Parents of autistic children are speaking out after HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. described autism as a preventable condition that “destroys families,” according to Yahoo News. His remarks followed a CDC report showing one in 31 U.S. children were diagnosed with autism in 2022.
Kennedy dismissed increased awareness as the reason for rising diagnoses and proposed environmental toxins as the cause. Critics called his framing harmful and dehumanizing. Some praised his push for answers, but many said he overlooked the voices of autistic people and their families.
Advocates argue autism is a spectrum, not a tragedy, and Kennedy’s comments risk amplifying stigma rather than understanding.
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