On Sept. 22, President Donald Trump and United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said that taking acetaminophen, the main ingredient in Tylenol, during pregnancy could lead to an increased risk of autism.
During the press conference, Trump said that taking Tylenol during pregnancy is “not good” because it “can be associated with a very increased risk of autism.”
Trump did note that pregnant individuals should take the medication when it is medically necessary, such as during a high fever.
“The FDA is responding to clinical and laboratory studies that suggests a potential association between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes, including later diagnosis for ADHD and autism,” said Kennedy following the president’s remarks. “We have also evaluated the contrary studies that show no association.”
Kennedy also repeated Trump’s acknowledgment that Tylenol is needed to reduce fevers, which can be especially dangerous when left untreated during pregnancy.
Jill Fahy, co-director of the Eastern Illinois University Autism Center, responded to Kennedy’s Tylenol claims by saying that studies on acetaminophen use during pregnancy have returned with inconsistent results.
“Studies evaluating for any relationship between acetaminophen and autism, ADHD [or] intellectual disorders when using sibling control analysis and evaluating for parental genetics have not found any risk in the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy and subsequent risk of autism, ADHD or intellectual disability,” said Fahy.
Trump and Kennedy also said during the conference that a potential cause of autism is vaccines, which Kennedy added onto by saying that “research on the potential link between autism and vaccines has been actively suppressed in the past.”
Research has not proven this claim to be true, according to Fahy.
“Decades of scientific, peer-reviewed research have repeatedly found no causal links between childhood vaccines and autism,” said Fahy.
According to her, there is no singular cause of autism, but genetics “play a significant role” in determining whether an individual will have autism.
“Environmental influences and genetic-environmental interactions that may increase risks for [autism] have been studied extensively to determine circumstances, influences, timing and mechanisms with an end goal of identifying modifiable risks,” said Fahy.
Trump and Kennedy pushed for the studying of potential contributing factors because of an increase in autism diagnoses.
“The meteoric rise in autism is among the most alarming public health developments in history. There’s never been anything like this,” said Trump. “It used to be 1-in-20,000; then 1-in-10,000. And I would say that’s probably 18 years ago. And now it’s 1-in-31.”
According to the Center for Disease Control website, approximately 1 in 31, or 3.2%, of 8-year-old children have been found to have autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
According to Fahy, ASD is an umbrella category that not only includes autism, but also includes those previously identified with Autistic Disorder, Asperger Syndrome, Pervasive Developmental Disorder and Childhood Disintegrative Disorder.
“The assimilation of these separate, yet related autism-similar disorders into one spectrum of autism is thought to have contributed to recent increases in the prevalence of ASD,” said Fahy. “Greater awareness of ASD in general, its presentation in girls and increased access to earlier evaluation and treatment services have also contributed to these numbers.”
The autism center at EIU is a part of the department of communication disorders and sciences (CDS) and is separated into two main branches: Students with Autism Transitional Education Program (STEP) and the Autism Clinic.
STEP is a support program for autistic students. There are around 125 autism support programs in universities across the United States.
Eastern’s STEP program gives support for up to 30 autistic students by evaluating their needs and helping them navigate the academic demands of college.
Some students receive continuous support from STEP for their entire academic journey at Eastern, while others are gradually able to take on more independence from STEP.
Fahy said STEP aims to support the goals of the students not just academically, but also as a person.
“It’s direction and motivation that we are trying to fuel from behind the scenes, so they go out into the world better equipped to manage on any given day in the way that makes them feel accomplished and authentic and who they are as a person, whatever that may be to them,” said Fahy.
STEP provides services from within Klehm Hall, where it has offices for studying and working.
The Autism Clinic is located within the CDS department in the Human Services Building on campus; where it offers consultations, evaluations and treatment services for clients with ASD and their families.
EIU’s Autism Center is a partner of The Autism Program of Illinois, known as TAP.
TAP works with providers, parents and university programs to serve and provide resources to individuals with ASD.
TAP is a program run by Hope, an organization that seeks to develop new methods to educate, treat and care for children with ASD and other developmental disabilities.
Following the press conference by Trump and Kennedy, Hope released a statement from CEO Clint Paul saying that Hope will review the research and statements discussed during the conference.
“Currently, we encourage families and caregivers to continue following the guidance of their healthcare providers,” said Paul in the statement, which was emailed to The DEN. “Hope remains dedicated to supporting individuals with autism through proven, evidence-based practices while monitoring emerging developments in the field.”
Essie Newton can be reached at 581-2812 or eanewton@eiu.edu.
