseudoscience and Intentional Rhetoric and Deception

This past week, the Administration's Department of Health made autism misinformation a focal point of their agenda—an agenda that continues to advance with detrimental and corrupt intent. While this news had been anticipated for weeks, witnessing it unfold remains deeply troubling. I'm grateful that numerous experts have responded with factual information to counter these harmful narratives.

What follows documents my personal experience and understanding of autism, informed by science and the aforementioned experts.

First and foremost: I am AuDHD, and I am not broken, missing pieces, or part of some manufactured crisis or epidemic. To be absolutely clear—I don't "have" AuDHD the way someone might have a cold or temporary ailment. I am AuDHD. It is integral to my neurology and fundamental to who I am.

The apparent increase in autism and neurodivergent diagnoses stems primarily from three factors:

1. evolving diagnostic criteria that have broadened the scope of what constitutes autism spectrum disorders,
2. the consolidation of previously distinct conditions under umbrella terms like "autism spectrum disorder,"
3. and the historical under-diagnosis of girls and women. Many females are now receiving diagnoses well into adulthood as clinicians better recognize how autism presents differently across genders, correcting decades of missed or misinterpreted symptoms that didn't fit the traditionally male-centered diagnostic models. 

There is no one cause of autism. It is neurologically multi-pronged and is usually inherited. Oftentimes, after a child is diagnosed, the parent(s) begin to understand and investigate their own neurospiciness. 
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This leads to the final point: it has been unequivocally proven in multiple studies—childhood vaccines are not implicated in the “development” of autism, and neither is the use of Tylenol by pregnant people. 

The misinformation and pseudoscience presented as fact are dangerous on multiple levels and are forms of gaslighting. 

Vaccines represent one of modern medicine's greatest triumphs, preventing millions of deaths annually and eliminating diseases that once devastated communities. The resurgence of measles—a disease nearly eradicated in developed nations—demonstrates the real-world consequences when misinformation undermines public health. This outbreak directly correlates with declining vaccination rates fueled by debunked theories propagated by individuals without legitimate medical credentials.
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The spread of anti-science sentiment extends beyond childhood immunizations, creating dangerous ripple effects throughout healthcare. This latest assault on pregnant people wrongly discourages them from using safe, essential medications like acetaminophen (Tylenol) to manage fever during illness. Clinical research consistently shows that untreated maternal fever poses significant developmental risks to the fetus, including serious complications. When expectant mothers avoid medically necessary fever reduction based on unfounded fears, both maternal and fetal health suffer.

This phenomenon represents more than medical misinformation—it constitutes a broader assault on women's autonomy and the dignity of neurodivergent individuals. Anti-vaccine rhetoric often perpetuates harmful stereotypes about autism while simultaneously undermining women's ability to make informed healthcare decisions. When fear-based messaging replaces evidence-based guidance, vulnerable populations bear the greatest burden. It also creates broad feelings of guilt where there should be none. 

The solution requires renewed commitment to scientific literacy, clear communication from healthcare providers, and recognition that public health depends on collective action grounded in rigorous research rather than speculation and fear. Additionally, public health decisions should not be made by those who have ulterior motives and will benefit financially from policy. 

DRC News

Our third week flew by! 

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DRC Pop-Ups
Is your homeschool family looking for opportunities to meet other kids, play games, create art, or do projects together? Plan on meeting our DRC Pop-ups mentor Janine at the Massena Library on Thursday, October. 2nd.