09/24/2025
Today I want to focus on the very real impact the spreading of misinformation has on parents, pregnancies, and babies.
When Autism is stigmatized, and misleading information not supported by science is shared as factual- this causes real harm that cannot (and should not) be ignored.
I need to highlight these are correlated and do not show causation. But the large difference is significant and should not be ignored ❤️
We know untreated fevers and pain lead to higher risks of preterm birth, other developmental differences, and possible increases in miscarriage (up to 2Xs but evidence is mixed and theres a lot of factors). Research shows autism rates remain the same with or without Tylenol when accounting for genetics.
We also know autistic people are more likely to have chronic pain and discomfort in pregnancy, so this makes sense they would be more likely to need medication. This is a great example of how correlation does not equal causation.
As always, you should speak with your physician about your own personal medical treatment (not politicians). But please don’t feel like you should “tough it out” when that can cause actual harm OR that you caused your child’s Autism by taking care of yourself and your baby ❤️
This info can be found on the HHS fact sheet but chersich 2020 and and Drier 2014 (systematic review) are great places to start if you want to lear more
