Autism Isn’t an Epidemic — And Tylenol Isn’t the Villain

Despite the panic, the World Health Organization, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the Autism Science Foundation all agree: there is no evidence that Tylenol causes autism.

You can't doom-scroll these days without seeing something about autism. "Rates are skyrocketing." "It's an epidemic."

And with recent claims that Tylenol or acetaminophen causes autism, the discourse has gone from willfully ignorant to potentially lethal.

Let’s get one thing straight: autism isn’t an epidemic. It’s not something to “cure.” It’s a condition, most likely genetic, that is begging to be better understood.

And the current discourse, especially from politicians, is doing far more harm than good — to both the autistic community and to women.

As someone with AuDHD, I can’t read these claims without flinching. Because behind the numbers and the induced panic, they’re talking about people like me.

And for every headline, there are masses of people becoming dreadfully misinformed — which not only increases the stigma around autism, but now could lead people to make rash medical decisions that could harm themselves or others.

So what's going on? What does the science really say? And why is this even a conversation right now?

What the Numbers Really Mean

Yes, autism diagnoses are rising. The CDC now estimates about 1 in 31 children are identified as being on the spectrum, compared to 1 in 36 just a few years ago.

But that doesn’t mean there are suddenly “more” autistic people. It means more of us are finally being recognized.

Diagnostic tools have improved. Awareness has increased. Doctors are paying more attention. And groups that used to be overlooked — women, people of color, adults — are starting to get diagnosed.

Not to mention, in 2013, Asperger’s was folded under the autism spectrum in the DSM-5 — which would explain a spike in the numbers.

A few decades ago, I would’ve been dismissed myself. I wasn’t diagnosed until adulthood, even though the signs were always there. Decades ago, women like me were labeled “quirky” or “troubled,” or simply lobotomized.

So the rising numbers aren’t evidence of an epidemic. They’re evidence of clarity and progress.

The Tylenol Scare

So where does Tylenol fit into this?

Some studies have shown a small association between prenatal acetaminophen use and autism or ADHD. That’s where the scary headlines come from.

But when researchers use better methods, accounting for things like genetics and environment, the connection disappears.

The largest study so far, based on over 2.5 million children in Sweden, found no increased risk once genetics and family environment were accounted for.

Here's what that means:

When researchers looked at the population as a whole, they saw a small association between prenatal Tylenol use and autism. (RFK really ran with that.)

But families differ in countless ways — from genetics, to health conditions, to stress levels, to the likelihood of needing medication in pregnancy.

Any of those differences could explain a predisposition to autism.

So researchers used a stricter test.

The Sweden Study — Explained

Researchers compared siblings within the same families where one sibling took Tylenol while pregnant, and the other did not.

Their genetic background and their environment were as similar as they can get. So if Tylenol was truly increasing the risk of autism, it would show here.

It didn’t. That small association disappeared. In other words, the apparent “links” in any earlier studies were likely due to environment or genetics — not Tylenol.

It bears repeating: correlation is not causation.

I'm loving the return of the "ice cream and crime" metaphor: both ice cream sales and crime spike in the summer. That doesn't mean ice cream causes crime.

And spreading this misinformation about this isn’t just careless — it’s dangerous.

Pregnant people avoiding Tylenol out of fear could put themselves and their unborn babies at risk, since an unchecked fever could be fatal to either or both.

Scientific American just published an article stating that avoiding Tylenol while pregnant can easily do far more damage to a mother and her unborn child than taking it would.

Not to mention, it's inherently harmful (and yet painfully predictable) to erratically shift "blame" onto women.

This could lead to domestic disputes, domestic violence, and abuse that could range from emotional to physical. It's actively putting women in danger.

I can only imagine how devastating it must feel for a pregnant woman to be torn between relieving her own fever or pain and worrying that doing so could hurt her unborn baby. 

Even more enraging is the fact that this fear is completely unfounded, and is being forced upon women for absolutely no reason (by one of the most batshit crazy men on our planet).

Harmful Everyday Discourse Breeds Confusion

The damage isn’t only in big headlines. It’s also in the everyday ways people talk about autism — ways that can muddy the waters and make it even harder to understand.

When you don't understand something, it becomes easier to sway you into believing misconceptions and misinformation. So we need to spread knowledge and education, and put an end to stereotypes.

Too often, autism gets flattened into extremes: either a tragedy that must be cured, or a quirky superpower. Neither reflects reality.

Autism isn’t one neat line with “mild” at one end and “severe” at the other.

It’s multiple spectrums: verbal ability, emotional regulation, sensory sensitivity, interests and passions. That's why it looks different for everyone.

And then there are the subtler slights. The “I feel that way sometimes too” comments that minimize real struggles...

The “autism is a gift” narrative that erases the fact that many people also live with meltdowns or self-harm...

The “everyone’s on the spectrum” line that’s meant to be inclusive, but instead dilutes the meaning of the word altogether.

None of this is usually malicious. But it chips away at our credibility and our right to define our own experiences.

Even worse, it makes it harder for the masses to understand exactly what autism is, so when discourse like this comes up, it's harder to know what's true and what's utter B.S.

The False Promise of a “Cure”

This is where the rhetoric about “curing” autism comes in — something RFK and others have been pushing. Let’s be clear: this isn’t about science. I believe it's about fear and control.

Framing autism as an epidemic makes people terrified, and terrified people are easier to sway. They're not thinking straight, and they're looking for guidance.

Meanwhile, RFK’s rhetoric makes him look like a crusader against Big Pharma. This positioning wins him attention, donations, and loyalty from people who feel failed or tricked by mainstream medicine.

But what it doesn’t do? Help autistic people.

For decades, this kind of rhetoric has led families toward harmful “treatments” — from chelation therapy to restrictive diets to bunk supplements to outright scams.

None of these fix autism, because autism isn’t something to “fix.”

The rhetoric is ignorant, irresponsible, and now violent. Every time someone frames autism as a tragedy to be cured, people like me are dehumanized. We stop being seen as complex humans and start being seen as problems.

That’s not advocacy. That’s exploitation.

The Folate Conversation

There’s also been a lot of talk lately about folate — or more specifically, leucovorin, a form of folinic acid.

Back in 2011, there was a study at UC Davis that basically showed women who took folic acid around the time they got pregnant were less likely to have kids diagnosed with autism later on. Not a guarantee, but a lower risk.

Then a couple years later, a giant study out of Norway — around 85,000 kids — found similar results.

But folic acid isn’t some magic autism shield, it supports brain development. That's why it's already one of the most important nutrients in pregnancy, and it's in prenatal vitamins.

The kind of folate that's been in the news lately, though, is leucovorin — a prescription form of folinic acid. This has been studied for a specific subset of autistic kids who have something called cerebral folate deficiency.

Basically, their bodies don’t move folate into the brain the way they should. For that group, leucovorin looks promising for improving verbal communication, social behavior, attention, and even reducing seizures in some, which is great — but it’s still not a cure-all.

Leucovorin fixes a specific issue for a specific group of kids with autism, not autism itself.

This is why I keep harping on nuance.

Sure, folate and leucovorin may absolutely help some autistic people in specific cases. That’s worth celebrating and studying. But the leap from “this helps a small group” to “we’ve found the cure” is dangerous. That’s where hype — and profit — start to drown out evidence.

And of course, the story doesn't end there. Where would we be without a little conspiracy?

When Mehmet Oz — yes, Dr. Oz — stood next to RFK to discuss the advances with leucovorin, people immediately started asking questions.

Oz is the head of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services now (what is life?), but he’s also built a career on wellness products and supplements. And his company, iHerb, makes a folinic acid supplement.

So is there a conflict of interest?

Apparently, iHerb has issued a statement that Oz is no longer affiliated with the company, so at least on the surface, it appears as though he won't be profiting from the news.

But I praise the skeptics. When politics, pharma, and supplements all get tangled together, it’s fair to ask whose interests are really being served.

A Better Conversation

Despite the panic, the World Health Organization, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the Autism Science Foundation all agree: there is no evidence that Tylenol causes autism.

The real danger isn’t in the medicine. It’s misinformation.

So no, autism isn’t an epidemic. And no, Tylenol isn’t the villain. The rising numbers reflect awareness and progress, not disaster. The science shows no real link.

That may not be as click-worthy as a panic headline. But it’s the truth.

What we should be talking about is how to support autistic people across all spectrums, how to continue making diagnostics more accessible, and how to educate people about what autism really is.

All in all, the lesson is: don't take medical advice from an unqualified politician with zero medical credentials, and a guy who can't pronounce "acetaminophen." (For the love of God, how did we get here?)

One last thing:

Obviously, I'm not a doctor, and my thoughts are simply my opinions. Please turn to your trusted doctor for medical advice, and to help you make decisions about your health, medication, and your body.

Take care of yourself!

Here’s some comedic relief of how I suspect this issue came about