Tylenol does NOT cause Autism!

OMG, the autistic community is tired today. So tired. We thought we’d already managed to convince everyone that neither vaccines NOR Tylenol cause autism (they don’t, which is a fact, but some people will never be convinced), when President Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary RFK Jr both trotted out this old trope – again, sigh. Nothing like re-igniting old myths and memes with the world’s biggest bully pulpit!

It’s almost like the bad penny that keeps returning. Or the cat that comes back. You just can’t shake them!

Both myths have long been debunked.

Unfortunately, I was up until 5 last night crafting this other post on my Patreon site (paywalled to try to help me stay housed) about the latest hEDS/HSD news on Patreon, and have an appointment in an hour, so I’m not up to re-litigating this fully right now. But yes, we can bring receipts. In fact, my esteemed autistic colleague, father and Autism Professional Kieran Rose just did, here. (Thank you Kieran, OMG!)

Meanwhile, please understand: CORRELATION DOES NOT EQUAL CAUSATION. This is basic science that all researchers learn early on. Also, if it were true, why aren’t ALL the children of mothers who took Tylenol autistic? And how did I come out autistic in 1967, before Tylenol hit the shelves? Or my uncle (born in the 1920s) or my grandpa, born in the 1890s? Or thousands of others over hundreds if not thousands of years before that?

Please read the late Steve Silberman’s book Neurotribes for some great autistic history. (Cavendish, anyone? Einstein? They didn’t take Tylenol or vaccines before 1900 I promise!)

No, dear people. Autism vastly pre-dates the invention of Tylenol and even vaccines and modern electrical wires etc. And, it’s not going away. There is no ‘epidemic”, though yes, I agree it’s on the rise.

Because we are procreating more. And awareness is increasing thanks to the internet, so we are finally starting to recognize it better and sooner in kids, as well as in unlucky adults like myself diagnosed late in our lives after burning out. (Especially women.)

Please know, this has long been debunked, and our administration is spouting lies. And endangering the lives of other unborn children by stopping their mothers from reducing their fevers. Which can and may cause other “birth defects” like neural tube defects and more if left unchecked as Dr. Noc can tell you.

Please move forward with us. Autism is not a tragedy. Do many families need much more support than they are currently getting? Absolutely.

But they don’t need prevention or a cure. We are not useless eaters. (That’s a product of capitalism and neo-Nazism that only values your productivity, not your life.) Thanks for evolving with me.

You can scour my Autism resources pages for more info and insight. Thank you. Peace out,

Jan September 23, 2025