Yesterday, the President of the United States of America began pronouncing – against all credible scientific evidence – that paracetamol (or, tylenol, or acetaminophen if you prefer) causes autism. It has been denounced by just about every scientific and health body going. It is absolute bunk that, spouted by anybody else, would be utterly unworthy of a refutation. As far as I can see, his evidence amounts to ‘there are groups of people who haven’t taken tylenol or vaccines who don’t have autism’. Well, then…
I will leave you to speculate as to why he might be inclined to announce this demonstrably false nonesense to the world. We can have our suspicions. Just know that it is demonstrably false and attested as false by every health body around the world. But, of course, Trump knows best – he is credentialled in every area on which he chooses to speak because he says it is so. What more proof or evidence do you need? Forget the experts – we did away with them years ago!
The sad thing here is that despite all the evidence, despite the weight of every qualified person being against him, many will nevertheless listen. The studies have been done, the results have been in time and again, the question is not unworthy of asking, it is just that it has been asked and answered repeatedly. The science is not on his side. Again, I will leave you to speculate on the particular reasons why the president might be doing this right now. My concern here is that many will choose to believe him.
There are those of us who didn’t so much as take paracetamol during pregnancy (safe as it may be) who nevertheless have autistic children. There are, of course, plenty of people who take paracetamol during pregnancy (safe as it may be) who also have autistic children. This is because paracetamol doesn’t cause autism. Nobody was arguing it did until *checks notes* yesterday!
But this matters because there is plenty of misinformation about autism going around as it is. And in our churches there will be plenty of people with autistic children, who have autistic children because those are the very children God gave them, who are loved and cherished, who do not need to be burdened with nonsense claims about it somehow being their fault because they took paracetamol. Indeed, parenting autistic children comes with enough challenges without callous people – who know nothing about it – suggesting that if you had just put up with your headaches, your children would probably not struggle.
Churches have a duty to counteract this sort of thing. If for no other reason than churches are supposed to be places where truth matters. Similarly they are supposed to be places where people are loved and we do not love them very well spreading this sort of lie. Moreover, we really don’t love them well when we blame their children’s develpmental disabilities on them. We don’t really love people whose jobs it is to give people proper medical advice when we spread these sorts of unattested lies either.
Perhaps rather than asserting specious arguments about the causes of autism, we might do better to focus on loving the people and families who happen to have it regardless of where it came from?
Pastor Kneale,
I completely agree that misinformation is rampant both inside and outside the church. The ‘spectrum’ label has caused so much confusion. I feel compelled to clarify the autism diagnosis in cases I’m familiar with, as it’s far from a ‘superpower.’ It’s profoundly challenging for the children and their parents. Measures like keyed locks on all home exits are necessary to keep the children safe, preventing them from running into the street due to a lack of danger awareness. Repetitive behaviors, like stimming, can be relentless and even harmful. Every effort must be made to increase our awareness, particularly in the Church, and develop a thoughtful, Christ-like response.
I’m aware of cases involving severe autism, where I don’t believe that acetaminophen was a factor, HOWEVER, there has been growing concern that there MIGHT BE a link since 2005. I have certainly heard the theory many times over the last several years. For what it’s worth, neither of these kids were vaxxinated, either. I think you may have over-reacted in this post, which is not something you generally do. Perhaps you love someone who deals with the life-changing reality of autism. I think our President is addressing the issue slowly; his remarks indicated that he is highly suspicious of vaxxinations and that this is the first volley only. I don’t play “chess” like Trump does, but this may be a “throw-away” to clear the way for “the real deal.”
The LORD be with you.
One should be highly suspicious of vaccines. They contain the alleged cause of a disease and toxic adjuvants designed to create an immune response, i.e. disease even if only mild. Injected into baby they will likely cause great harm and brain damage.
Whilst immunisation and vaccines do carry doses of a disease, the rest is not true and is not supported by any of the scientific evidence we have
Dear Stephen
In 2020, at the age of 60, when the COVID nonsense struck and on furlough I started researching thoroughly the issue of virology and vaccines. I used to think vaccines were of some use, but not for the ‘flu as they made people ill anyway.
So as regards my comment, try looking up the adjuvants of vaccines which have been and are various. The whole point about vaccines is supposed to be to make the body react. They say it trains the body to recognise the alleged disease causing agent next time, but this is a fantasy based on persistent advertising, rebranding of disease and manipulation of statistics.
I have written extensively about the fraud and why we have been deceived. I believe you supported Brexit as did my wife and I. I was only just decided against it but when those we call remainers started their vociferous pushback I came to realise that I was right.
I now see that the EU is the German Fourth Reich and whilst it is more complex than that, the pharmaceutical industry is Germanic in origin, at least as far as the mid-19th century.
I can attach a summary link with all the sublinks to various aspects if you wish. I have an unusual lateral way of looking at things which has been necessary to get to the truth.
And I have told the truth about vaccines.
Whilst I did vote for Brexit, I suspect based on your comment (though I don’t want to assume) we may have done so for quite different reasons!
As for vaccines, I am afraid I have no qualification whatsoever to pontificate on their efficacy. I am not a scientist, virologist, epidemiologist or any other associated -ist that would give me any helpful insight and I am very much reliant on the findings of those who are and can properly interpret them. I am content to submit to the overwhelming medical opinion on the matter.
You may have better qualifications than I do for reaching your position.
Thank you for your reply. I find it strange that you should make such a statement in your first comment to me saying “…the rest is not true…” and now say “As for vaccines, I am afraid I have no qualification whatsoever to pontificate on their efficacy.”
One doesn’t need to be a virologist or epidemiologist to understand the way vaccines are supposed to work. As to science it is knowledge and we are all scientists if we seek after knowledge.
The medical profession and the various health agencies have been effectively captured by the pharmaceutical industry. You may be aware the book of Revelation talks about ‘pharmakeia’, this is why.
It is vital that the church wakes up to the fraud of vaccines. I will take the liberty to attach my summary link. It explains some of my background but there is more on my site if you need it.
https://alphaandomegacloud.wordpress.com/2022/08/17/what-is-the-flu-a-k-a-covid-19-and-why-vaccines-are-pointless-at-best/
I mention my qualification (or lack thereof) because I think it is important to recognise when we are speaking well outside of our lane. This would be one such for me. Much as I might like to think I can know these things – and this isn’t to deny the ability to know anything in layman’s terms – it is simply to affirm that I certainly don’t know everything nor do I have the necessary qualifications in the relevant field to imply I know more about this than those who do. And so, with that in mind, I submit to the expert opinions of those with the relevant training and qualification to both make the right observations and interpret them credibly.
I am much more confident offering input on philosophical assumptions at play, theological concerns, the politics that might be at play or anything historical (such as it is relevant) as this flows more directly out of areas where I do have knowledge and training (which you can see on my ‘about’ page).
But I think it is most important to recognise expertise where they exist and to similarly recognise the limitations of what I might know. I don’t think my internet research in an area on which I have no formal training is equivalent to somebody else who has doctorates and works in a relevant field.
With all due respect, I think the paediatric and neurological experts have quite clearly determined that autism is a spectrum. It is formally called Autism Spectrum Disorder precisely because it does present as a spectrum. It does range quite considerably and inevitably does include some with incredibly challenging behaviour through to others who face other less challenging difficulties for those around them but who nevertheless struggle themselves.
It also bears saying, no governing body or health organisation around the world has affirmed that paracetamol/tylenol/acetaminophen (call it what you will) causes autism. It simply isn’t borne out by the evidence we have. Whether you have heard the theory or not, studies have been done and the evidence is in, with just about every expert in the field arguing on that basis these things do not cause autism. It is factually untrue.
There is a strong genetic link that is quite well attested. My autistic son has almost certainly inherited it. Indeed, every one of my father-in-law’s grandchildren has inherited some sort of neurodivergence, either autism or ADHD. It is difficult to put this down to the taking of paracetamol during pregnancy!