RFK Jr. calls autism a 'preventable disease,' launches environmental study
RFK Jr. calls autism a 'preventable disease'
On Wednesday, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said autism is a preventable disease and that the U.S. needs to stop denying the epidemic.
WASHINGTON - Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. warned that children in the U.S. are being diagnosed with autism at an "alarming rate," calling it a "preventable disease," but promising to conduct exhaustive studies to identify any environmental factors that may cause the developmental disorder.
‘Autism destroys families’
What they're saying:
"Autism destroys families," Kennedy said. "More importantly, it destroys our greatest resource, which is our children. These are children who should not be suffering like this."
Kennedy said his wide-ranging plan to determine the cause of autism will look at all of those environmental factors, and others. He had previously set a September deadline for determining what causes autism, but said Wednesday that by then, his department will determine at least "some" of the answers.
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Kennedy described autism as a "preventable disease," although researchers and scientists have identified genetic factors that are associated with it.
RFK Jr. says HHS will determine cause of autism
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the agency is taking on a "massive testing and research effort" to determine the cause of autism.
What experts are saying
The other side:
Autism experts applaud efforts to further understand the condition, but say the number of reported cases began to balloon as the definition of the condition expanded to include mild cases.
Autism is not considered a disease, but a complex disorder that affects the brain. Cases range widely in severity, with symptoms that can include delays in language, learning, and social or emotional skills. Some autistic traits can go unnoticed well into adulthood.
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The Autism Science Foundation said Kennedy’s emphasis on environmental factors contradicted the findings in the CDC’s report.
"This report is the most convincing evidence yet that changes in factors like access to services and de-stigmatization of (autism spectrum disorders) are leading to the increases in prevalence," said Autism Science Foundation Chief Science Officer Dr. Alycia Halladay.
April is Autism acceptance month
Stacey Hoaglund President of Autism Society in Florida joins LiveNOW form FOX to highlight Autism awareness month. The recognition raises awareness and promotes inclusion for all.
Autism rates in the US
Dig deeper:
Those who have spent decades researching autism have found no single cause. Besides genetics, scientists have identified various possible factors, including the age of a child’s father, the mother’s weight, and whether she had diabetes or was exposed to certain chemicals.
The CDC’s latest autism data was from 14 states and Puerto Rico in 2022. The previous estimate — from 2020 — was 1 in 36.
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Boys continue to be diagnosed more than girls, and the highest rates are among children who are Asian/Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaska Native and Black.
To estimate how common autism is, the CDC checked health and school records for 8-year-olds, because most cases are diagnosed by that age. Other researchers have their own estimates, but experts say the CDC’s estimate is the most rigorous and the gold standard.
What is autism?
Big picture view:
Autism is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain. There are many possible symptoms, many of which overlap with other diagnoses. They can include delays in language and learning, social and emotional withdrawal and an unusual need for routine.
For decades, the diagnosis was rare, given only to kids with severe problems communicating or socializing and those with unusual, repetitive behaviors.
As late as the early 1990s, only 1 in 10,000 children were diagnosed with autism. Around that time, the term became a shorthand for a group of milder, related conditions known as ″autism spectrum disorders," and the number of kids labeled as having some form of autism began to balloon.
In the first decade of this century, the estimate rose to 1 in 150. In 2018, it was 1 in 44. In 2020, it was up to 1 in 36.
The Source: The Associated Press contributed to this report. The details in this story come primarily from Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s own remarks at a Department of Health press briefing. This story was reported from Los Angeles.