The parents of children with autism are talking against the recent comments made by the Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., saying that their comments on autism and vaccines reinforce harmful stereotypes and ignore the diversity and potential of people in the autistic spectrum.
“He is spreading fear and erroneous information,” said Beth Hoffman, a Maryland mother of a 10 -year -old non -speaking child with autism.
Hoffman said he was “outraged and disturbed,” and added that Kennedys’s comments on “Autism is an epidemic and chronic disease causes falsehoods and a negative stigma.”
“I am sad for our country, the future of my son and everyone with [a disability]”She said.
The reaction follows a new CDC report They demonstrate that autism diagnoses are increasing, affecting 1 in 31 years of 8 years in the US. In 2022. To the heel of the report, Kennedy announced on Wednesday a directive to the National Health Institutes to investigate what he called “Environmental Exhibitions” that affirmed that he could be contributing to that increase in diagnoses.
Medical professionals say that the increase in the diagnosis of autism is due in large part to a better consciousness and diagnosis, as well as by expanding medical definitions that now cover a broader range of people in the spectrum of autism.
Kennedy retreated the idea that the increase in diagnoses may be due to greater awareness or better diagnostic tools, calling that “indefensible” explanation.
“Autism destroys families and, more important
Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks during a press conference at the Department of Health and Human Services, April 16, 2025, in Washington, DC.
Alex Wong/Getty Images
Autism defenders were dismayed upon hearing the general characterization of Kennedy autism children: “They will never pay taxes, they will never have a job, they will never play baseball, they will never write a poem, they will never go to a date. Many of them will never use a toilet without evaluating.”
Autistic spectrum disorder, ASD, is a spectrum, which means that symptoms vary according to the person: some need little support in their daily lives, and some may need great support to perform daily activities. Some may have advanced conversation skills and others may be nonverbal.
The new CDC report, for example, estimated that less than 40% of children diagnosed with autism in 2022 were classified as an intellectual disability.
The parents speak
The actress and the defender of autism for a long time, Holly Robinson Peete, responded to Kennedy’s comments on Wednesday with a punctual score Video on Instagram.
“There is much to unpack,” he said in the video. “Autism is not a disease. It is a developmental disorder, and it is important to do well.”
Peete, who has spoken extensively in the past about the diagnosis of autism of his son RJ 25 years ago, said he has “reviewed and destroyed a lot of” never “out of that list.”
Samantha Taylor, whose 20 -year -old is also in the spectrum, echoed that frustration. “Unless it is the father of a child with autism, he cannot begin to imagine what the trip is,” he told GMA. “To say that it is an epidemic and destroy families is an insult to all in the community of autism.”
Taylor also shared additional thoughts in a Facebook post on the early Thursday, writing: “Autism does not destroy families. Do you know what?
Alexis and Richard Brown, parents of 15 -year -old twins with autism, told GMA that they were discouraged by Kennedy’s statements. “RFK had a lot of nerve by stating that autism is ruining our lives,” said Alexis Brown.
Alexis Brown, who has served at the Gentry Foundation Board for Autism since 2016, added: “Autism is a very broad spectrum, and it is not an epidemic. Our children practice sports, are members of the National Junior Honor Society, serve as junior instructors in their jujitsu Black Belt Club and do crossfit. Therefore, we discredit the idea that all children They will never use the bathroom, they will never have a job or will never happen in the life of life. “
Experts ask for more research
The experts in the field echoed many of the concerns expressed by the parents.
“We are excited about the interest of Secretary Kennedy in Autism,” said Tom Frazier, a professor of psychology at John Carroll University and president of the Autism Speaks Board, a non -profit organization of awareness of Autism. “But we have to make sure that the research focuses on the needs of autistic people and their families, and that we are not recreating an investigation that has already been carried out.”
Frazier backed the radical generalizations shared by Kennedy, pointing out the wide range of skills throughout the autistic spectrum.
Frazier, whose son is in the spectrum, said: “My son will probably never go to an appointment, but there are other autistic people who have socially socially success and are an incredible asset for the world. It is a spectrum, and I think that [Kennedy] He may have been talking about a subset of individuals like my son, but his comments were not elegant and did not reflect the diversity of autistic experiences. “
He also emphasized the importance of collective progress. “Autism has no funds in relation to less frequent conditions, and with 3.2% of children identified with autism, we need more support, more acceptance and the correct type of research.”
Christopher Banks, president and CEO of the Autism Society of America, a national beneficial organization dedicated to improving the lives of people in the autistic spectrum, also intervened, urging public leaders to base their messages on current science and respect for the community.
“The report cites that the increase in the prevalence of autism, from 1 to 36 in 2020 to 1 in 31 in 2022, may reflect progress in consciousness, greater access to detection and diagnosis, and also reinforces the urgent need for solid research based on science to better understand autism,” Banks “GMA” said. “Autism is a disability of life development that affects people of all origins. The statements that autism is ‘preventable’ or definitely caused by ‘environmental toxins’ are not backed by current research.”
The banks also warned against the frame of autism through a tragedy or fear lens and emphasized the importance of preserving access to essential programs.
“The most inclusive systems, such as the strong coverage of Medicaid, lead to an earlier identification and access to services,” he said. “These data make clear the need for universal detection, trained pediatric suppliers and equitable care.”
Mary Kekatos and Sony Salzman contributed to this report.
