ReportWire

Tag: autism

  • “Dopamine, Not Discipline: The ADHD–Eating Disorder Link I Was Missing”

    [ad_1]


    Growing up, food was never neutral. It was moralized, restricted, praised, shamed, and sometimes used as punishment long before I had words for it. By age 8, I was already trapped in a restrict-binge cycle. My family had long told me I wasn’t allowed to have food that would “make me fat.” So I resorted to hiding sweets and sneaking foods in an act of rebellion.

    I felt out of control around certain foods and completely uninterested in others. I chased diets, lost and gained hundreds of pounds, and eventually landed in eating disorder treatment as an adult for atypical anorexia and binge-eating disorder. (I can’t be classically diagnosed with anorexia because I live in a large body, even when I am in a calorie deficit)

    Convinced I was the problem, I blamed myself for what I now understand was my nervous system desperately trying to regulate itself.

    Chasing Dopamine

    One day in eating disorder treatment, a clinician noticed that I was adding chips to the inside of my sandwich, something I had been doing for as long as I could remember. When she asked me why I did that, my response was simple: “I like my food to crunch.”

    But I didn’t just like the crunch. I needed it. Chips. Crackers. Extra crunchy bacon. Anything with resistance. Anything loud. Anything that gave my brain a sharp sensory hit.

    [Read: The ADHD-Eating Disorders Link]

    The truth is that crunchy things ground me. The crunch focuses me and cuts through the constant chitchat in my brain in a way soft foods never could.

    That’s when it clicked. For the first time, I began to see that my eating behaviors weren’t just about taste or hunger. My “out-of-control eating” wasn’t an issue of willpower; it was partly sensory-seeking behavior, a well-documented ADHD trait.

    My Eating Disorder Is About More Than Food

    People with ADHD are significantly more likely to develop eating disorders, especially binge eating disorder and anorexia. Dopamine is thought to play a role in that connection. As ADHD brains like mine are chronically low in dopamine — which we all need for motivation, pleasure, and focus — we are wired to seek stimulation. And food just happens to be fast, legal, and always available.

    ADHD symptoms explain much more than the sensory-seeking aspect of my eating behaviors. Hyperfocus means I can forget to eat for extended periods. Poor interoceptive awareness means I can’t reliably feel hunger or fullness. Emotional dysregulation means feelings hit hard and fast, and food becomes the farthest thing from my mind.

    So it’s not that I lack self-control. I’m chasing dopamine. And I realized that recovery from disordered eating is going to be so much harder for me and my neurospicy brain.

    In treatment, I also learned that my eating disorder had very little to do with food and everything to do with coping. Control, dopamine, sensory input, grief, trauma; my brain needed more support than it was ever given.

    Traditional eating disorder advice assumes a neurotypical brain: Just eat regularly and plan ahead. Listen to your body. But for someone with ADHD, this advice feels impossible. I know, as I spent decades believing I was failing my body. Shame rushes in when we fail to follow through, which only adds fuel to the eating disorder.

    Recovery That Honors My Brain

    Recovery, for me, doesn’t come from rigid meal plans or white-knuckling urges. It comes from understanding my ADHD and working with it instead of against it. It comes from building structures without punishment, allowing sensory accommodations without shame, and learning that “healthy” does not always equal small.

    If you have ADHD and struggle with food, you are not broken. You are not weak. You are not doing recovery wrong. You are neurodivergent in a world (and in a treatment system) that still doesn’t fully understand how our brains work.

    Understanding the connection between ADHD and eating disorders didn’t erase my past, but it gave me language and a framework for my brain and body that finally allowed me to begin healing.

    Eating Disorders and ADHD: Next Steps

    SUPPORT ADDITUDE
    Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

    [ad_2]

    Nathaly Pesantez

    Source link

  • Portland Educator Rewriting Rules For Neurodivergent Students During Women’s History Month – KXL

    [ad_1]

    Beven Byrnes describes herself as a Portland native, mother to four, educator, artist and community
    activist. Since 2012 Beven has served as the Principal/Executive Director of Bridges
    Middle School in Portland.

    PORTLAND, OR – Beven Byrnes, a Portland native, mother of four, educator, artist, and community activist, is trying to reshape education for students with learning differences. As Executive Director and Principal of Bridges Middle School, described as Oregon’s only middle school specifically designed for neurodivergent learners, Byrnes says she hopes to turn the school into a national model for inclusive, personalized education for students with ADHD, autism, anxiety, and dyslexia.

    Byrnes’ path to education has not been conventional. She was raised in Portland by two mothers who, she says, emphasized creativity, activism, and community service. She says further refined those core values at Portland State University and the Institute for Nonprofit Management.

    “It’s about safety, transformation and seeing students grow into incredible adults,” Byrnes says. She describes her approach at Bridges as combining individualized learning plans, social-emotional support, and executive functioning skills with core academics, all delivered in small classes led by trained staff who understand neurodiversity.

    Bridges Middle School is located in Portland’s Northwest neighborhood and serves students who have struggled in traditional classrooms. Rather than expecting students to adapt to rigid structures, Byrnes says her school adapts to each learner, recognizing differences as strengths to cultivate rather than deficits to fix. Students gain confidence, self-advocacy, and a sense of belonging alongside academic growth.

    This Women’s History Month, Bridges wants to highlight how inclusive education can unlock potential — particularly for girls who might be overlooked in standard classrooms by emphasizing culture as much as curriculum, creating a safe and empowering environment for all learners.

    More about:

    [ad_2]

    Tim Lantz

    Source link

  • RFK Jr. broke vaccines promises made in Senate confirmation

    [ad_1]

    One year after taking charge of the nation’s health department, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. hasn’t held true to many of the promises he made while appealing to U.S. senators concerned about the longtime anti-vaccine activist’s plans for the nation’s care.

    Kennedy squeaked through a narrow Senate vote to be confirmed as head of the Department of Health and Human Services, only after making a number of public and private guarantees about how he would handle vaccine funding and recommendations as secretary.

    Here’s a look at some of the promises Kennedy made during his confirmation process.

    The childhood vaccine schedule

    In two hearings in January 2025, Kennedy repeatedly assured senators that he supported childhood vaccines, noting that all his children were vaccinated.

    Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) grilled Kennedy about the money he’s made in the private sector from lawsuits against vaccine makers and accused him of planning to profit from potential future policies making it easier to sue.

    “Kennedy can kill off access to vaccines and make millions of dollars while he does it,” Warren said during the Senate Finance Committee hearing. “Kids might die, but Robert Kennedy can keep cashing in.”

    Warren’s statement prompted an assurance by Kennedy.

    “Senator, I support vaccines,” he said. “I support the childhood schedule. I will do that.”

    Days later, Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, declared Kennedy had pledged to maintain existing vaccine recommendations if confirmed. Cassidy, a physician specializing in liver diseases and a vocal supporter of vaccination, had questioned Kennedy sharply in a hearing about his views on shots.

    “If confirmed, he will maintain the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ recommendations without changes,” Cassidy said during a speech on the Senate floor explaining his vote for Kennedy.

    A few months after he was confirmed, Kennedy fired all the incumbent members of the vaccine advisory panel, known as ACIP, and appointed new members, including several who, like him, oppose some vaccines. The panel’s recommendations soon changed drastically.

    Last month, the CDC removed its universal recommendations for children to receive seven immunizations, those protecting against respiratory syncytial virus, meningococcal disease, flu, COVID, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and rotavirus. The move followed a memorandum from the White House calling on the CDC to cull the schedule.

    Now, those vaccines, which researchers estimate have prevented thousands of deaths and millions of illnesses, are recommended by the CDC only for children at high-risk of serious illness or after consultation between doctors and parents.

    In response to questions about Kennedy’s actions on vaccines over the past year, HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon said the secretary “continues to follow through on his commitments” to Cassidy.

    “As part of those commitments, HHS accepted Chairman Cassidy’s numerous recommendations for key roles at the agency, retained particular language on the CDC website, and adopted ACIP recommendations,” Nixon added. “Secretary Kennedy talks to the chairman at a regular clip.”

    Cassidy and his office have repeatedly rebuffed questions about whether Kennedy, since becoming secretary, has broken the commitments he made to the senator.

    Vaccine funding axed

    Weeks after Kennedy took over the federal health department, the CDC pulled back $11 billion in COVID-era grants that local health departments were using to fund vaccination programs, among other initiatives.

    That happened after Kennedy pledged during his confirmation hearings not to undermine vaccine funding.

    Kennedy replied “Yes” when Cassidy asked him directly: “Do you commit that you will not work to impound, divert, or otherwise reduce any funding appropriated by Congress for the purpose of vaccination programs?”

    A federal judge later ordered HHS to distribute the money.

    The National Institutes of Health, part of HHS, also yanked dozens of research grants supporting studies of vaccine hesitancy last year. Kennedy, meanwhile, ordered the cancellation of a half-billion dollars’ worth of mRNA vaccine research in August.

    A discredited theory about autism

    Cassidy said in his floor speech that he received a guarantee from Kennedy that the CDC’s website would not remove statements explaining that vaccines do not cause autism.

    Technically, Kennedy kept his promise not to remove the statements. The website still says that vaccines do not cause autism.

    But late last year, new statements sprung up on the same webpage, baselessly casting doubt on vaccine safety. “The claim ‘vaccines do not cause autism’ is not an evidence-based claim because studies have not ruled out the possibility that infant vaccines cause autism,” the page on autism now misleadingly reads.

    The webpage also states that the public has largely ignored studies showing vaccines do cause autism.

    That is false. Over decades of research, scientific studies have repeatedly concluded that there is no link between vaccines and autism.

    A controversial 1998 study that captured global attention did link the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine to autism. It was retracted for being fraudulent — though not until a decade after it was published, during which there were sharp declines in U.S. vaccination rates.

    This article first appeared on KFF Health News.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • What RFK Jr.’s Unproven Autism Treatment Could Mean for Autistic Patients and Their Families

    [ad_1]

    Last September, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and President Donald Trump made a big announcement: The federal government had supposedly uncovered a clear link between autism and mothers taking acetaminophen (Tylenol) during their pregnancy. The proclamation was swiftly lambasted by scientists outside the administration, yet it’s only one facet of the Trump administration’s concerning new approach to autism.

    That same day, RFK Jr. stated the Food and Drug Administration would soon approve a new treatment for autism, a form of folate (vitamin B9) known as leucovorin. As with the acetaminophen link, however, the evidence supporting the use of leucovorin for autism rests on shaky ground, to say the least. And many experts worry about what could happen to people with autism and their families if the drug starts to become widely taken.

    “The idea of doing this for everyone—we’re going to see side effects, we’re going to see negative outcomes,” Audrey Brumback, a pediatric neurologist specializing in autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions at UT Health Austin, told Gizmodo.

    A shaky case

    Leucovorin (folinic acid) is a form of the vitamin folate, also known as vitamin B9. Folate has many functions, from helping the body make red blood cells to supporting the healthy development of a fetus. The latter is why doctors now advise pregnant women to take folic acid (a synthetic form of folate) supplements, since low folate levels raise the risk of children being born with neural tube birth defects. Leucovorin has historically been used to counteract the toxic side effects of certain chemotherapy drugs. But it’s also effective at treating a rare condition known as cerebral folate deficiency, or CFD.

    CFD is characterized by having low folate levels in the brain but normal levels in blood (this distinction also makes it harder to detect). The low brain levels can then lead to neurological symptoms like seizures and intellectual disability, as well as trouble with speech and coordination; these symptoms usually begin to appear around the age of two.

    The condition is commonly caused by defective antibodies that attack a protein called folate receptor alpha (important for transporting folate across the blood-brain barrier) but can also be tied to rare inherited genetic mutations in the FOLR1 gene, which encodes folate receptor alpha. Leucovorin can be transported through a different delivery method than folate receptor alpha, however, meaning it can raise folate levels in the brains of people with CFD. The earlier children with CFD are treated with leucovorin, the greater the chance they can avoid the developmental delays it causes, though the therapy can still help older patients.

    Some of the symptoms of CFD are similar to those found in severe cases of autism, and some research has suggested people with autism are more likely to have CFD or antibodies to folate receptor alpha. Based on this early research, some scientists are genuinely hopeful about the potential of leucovorin to help children with both autism and CFD.

    During the September announcement, RFK Jr. claimed leucovorin was an exciting therapy that might benefit “large numbers of children” with autism. Marty Makary, current FDA commissioner, went further, stating that leucovorin could possibly help “hundreds of thousands of kids,” which would represent a substantial portion of U.S. children diagnosed with autism (a 2016 study estimated that at least 1.5 million children in the U.S. had diagnosed autism, though it’s a figure that’s certainly risen since). And in its own announcement, HHS stated that leucovorin would become the first “FDA-recognized therapeutic for children with cerebral folate deficiency and autistic symptoms.”

    Yet the actual language of the FDA decision only extends the labeling of leucovorin to treat CFD, with barely a mention of autism. And plenty of scientists and doctors in the field aren’t so optimistic about the drug’s future as an autism treatment.

    “The idea of having a medicine be used off-label is not new, and that in itself is not a problem. It’s just, what are we basing this recommendation on?” Brumback said. “This is not a strong evidence base. We’re basically still at the anecdote phase.”

    The research supporting leucovorin for treating autism is remarkably thin, and it’s gotten even thinner lately. Last week, the European Journal of Pediatrics retracted a trial testing leucovorin supplements in children with autism after outside scientists discovered statistical inconsistencies that cast doubt on the study’s results and conclusions (the authors stated they intended to revise and resubmit their study). The trial was one of only five such trials conducted so far, and the largest one to date, with 77 children.

    These studies aside, there isn’t much substantial data supporting the basic premises underlying the therapy. Scientists aren’t certain if children with autism really are more likely to have CFD, or if CFD or its causes (antibodies to folate receptor alpha or FOLR1 mutations) can be a driver of autism. We’re also not sure whether CFD can be reliably detected through screening for antibody levels, a method used in some studies.

    Autism is a complex condition that can be caused by many different things that happen early on in development, though genetic factors play a major role. So it’s possible that some children’s autism could be closely tied to CFD or its causes. But that subset, even if it exists, isn’t likely to reach into the hundreds of thousands, according to Shafali Jeste, a behavioral child neurologist.

    “Autism is extremely heterogeneous, and it’s a behavioral diagnosis that’s based on thousands of different causes and profiles and brain pathways. So it’s very unlikely we’re going to have one pill that just ubiquitously addresses a core symptom,” said Jeste, who is chair of pediatrics at the University of California, Los Angeles. “And so that’s why I think when medications like leucovorin get touted as this cure or treatment for the core symptoms of autism that works in all kids, it’s problematic.”

    Citing the lack of robust evidence, organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics have recommended against the routine use of leucovorin for autism. But both Jeste and Brumback have encountered families who have asked about the treatment or who are currently using it for their children. Jeste doesn’t prescribe leucovorin herself, while Brumback has stopped issuing new prescriptions since the Trump announcement. But they’re willing to talk to families about the treatment and to support those who decide to use it.

    “I will never judge because I think that parents are trying to do right by their children. So it’s very appropriate to wonder about leucovorin and ask,” Jeste said. “I am very open to answering questions and being honest that we just don’t have that evidence right now.”

    While leucovorin is generally well-tolerated when used for chemotherapy, it isn’t risk-free either. The AAP notes that it can cause symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, and alopecia. And there’s at least the possibility that it could have more serious complications when used long-term for autism.

    “This is a very specific population of people who are undergoing chemotherapy for cancer. And so there are side effects of taking the vitamins in high doses that we probably wouldn’t notice in that population,” Brumback said, noting that some other forms of vitamin B can cause nerve damage when taken in large doses. “For me, that’s enough to say primum non nocere [Latin for “First, do no harm”]. That’s especially true for the kids who are most severe, who can’t communicate if they’re in pain or in discomfort; having something that could potentially cause neuropathy is a nonstarter for me.”

    Brumback and Jeste are also both specialists who tend to see patients with more profound autism. And they worry families prescribed leucovorin by general practitioners might be less likely to get proper follow-up and care. Some people could also turn to leucovorin supplements that are far less regulated and could be less safe to consume than the prescription version.

    The future of autism treatment

    One probable reason leucovorin is getting the spotlight from the Trump administration is the lack of other easily adoptable treatments for autism, particularly in the most severe cases. Since taking over HHS, RFK Jr. has promised to deliver new insights into autism while claiming that researchers haven’t done enough to find concrete answers.

    Yet there actually have been genuine strides lately in developing effective behavioral interventions for autism that can improve people’s quality of life, Jeste says. Within the next 10 years, she’s even hopeful we will start to develop treatments for severe cases of autism strongly linked to specific genetic mutations.

    “The one upside of this whole leucovorin conversation has been that it’s forced us as a medical and scientific community to be more rigorous in how we talk about science, how we talk about what we know, and why we may have skepticism about certain studies,” she said.

    In the most likely scenario, leucovorin will follow the example of secretin, a hormone that similarly showed early promise in the 1990s but crashed to the ground when multiple clinical trials failed to validate that promise. If that’s true, then the drug could just end up being a curious footnote in the history of autism research.

    That said, RFK Jr. and his allies are already setting the stage for the government to officially endorse his worst pet theories about autism. He’s refused to accept the mainstream consensus that rising rates of reported autism are largely caused by expanded diagnostic criteria and greater awareness, for instance. Last year, he ordered HHS to launch a new study examining the supposed link between vaccines and autism—a link debunked by piles of research conducted over the past several decades.

    So even if the hype behind leucovorin isn’t validated and it never becomes widely used, Kennedy may still succeed in further stoking his anti-science agenda.

    “I think it’s put parents in a very difficult position because they don’t know who to trust and who to listen to. We have a government saying that we as a medical community are not essentially doing right by our patients. I mean, that is a really hard message to hear,” Jeste said. “So I’m very sympathetic to the uncertainty and confusion that this has created.”

    While RFK might profess to have the best interests in mind of people with autism, he seems to have antiquated ideas about the lives they lead. In April 2025, he stated that autism “destroy families” and that children with autism “will never pay taxes, they’ll never hold a job, they’ll never play baseball, they’ll never write a poem, they’ll never go out on a date.”

    Of course, plenty of people with autism have and will go on to do all those things. And even for the most severe cases of autism, it’s more often the lack of support, resources, and societal understanding that causes people and their families to suffer greatly than the condition itself. People with autism deserve recognition, respect, and quality care, which includes interventions and treatments strongly supported by evidence. That’s something that Brumback hopes isn’t forgotten in all of this mess.

    “To have autism is not to be pitied; it’s not to be seen as something that a family should be embarrassed about—it’s part of life,” she said. “I want that to be the message of positivity; to help people where they’re at and to just have an appreciation for human life.”

    [ad_2]

    Ed Cara

    Source link

  • Fear among Minnesota’s Somali community compounds a public health woe: Low measles vaccination rates

    [ad_1]

    MINNEAPOLIS — Public health officials and community leaders say that even before federal immigration authorities launched a crackdown in Minneapolis, a crisis was brewing.

    Measles vaccination rates among the state’s large Somali community had plummeted, with the myth that the shot causes autism spreading. Not even four measles outbreaks since 2011 made a dent in the trend. But recently, immunization advocates noted small victories, including mobile clinics and a vaccine confidence task force.

    Now, with the U.S. on the verge of losing its measles elimination status, those on the front lines of the battle against vaccine misinformation say much progress has been lost. Many residents fear leaving home at all, let alone seeking medical advice or visiting a doctor’s office.

    “People are worried about survival,” said nurse practitioner Munira Maalimisaq, CEO of the Inspire Change Clinic, near a Minneapolis neighborhood where many Somalis live. “Vaccines are the last thing on people’s minds. But it is a big issue.”

    A discussion group for Somali mothers at Inspire Change has shifted online indefinitely. In community WhatsApp groups and other channels, parents have more pressing priorities: Who will care for kids when they can’t go to school? How can we safely get groceries and prescriptions?

    In 2006, 92% of Somali 2-year-olds were up-to-date on the measles vaccine, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. Today’s rate is closer to 24%, according to state data. A 95% rate is needed to prevent outbreaks of measles, an extremely contagious disease.

    Community vaccination efforts go through cycles, Maalimisaq said, with initiatives starting and stopping.

    Imam Yusuf Abdulle said immigration enforcement has put everything on hold.

    “People are stuck in their homes, cannot go to work,” he said. “It is madness. And the last thing to think about is talking about autism, talking about childhood vaccination. Adults cannot get out of the house, forget about kids.”

    Estimated autism rates in Somali 4-year-olds are 3.5 times higher than those of white 4-year-olds in Minnesota, according to University of Minnesota data. Researchers say they don’t know why. And in this vacuum of scientific certainty, inaccurate beliefs thrive.

    Many blame the measles, mumps and rubella shot — a single injection proven to safely protect against the three viruses, with the first dose recommended when children are 12 to 15 months old.

    In November, at one of Maalimisaq’s last Motherhood Circle gatherings, Somali mothers and grandmothers volleyed questions at facilitators. Won’t a shot for three viruses overwhelm a baby? Why does autism seem more prevalent here than back home?

    Vaccines are tested for safety, Maalimisaq and her panel explained. Delaying a shot is risky, they warned, because of what measles — which is seeing its highest spread in the country in more than three decades — can do.

    Local health officials have long followed best practices: enlisting community members to champion vaccines, hosting mobile clinics and uplifting the work of Somali health providers like Maalimisaq.

    But initiatives have been start-and-stop. Federal funding cuts affected efforts, and public health officials admit their outreach could be more consistent and comprehensive.

    Most parents here vaccinate their children eventually. Many Somali families prefer to wait until a child is 5, despite a lack of evidence that doing so cuts autism rates. Measles is endemic in Somalia, where war and international aid cuts have crippled the medical system, and elsewhere in East Africa where residents here often travel.

    “Measles is just a plane ride away, and measles is going to find the unvaccinated,” said Carly Edson, the state health department’s immunization outreach coordinator. “We are always at risk.”

    About 84,000 Somalis live in the Twin Cities area, of 260,000 nationwide. The community is the country’s largest, and most are U.S. citizens. Before the immigration crackdown, mosques and malls buzzed, with people gathering during evenings to sip chai or have henna drawn on their hands.

    Now, many in the community want to lie low. People are afraid to seek routine medical care. Without those touchpoints, trust quickly erodes, Maalimisaq said.

    Among the last cohort of Somali moms at the clinic, 83% had vaccinated their kids by the end of the 12-month program, she said. Some were making 10-second videos explaining why they vaccinated. But efforts have paused.

    Parents here have long dealt with racism and isolation, though they’ve built a strong community. They want answers for the autism rates, but science has no simple answers for what causes the lifelong neurological condition, said Mahdi Warsama, the Somali Parents Autism Network’s CEO.

    Warsama said Trump’s unproven claims last fall that taking Tylenol during pregnancy could cause autism sparked fears and questions here. The idea that the MMR shot should be split into three vaccines — one backed, with no scientific basis, by acting Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Jim O’Neill, though no standalone shots are available in the U.S. — has spread, too.

    Warsama traces the issue back more than a decade, when discredited researcher Andrew Wakefield published his study — since retracted — claiming a link between autism and the MMR vaccine. Wakefield visited with Twin Cities Somalis in 2011.

    “The misinformers will always fill the void,” Warsama said.

    Parents want to be heard, not debated — that’s why short doctor appointments don’t work, said Fatuma Sharif-Mohamed, a Somali community health educator.

    “That 15 minutes will not change the mind of a parent,” she said.

    Some doctors are pushing beyond the exam room — work they describe as slow and taxing. Changing one family’s mind can take multiple visits, even years.

    Dr. Bryan Fate, leader of a Children’s Minnesota vaccine confidence committee, said new strategies are underway, including social media videos from doctors and possibly a prenatal classes for expectant parents.

    “I’m going to call you in five days,” Fate said he tells hesitant parents, “and there’ll be no changes to this speech.”

    Overall, Minnesota’s kindergarten MMR vaccination rate has dropped more than 6 percentage points in the past five years, compared with a 2-point drop nationwide.

    State data suggests the effort to catch kids up may be effective: While less than 1 in 4 Somali kids in Minnesota is vaccinated against measles by age 2, 86% get at least one dose by age 6 — just short of the statewide rate, 89%.

    Doctors worry in particular about unprotected young children, for whom severe complications — pneumonia, brain swelling and blindness — are more common.

    Imam Abdulle said when parents ask him about the vaccine, he tells his own story. He wasn’t opposed to it but decided to err on the side of waiting. His son was diagnosed with autism at age 3, Abdulle said, and later was vaccinated.

    Correlation, he reminds parents, is not causation.

    The community doesn’t want to be painted as a source of disease, Abdulle said. But after outbreaks in 2011, 2017, 2022 and 2024, there’s also open acknowledgment that measles isn’t going away.

    “Our kids are the ones who are getting sick,” Abdulle said. “Our community is suffering.”

    Last year, Minnesota logged 26 measles cases. The state health department said the cases were across several different communities with pockets of unvaccinated people.

    In Maalimisaq’s Motherhood Circles, the most effective words often come not from doctors but fellow parents, such as Mirad Farah. Farah’s daughter was born premature. She worried the MMR shot would be too much and delayed vaccination. Her daughter still developed autism.

    “So what did that tell me?” she asked the room. “It confirmed that autism is not from the MMR.”

    ___

    The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Fear Among Minnesota’s Somali Community Compounds a Public Health Woe: Low Measles Vaccination Rates

    [ad_1]

    MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Public health officials and community leaders say that even before federal immigration authorities launched a crackdown in Minneapolis, a crisis was brewing.

    Measles vaccination rates among the state’s large Somali community had plummeted, with the myth that the shot causes autism spreading. Not even four measles outbreaks since 2011 made a dent in the trend. But recently, immunization advocates noted small victories, including mobile clinics and a vaccine confidence task force.

    “People are worried about survival,” said nurse practitioner Munira Maalimisaq, CEO of the Inspire Change Clinic, near a Minneapolis neighborhood where many Somalis live. “Vaccines are the last thing on people’s minds. But it is a big issue.”

    A discussion group for Somali mothers at Inspire Change has shifted online indefinitely. In community WhatsApp groups and other channels, parents have more pressing priorities: Who will care for kids when they can’t go to school? How can we safely get groceries and prescriptions?

    In 2006, 92% of Somali 2-year-olds were up-to-date on the measles vaccine, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. Today’s rate is closer to 24%, according to state data. A 95% rate is needed to prevent outbreaks of measles, an extremely contagious disease.

    Community vaccination efforts go through cycles, Maalimisaq said, with initiatives starting and stopping.

    Imam Yusuf Abdulle said immigration enforcement has put everything on hold.

    “People are stuck in their homes, cannot go to work,” he said. “It is madness. And the last thing to think about is talking about autism, talking about childhood vaccination. Adults cannot get out of the house, forget about kids.”


    Vaccine misinformation has long thrived in Minnesota’s Somali community

    Estimated autism rates in Somali 4-year-olds are 3.5 times higher than those of white 4-year-olds in Minnesota, according to University of Minnesota data. Researchers say they don’t know why. And in this vacuum of scientific certainty, inaccurate beliefs thrive.

    Many blame the measles, mumps and rubella shot — a single injection proven to safely protect against the three viruses, with the first dose recommended when children are 12 to 15 months old.

    In November, at one of Maalimisaq’s last Motherhood Circle gatherings, Somali mothers and grandmothers volleyed questions at facilitators. Won’t a shot for three viruses overwhelm a baby? Why does autism seem more prevalent here than back home?

    Vaccines are tested for safety, Maalimisaq and her panel explained. Delaying a shot is risky, they warned, because of what measles — which is seeing its highest spread in the country in more than three decades — can do.

    Local health officials have long followed best practices: enlisting community members to champion vaccines, hosting mobile clinics and uplifting the work of Somali health providers like Maalimisaq.

    But initiatives have been start-and-stop. Federal funding cuts affected efforts, and public health officials admit their outreach could be more consistent and comprehensive.

    Most parents here vaccinate their children eventually. Many Somali families prefer to wait until a child is 5, despite a lack of evidence that doing so cuts autism rates. Measles is endemic in Somalia, where war and international aid cuts have crippled the medical system, and elsewhere in East Africa where residents here often travel.

    “Measles is just a plane ride away, and measles is going to find the unvaccinated,” said Carly Edson, the state health department’s immunization outreach coordinator. “We are always at risk.”


    Trust with patients and parents has eroded

    About 84,000 Somalis live in the Twin Cities area, of 260,000 nationwide. The community is the country’s largest, and most are U.S. citizens. Before the immigration crackdown, mosques and malls buzzed, with people gathering during evenings to sip chai or have henna drawn on their hands.

    Now, many in the community want to lie low. People are afraid to seek routine medical care. Without those touchpoints, trust quickly erodes, Maalimisaq said.

    Among the last cohort of Somali moms at the clinic, 83% had vaccinated their kids by the end of the 12-month program, she said. Some were making 10-second videos explaining why they vaccinated. But efforts have paused.

    Parents here have long dealt with racism and isolation, though they’ve built a strong community. They want answers for the autism rates, but science has no simple answers for what causes the lifelong neurological condition, said Mahdi Warsama, the Somali Parents Autism Network’s CEO.

    Warsama said Trump’s unproven claims last fall that taking Tylenol during pregnancy could cause autism sparked fears and questions here. The idea that the MMR shot should be split into three vaccines — one backed, with no scientific basis, by acting Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Jim O’Neill, though no standalone shots are available in the U.S. — has spread, too.

    “The misinformers will always fill the void,” Warsama said.


    Doctors try new strategies to reach parents

    Parents want to be heard, not debated — that’s why short doctor appointments don’t work, said Fatuma Sharif-Mohamed, a Somali community health educator.

    “That 15 minutes will not change the mind of a parent,” she said.

    Some doctors are pushing beyond the exam room — work they describe as slow and taxing. Changing one family’s mind can take multiple visits, even years.

    Dr. Bryan Fate, leader of a Children’s Minnesota vaccine confidence committee, said new strategies are underway, including social media videos from doctors and possibly a prenatal classes for expectant parents.

    “I’m going to call you in five days,” Fate said he tells hesitant parents, “and there’ll be no changes to this speech.”

    Overall, Minnesota’s kindergarten MMR vaccination rate has dropped more than 6 percentage points in the past five years, compared with a 2-point drop nationwide.

    State data suggests the effort to catch kids up may be effective: While less than 1 in 4 Somali kids in Minnesota is vaccinated against measles by age 2, 86% get at least one dose by age 6 — just short of the statewide rate, 89%.

    Doctors worry in particular about unprotected young children, for whom severe complications — pneumonia, brain swelling and blindness — are more common.


    ‘Our community is suffering’

    Imam Abdulle said when parents ask him about the vaccine, he tells his own story. He wasn’t opposed to it but decided to err on the side of waiting. His son was diagnosed with autism at age 3, Abdulle said, and later was vaccinated.

    Correlation, he reminds parents, is not causation.

    The community doesn’t want to be painted as a source of disease, Abdulle said. But after outbreaks in 2011, 2017, 2022 and 2024, there’s also open acknowledgment that measles isn’t going away.

    “Our kids are the ones who are getting sick,” Abdulle said. “Our community is suffering.”

    Last year, Minnesota logged 26 measles cases. The state health department said the cases were across several different communities with pockets of unvaccinated people.

    In Maalimisaq’s Motherhood Circles, the most effective words often come not from doctors but fellow parents, such as Mirad Farah. Farah’s daughter was born premature. She worried the MMR shot would be too much and delayed vaccination. Her daughter still developed autism.

    “So what did that tell me?” she asked the room. “It confirmed that autism is not from the MMR.”

    The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – January 2026

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • “I’m a Special Ed Teacher with ADHD — and Parenting My Neurodivergent Kids Is Still Hard!”

    [ad_1]


    Raising not one, but two children with ADHD should be easy for me. I’m a special education teacher and I have ADHD myself. I also have a deep well of strategies, research, and professional experience to draw from.

    Sometimes, all of that helps.

    Often, it doesn’t.

    Having knowledge doesn’t mean that I have endless patience or perfect regulation. Having ADHD means that I struggle with impulse control — like snapping at my children to stop drumming on everything because the noise is overwhelming, even though I know that movement is how they regulate and avoid sensory overload.

    It looks like getting frustrated when my child is time blind and late for school for the hundredth time — while I’m also scrambling, overwhelmed, and trying to get myself together in the morning.

    When both parent and child are dysregulated, the gap between what you know and what you can do feels enormous. And that gap fills quickly with shame, guilt, and regret —wondering why you can’t be the calm, capable parent your child needs, especially when you “should know better.”

    💡 Free Download! A Survival Guide for Parents with ADHD

    But parenting a child with ADHD when you have ADHD isn’t about getting it right or having it all figured out. It’s about building a relationship that can hold imperfection, honesty, and repair. Some days will be hard. Some moments will still unravel. But when we name our needs, laugh at our shared quirks, and meet overwhelm with compassion instead of shame, something shifts: ADHD stops being a problem to manage and becomes a natural part of the family dynamic.

    Here are four parenting shifts that have made all the difference in my family.

    1. Honor your limits. It’s not about trying to be regulated all the time — it’s about learning to notice when I’m not. When I pause, name my limits, and step away before I’m flooded, I’m better able to support my children without shame or reactivity. Taking care of myself first isn’t selfish; it’s preventative.

    2. Be transparent. I’ve learned the power of being transparent with my kids in age-appropriate ways. Saying things like, “My brain feels overwhelmed right now, and I need a few minutes to reset” does wonders to de-escalate the moment. It also models something many children with ADHD rarely see — that overwhelm isn’t something to hide, apologize for, or power through. It’s something you can recognize, name, and respond to with care.

    💡Read: 4 Rules for Taking a Mom Rage Break

     

    Over time, this kind of modeling also reduces stigma. My kids don’t see their overwhelm as strange or wrong, but as a signal. They’re learning that it’s OK to voice their needs and to take steps to meet them. In those moments, the goal isn’t perfect regulation, it’s shared understanding.

    3. ADHD is not taboo. We talk about ADHD openly in my family. It’s not something we whisper about when things are hard. It’s part of how we understand ourselves and each other. My daughter and I often laugh about how our brains never seem to slow down — how one word during a conversation can remind us of a lyric from years ago and cause us to break out into song. These moments of connection remind us that our brains work similarly, and that similarity can be joyful.

    4. Seek neurodivergent experiences. We’ve also found connection through identity-affirming books — stories that reflect neurodivergent characters, big feelings, and brains that don’t fit neatly into boxes. Reading these together gives us language without pressure. It opens doors to conversations about overwhelm, creativity, and regulation without framing anything as “wrong” or needing fixing. Seeing ourselves reflected in stories builds understanding and closeness and reinforces that ADHD isn’t something to hide.

    Family Bonding and ADHD: Next Steps from ADDitude

    SUPPORT ADDITUDE
    Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

    [ad_2]

    Nathaly Pesantez

    Source link

  • “5 ADHD Traits That Fueled (Not Hindered) My Growth”

    [ad_1]

    [ad_2]

    Nathaly Pesantez

    Source link

  • Calling the Shots: Tracking RFK Jr. on Vaccines

    [ad_1]

    It was one of President Donald Trump’s more audacious picks for his Cabinet: anti-vaccine activist and alternative health advocate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to helm the nation’s health department.

    Kennedy, however, won over the senators needed to confirm him to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, promising not to remove government website statements pointing out that vaccines do not cause autism and to keep current vaccine approval and safety monitoring systems intact. Ahead of being tapped by Trump for the role, he said he wouldn’t take vaccines away from those who wanted them while stressing a desire for individual choice.

    Since his confirmation, Kennedy has toed the line between backing vaccination as a preventive public health tool and making statements or overseeing developments that threaten to undermine that tool. His moves have played out against the backdrop of an explosion in vaccine-preventable measles cases in West Texas and an intense flu season that resulted in high rates of hospitalization, along with bird flu outbreaks that have raised the specter of another pandemic.

    Here’s a look at notable vaccine-related moves and remarks made by Kennedy or under his authority since he was sworn in as head of HHS on Feb. 13:

    Sign Up for U.S. News Healthcare of Tomorrow Bulletin

    Your trusted source for critical insights and solutions-focused analysis.

    Sign up to receive the latest updates from U.S. News & World Report and our trusted partners and sponsors. By clicking submit, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions & Privacy Policy.

    • Dec. 16, 2025 – The CDC ended the long-standing recommendation for all newborns to receive the hepatitis B vaccine at birth after its revamped committee of outside vaccine experts voted 8-3 to scrap it. The agency now recommends parents consult with a healthcare provider to decide whether infants born to hepatitis B-negative mothers should get the vaccine. “We are restoring the balance of informed consent to parents whose newborns face little risk of contracting hepatitis B,” CDC acting Director Jim O’Neill said in a statement.
    • Nov. 28, 2025 – Dr. Vinay Prasad, the director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said in a memo to agency staff that a review “found that at least 10 children have died after and because of receiving COVID-19 vaccination.” In the memo, which was first reported by The New York Times, Prasad said the true number could be higher and accused the agency of ignoring safety concerns. He did not include information like the ages of the kids, whether they had health problems or how the agency staff determined the vaccine-death link. Prasad said he would propose new oversight and review of vaccines.

    • Sept. 18-19, 2025 – The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices held a chaotic meeting where it voted to weaken COVID-19 shot recommendations, saying that individuals should consult with their healthcare provider about whether they should get the shot. They decided against a prescription requirement for the shot in a narrow vote. The panel also voted against recommending a combination jab against measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox, or MMRV, for children under the age of 4 and postponed a vote on the hepatitis B vaccine for newborns.

    • July 7, 2025 – Several medical groups sued Kennedy and HHS over his changes to federal vaccine policies, including his decision to remove healthy children and pregnant women from the COVID-19 vaccine schedule, which the plaintiffs asked the court to vacate. The lawsuit accuses Kennedy of working “to dismantle the longstanding, Congressionally-authorized, science- and evidence-based vaccine infrastructure that has prevented the deaths of untold millions of Americans.”

    • Aug. 27, 2025 – Kennedy announced that emergency use authorizations for COVID-19 shots were rescinded, instead issuing full marketing authorization for the shots – but only for those who are at “higher risk” of severe COVID-19. The FDA authorization is for adults 65 and older as well as for children and adults with at least one medical condition that puts them at risk of severe illness.

    • July 22, 2025 – Kennedy accepted a recommendation from the CDC’s ACIP to remove the mercury-based preservative thimerosal from all influenza vaccines distributed in the U.S. “Injecting any amount of mercury into children when safe, mercury-free alternatives exist defies common sense and public health responsibility,” Kennedy posted on social media. However, many studies have shown that the small amount of thimerosal used in vaccines is harmless. The move is not expected to impact many Americans, as the vast majority of flu vaccines distributed in the U.S. do not contain the preservative.  

    • May 27, 2025 – Kennedy announced via social media that the CDC was no longer recommending the COVID-19 vaccine for healthy pregnant women and children, citing a “lack of clinical data” to support administering repeat shots for those populations. The move came despite the agency listing pregnancy as a health risk factor for developing complications from COVID-19.

    • July 29, 2025 – Democrats on the Senate Health Committee announced that they would investigate Kennedy’s overhaul of the CDC’s ACIP, which makes vaccine recommendations for Americans. “By removing all 17 of ACIP’s members and replacing them with eight individuals handpicked to advance your anti-vaccine agenda, you have put decades of non-partisan, science-backed work – and, as a result, Americans’ lives – at risk,” the Democrats wrote in a letter to Kennedy. 

    • June 25, 2025 – HHS officials missed a self-set deadline to release ethics forms for new members of the committee before a June meeting. Eventually, Kennedy’s conflict-of-interest database was updated with significantly less information on the new members than prior members. 

    • June 11, 2025 – Kennedy announced eight new ACIP members. At least half of the picks had spoken out against vaccination in some way, according to The New York Times. Infectious disease experts accused Kennedy of breaking his pledge not to appoint “ideological anti-vaxxers” to the panel.

    • June 9, 2025 – Kennedy announced that he was removing all 17 members of the CDC’s ACIP, which makes vaccine recommendations for Americans. “A clean sweep is necessary to reestablish public confidence in vaccine science,” Kennedy said in a statement. The removal went against a promise Kennedy made to GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana to gain the senator’s vote for Kennedy’s confirmation. 

    • Nov. 19, 2025 – The CDC revised its long-held stance that vaccines don’t cause autism, now saying on its website that the consensus is “not an evidence-based claim.” It continues: “Studies supporting a link have been ignored by health authorities.” The change sparked outcry from public health groups as well as Cassidy, who voted for Kennedy’s confirmation after gaining several commitments from him, including one to not remove language on the CDC website pointing out that vaccines do not cause autism. “What parents need to hear right now is vaccines for measles, polio, hepatitis B and other childhood diseases are safe and effective and will not cause autism,” Cassidy posted on social media after the website was updated. 

    • Sept. 22, 2025 – Kennedy joined Trump at a White House event where the president claimed that vaccines should “be taken separately” rather than as a combined shot and that “it seems when you mix them, there could be a problem.” Trump also promoted claims about vaccines and autism, saying, “I think I can say that there are certain groups of people that don’t take vaccines and don’t take any pills that have no autism.” Kennedy added that the Trump administration will be “closely examining” vaccines as it seeks to find the cause of autism, which the HHS secretary had previously promised would come by September. 

    • March 25, 2025 – The Washington Post reported that HHS had hired David Geier to study potential connections between vaccines and autism – a debunked theory he has previously promoted that again drew the spotlight after Kennedy refused to reject the claim during his confirmation hearings. Geier faced disciplinary action from state regulators more than a decade ago for practicing medicine without a license and was listed as a data analyst in the HHS employee directory, according to the Post. 

    • Jan. 5, 2026 – The CDC announced a revamped childhood vaccine schedule that decreased the number of vaccines recommended for children, nixing shots for flu, rotavirus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, some forms of meningitis and RSV. Vaccines for those diseases are only recommended now for certain groups deemed high risk. The Trump administration said that all shots would continue to be covered by insurance companies. “This decision protects children, respects families and rebuilds trust in public health,” Kennedy said in a statement. The American Academy of Pediatrics and other public health organizations sued over the move, calling it “harmful and unlawful.”
    • Sept. 9, 2025 – A new MAHA strategy report said that HHS and the White House Domestic Policy Council will develop a framework focused on “ensuring America has the best childhood vaccine schedule.”

    • Feb. 18, 2025 – In his first address to agency staff after taking over as HHS secretary, Kennedy said a commission would investigate the childhood vaccination schedule, questioning whether it was among “possible factors” tied to poor health in the U.S. Kennedy said the Make America Healthy Again commission – created by a Trump order – would convene “representatives of all viewpoints” to examine potential causes behind a “drastic rise in chronic disease,” including some issues that “were formerly taboo and insufficiently scrutinized.” 

    • Aug. 27, 2025 – The White House fired CDC Director Susan Monarez less than a month into her new role after she clashed with Kennedy over vaccine policies. Kennedy reportedly asked Monarez to fire career agency officials and commit to backing his own advisers, which she refused to do. Four high-ranking officials resigned in support of the former director. 

    • July 2025 – Prasad, the FDA’s top vaccine official and Trump’s replacement for Dr. Peter Marks, left the post after less than three months on the job. Prasad “did not want to be a distraction,” an HHS spokesperson said in a statement, adding that he was leaving the role to “spend more time with his family.” But less than two weeks after his ouster, Prasad was rehired to the same role. “At the FDA’s request, Dr. Vinay Prasad is resuming leadership of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research,” HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon said.

    • March 28, 2025 – The Wall Street Journal reported that Marks – the FDA’s former top vaccine official and head of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research – submitted his resignation after being forced to either resign or be fired. In a resignation letter, Marks said he’d been “willing to work to address (Kennedy’s) concerns regarding vaccine safety and transparency,” but accused the HHS chief of merely wishing for “subservient confirmation of his misinformation and lies.”

    • May 14, 2025 – Kennedy, in his testimony to lawmakers on Trump’s budget proposal that would slash the HHS budget by more than a quarter, said that his “opinions about vaccines are irrelevant.” He added that he doesn’t think “people should be taking medical advice from me.” When Kennedy was questioned about whether he would hypothetically vaccinate a child of his for measles, he said, “probably, for measles.” He wouldn’t answer the same question about vaccines for chicken pox or polio. 

    • April 2025 – Kennedy told CBS News after the second measles death in an unvaccinated child in the U.S. that people should get the measles vaccine but that the “government should not be mandating those.” Despite his endorsement of the vaccine, Kennedy said in the same interview that “we’re always going to have measles, no matter what happens, as the vaccine wanes very quickly.” However, according to the CDC, most people who are vaccinated against measles “will be protected for life.”

    • March 11, 2025 – In an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, Kennedy said the measles vaccine “does cause deaths every year … so people ought to be able to make that choice for themselves.” According to the Infectious Diseases Society of America, no deaths have been found to be related to the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine among healthy people, while “there have been rare cases of deaths from vaccine side effects among children who are immune compromised.” The CDC recommends such individuals not get the MMR vaccine or wait to get it.

    • March 4, 2025 – In an interview with Fox News, Kennedy stressed nutrition and exercise as ways to avoid being severely impacted by measles: “It’s very, very difficult for measles to kill a healthy person.” He said the area in West Texas undergoing a measles outbreak is “kind of a food desert” and that malnutrition “may have been an issue” for a child who died of measles in that outbreak. State health officials said the child, who was not vaccinated, “had no known underlying conditions.”

    • March 2, 2025 – Kennedy wrote in a Fox News op-ed that “studies have found that vitamin A can dramatically reduce measles mortality.” He pointed to a CDC recommendation, updated after he took office, supporting the use of vitamin A to treat measles infections. While health experts acknowledge that vitamin A can be beneficial for patients with a measles infection, they’ve also emphasized it is not a replacement for vaccination and warned that it can cause dangerous health complications when given in excess.

    • December 2025 – HHS terminated millions in grant money for the American Academy of Pediatrics because the initiatives “no longer align with the Department’s mission or priorities,” according to an HHS spokesman. The group has criticized the changes Kennedy has made to federal vaccine policies. “The sudden withdrawal of these funds will directly impact and potentially harm infants, children, youth and their families in communities across the United States,” said Mark Del Monte, the academy’s chief executive and executive vice president.
    • Aug. 5, 2025 – HHS announced it will pull contracts and cut funding for 22 vaccine development projects totaling nearly $500 million. “After reviewing the science and consulting top experts at NIH and FDA, HHS has determined that mRNA technology poses more risks than benefits for these respiratory viruses,” Kennedy said in a video announcement on social media, referring to the vaccine technology used in COVID-19 and flu shots. But infectious disease experts argued the decision puts the U.S. at risk for future pandemics, crediting mRNA technology for the fast turnaround of the COVID-19 vaccines. 

    • March 2025 – The Trump administration targeted NIH grants aimed at studying vaccine hesitancy and how to improve immunization levels. According to NPR, more than 40 grants related to vaccine hesitancy were canceled. 

    • January 2026 – Kennedy removed at least four members of the Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccinations, which reviews issues relating to the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. The committee suggests which vaccines and what conditions should be covered by the program, which Kennedy plans to revamp.
    • Sept. 9, 2025 – In its MAHA strategy report, the Trump administration said that HHS and NIH will “investigate vaccine injuries with improved data collection and analysis, including through a new vaccine injury research program at the NIH Clinical Center that may expand to centers around the country.”

    • July 28, 2025 – Kennedy posted on social media his plan to revamp the federal system to compensate people harmed by vaccines. Kennedy said that the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program “is broken, and I intend to fix it.” According to Kennedy, the program has paid out $5.4 billion to 12,000 petitioners since its inception in 1986. He accused the program of dismissing cases that have merit and slow-walking others. “I will not allow the VICP to continue to ignore its mandate and fail its mission of quickly and fairly compensating vaccine-injured individuals,” Kennedy said. The program “is a no-fault alternative to the traditional legal system for resolving vaccine injury petitions,” according to the Health Resources and Services Administration. 

    • Aug. 14, 2025 – HHS announced it is reinstating the Task Force on Safer Childhood Vaccines – a panel created by Congress to improve safety and oversight – in a move requested by Children’s Health Defense, the anti-vaccine advocacy group Kennedy previously led. The task force, which was disbanded in 1988, will now work with the Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines to produce regular recommendations. The move comes after Children’s Health Defense sued Kennedy in July for failing to establish the task force. 

    – Former U.S. News writer Steven Ross Johnson contributed to this report

    [ad_2]

    Cecelia Smith-Schoenwalder

    Source link

  • New research bolsters evidence that Tylenol doesn’t raise the risk of autism despite Trump’s claims

    [ad_1]

    A new review of studies has found that taking Tylenol during pregnancy doesn’t increase the risk of autism, ADHD or intellectual disabilities — adding to the growing body of research refuting claims made by the Trump administration.President Donald Trump last year promoted unproven ties between the painkiller and autism, telling pregnant women: “Don’t take Tylenol.”Related video above — Stop Overpaying for Meds: Smart Ways to Cut Prescription CostsThe latest research review, published Friday in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynecology & Women’s Health, looked at 43 studies and concluded that the most rigorous ones, such as those that compare siblings, provide strong evidence that taking the drug commonly known as paracetamol outside of the U.S. does not cause autism, ADHD or intellectual disabilities.It’s “safe to use in pregnancy,” said lead author Dr. Asma Khalil. “It remains … the first line of treatment that we would recommend if the pregnant woman has pain or fever.”While some studies have raised the possibility of a link between autism risk and using Tylenol, also known as acetaminophen, during pregnancy, more haven’t found a connection.A review published last year in BMJ said existing evidence doesn’t clearly link the drug’s use during pregnancy with autism or ADHD in offspring. A study published the previous year in the Journal of the American Medical Association also found it wasn’t associated with children’s risk of autism, ADHD or intellectual disability in an analysis looking at siblings.But the White House has focused on research supporting a link.One of the papers cited on its web page, published in BMC Environmental Health last year, analyzed results from 46 previous studies and found that they supported evidence of an association between Tylenol exposure during pregnancy and increased incidence of neurodevelopmental disorders. Researchers noted that the drug is still important for treating pain and fever during pregnancy, but said steps should be taken to limit its use.Some health experts have raised concerns about that review and the way Trump administration officials portrayed it, pointing out that only a fraction of the studies focus on autism and that an association doesn’t prove cause and effect. Khalil, a fetal medicine specialist at St. George’s Hospital, London, said that review included some studies that were small and some that were prone to bias.The senior author of that review was Dr. Andrea Baccarelli, dean of the faculty at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, who noted in the paper that he served as an expert witness for plaintiffs in a case involving potential links between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental disorders. Baccarelli did not respond to an email seeking comment on his study.Overall, Khalil said, research cited in the public debate showing small associations between acetaminophen and autism is vulnerable to confounding factors. For example, a pregnant woman might take Tylenol for fevers, and fever during pregnancy may raise the risk for autism. Research can also be affected by “recall bias,” such as when the mother of an autistic child doesn’t accurately remember how much of the drug she used during pregnancy after the fact, Khalil said.When researchers prioritize the most rigorous study approaches – such as comparing siblings to account for the influence of things like genetics – “the association is not seen,” she said.Genetics are the biggest risk factor for autism, experts say. Other risks include the age of the child’s father, preterm birth and whether the mother had health problems during pregnancy.In a commentary published with the latest review, a group of researchers who weren’t involved — from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Children’s Hospital Colorado and elsewhere —cautioned that discouraging the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy could lead to inadequate pain or fever control. And that may hurt the baby as well as the mother. Untreated fever and infection in a pregnant woman poses “well-established risks to fetal survival and neurodevelopment,” they said.The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

    A new review of studies has found that taking Tylenol during pregnancy doesn’t increase the risk of autism, ADHD or intellectual disabilities — adding to the growing body of research refuting claims made by the Trump administration.

    President Donald Trump last year promoted unproven ties between the painkiller and autism, telling pregnant women: “Don’t take Tylenol.”

    Related video above — Stop Overpaying for Meds: Smart Ways to Cut Prescription Costs

    The latest research review, published Friday in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynecology & Women’s Health, looked at 43 studies and concluded that the most rigorous ones, such as those that compare siblings, provide strong evidence that taking the drug commonly known as paracetamol outside of the U.S. does not cause autism, ADHD or intellectual disabilities.

    It’s “safe to use in pregnancy,” said lead author Dr. Asma Khalil. “It remains … the first line of treatment that we would recommend if the pregnant woman has pain or fever.”

    While some studies have raised the possibility of a link between autism risk and using Tylenol, also known as acetaminophen, during pregnancy, more haven’t found a connection.

    A review published last year in BMJ said existing evidence doesn’t clearly link the drug’s use during pregnancy with autism or ADHD in offspring. A study published the previous year in the Journal of the American Medical Association also found it wasn’t associated with children’s risk of autism, ADHD or intellectual disability in an analysis looking at siblings.

    But the White House has focused on research supporting a link.

    One of the papers cited on its web page, published in BMC Environmental Health last year, analyzed results from 46 previous studies and found that they supported evidence of an association between Tylenol exposure during pregnancy and increased incidence of neurodevelopmental disorders. Researchers noted that the drug is still important for treating pain and fever during pregnancy, but said steps should be taken to limit its use.

    Some health experts have raised concerns about that review and the way Trump administration officials portrayed it, pointing out that only a fraction of the studies focus on autism and that an association doesn’t prove cause and effect. Khalil, a fetal medicine specialist at St. George’s Hospital, London, said that review included some studies that were small and some that were prone to bias.

    The senior author of that review was Dr. Andrea Baccarelli, dean of the faculty at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, who noted in the paper that he served as an expert witness for plaintiffs in a case involving potential links between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental disorders. Baccarelli did not respond to an email seeking comment on his study.

    Overall, Khalil said, research cited in the public debate showing small associations between acetaminophen and autism is vulnerable to confounding factors. For example, a pregnant woman might take Tylenol for fevers, and fever during pregnancy may raise the risk for autism. Research can also be affected by “recall bias,” such as when the mother of an autistic child doesn’t accurately remember how much of the drug she used during pregnancy after the fact, Khalil said.

    When researchers prioritize the most rigorous study approaches – such as comparing siblings to account for the influence of things like genetics – “the association is not seen,” she said.

    Genetics are the biggest risk factor for autism, experts say. Other risks include the age of the child’s father, preterm birth and whether the mother had health problems during pregnancy.

    In a commentary published with the latest review, a group of researchers who weren’t involved — from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Children’s Hospital Colorado and elsewhere —cautioned that discouraging the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy could lead to inadequate pain or fever control. And that may hurt the baby as well as the mother. Untreated fever and infection in a pregnant woman poses “well-established risks to fetal survival and neurodevelopment,” they said.

    The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • New research bolsters evidence that Tylenol doesn’t raise the risk of autism despite Trump’s claims

    [ad_1]

    By LAURA UNGAR

    A new review of studies has found that taking Tylenol during pregnancy doesn’t increase the risk of autism, ADHD or intellectual disabilities – adding to the growing body of research refuting claims made by the Trump administration.

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • “I Felt Like I Wasn’t Accessing My Potential.”

    [ad_1]


    A wave of intense shame pours over me as a familiar thought enters my head: What in the name of God am I doing with my life? And how did I end up here?

    Let me set the scene for you: I’m sitting at home, wearing a headset, taking calls for a psychic helpline. Yes, at the grand age of 30, I was moonlighting as a fake phone psychic. But I needed a job I could easily do from home, and this one sounded doable. And fun?

    I’ve had many different roles throughout my life. I’ve been part of a cabin crew, sold wine over the phone, worked for an international charity, sold suitcases, reported as a freelance journalist, and worked at McDonald’s, a shirt shop, a toothbrush factory, and a garden center.

    💡 Read: From Bowling-Alley Bartender to Cleopatra Waitress — My Story of ADHD Job Hopping

     

    Now, in my latest incarnation, I’m finally doing something related to my degree. I’m a Ph.D. researcher attempting to understand the link between ADHD, gender, work, and entrepreneurship. Through my research, and for the first time in my life, I’ve met other women with the exact same story as mine. Despite often being labeled as gifted or having above-average intelligence, many women with ADHD seem to flounder and float around in the working world.

    A checkered work history like mine seems to be so common among women with ADHD that I’ve come to see it as a shorthand sign of neurodivergence: Have you had 50 different jobs before the age of 30? If you answer yes, have you considered an ADHD evaluation?

    A Nagging Sense of Wasted Potential

    I make light of it, but it has always been a huge source of shame for me that, despite being told repeatedly how much “potential” I had, I could never distill it down to a traditional, fulfilling career. Not that there’s anything wrong with the odd jobs I had, only that I landed in them because I thought I couldn’t do more. And I couldn’t see myself fitting in anywhere else.

    How relieved I was to find I wasn’t alone; research backs up that people with ADHD tend to work in jobs that are below their academic qualifications. Despite scoring higher in intelligence tests, they also have lower self-esteem than their peers.1 2

    💡 Read: “You Have So Much Potential. You Just Don’t Apply Yourself.”

     

    Women with ADHD who are working in jobs far below their potential and academic credentials are only too familiar with this situation. I remember once while working as cabin crew, I asked a pilot the standard question of “Is your wife crew?” (It’s very common for pilots to marry cabin crew.) He looked at me, laughed, and said, “Oh, no. My wife is intelligent. She has a degree.” It felt like a punch in the gut.

    We Deserve Fulfilling Lives

    Learning that I had ADHD as an adult changed everything for me. It helped me understand my relationship to work and the fact that I — and many women — are navigating a world that largely wasn’t built for minds like ours. I’ve learned to forgive myself for my perceived failings, and I encourage women who see themselves in my story to do the same.

    Unconditional acceptance of your strengths and areas of need, strategic self-advocacy, and out-of-the-box thinking (perhaps even entrepreneurship) are key. But it’s not just on us — workplaces would benefit from learning how to support neurodivergent employees, which may need to come at a public policy level. It’s my hope to help create pathways that support neurodivergent women in reducing shame and building fulfilling and autonomous professional lives that allow them to access their full potential.

    ADHD and Wasted Potential: Next Steps from ADDitude

    SUPPORT ADDITUDE
    Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

     

    View Article Sources

    1 Jangmo, A., Kuja-Halkola, R., Pérez-Vigil, A., Almqvist, C., Bulik, C. M., D’Onofrio, B., Lichtenstein, P., Ahnemark, E., Werner-Kiechle, T., & Larsson, H. (2021). Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and occupational outcomes: The role of educational attainment, comorbid developmental disorders, and intellectual disability. PloS one, 16(3), e0247724. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0247724

    2 Foley-Nicpon, M., Rickels, H., Assouline, S. G., & Richards, A. (2012). Self-Esteem and Self-Concept Examination Among Gifted Students With ADHD. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 35(3), 220-240. https://doi.org/10.1177/0162353212451735

    [ad_2]

    Nathaly Pesantez

    Source link

  • Anchorage Leaders Propose One-Time Tax Hike to Send Millions to Schools

    [ad_1]

    Anchorage city leaders are proposing a one-time tax increase to raise millions of dollars for the Anchorage School District, which faces an $83 million budget shortfall.

    Mayor Suzanne LaFrance said she’s requesting the Assembly set aside a slate of revenue proposals, including her office’s proposed 3% sales tax, in order to focus on the $12 million education tax levy.

    “Over the last several months, we have been having a vital conversation around the municipality’s long-term fiscal health and the need to diversify our revenue, but the crisis facing our schools is too urgent to wait,” LaFrance said at a news conference Monday morning.

    If approved by the Assembly, the tax would go on the April city ballot. If voters pass the tax, city officials say Anchorage property owners should expect an increase of $27.40 per $100,000 of assessed property tax value.

    ASD Superintendent Jharrett Bryantt said, over the past decade, inflation has made budgeting difficult for the district, which has seen declining enrollment and a large exodus of teachers. The state Legislature approved an increase to per-student funding last year, even overriding a veto from Gov. Mike Dunleavy to keep the funding intact, but Bryantt said it doesn’t fully fill the gap.

    “While the $700 increase did provide relief, it did not fully restore what schools have lost,” Bryantt said. “As a result, even though we’re in the process of making significant reductions outside of the classroom, deeper than we’ve cut in many, many years, ASD is still facing difficult choices for the ’26-’27 budget.”

    State law puts a cap on how much a city can tax for education, and Anchorage typically taxes to that limit. However, the per-student funding increase at the state level allows Anchorage officials to increase the amount the city taxes for education, Bryantt said.

    He said the money from the tax levy would go entirely to addressing high class sizes.

    “If voters approve this levy, I will commit to directing these dollars to teaching positions and essential student services,” Bryantt said. “Manageable class sizes are at the top of the list of what our parents desire for their children.”

    The proposed tax levy comes at the expense of LaFrance’s proposal for a 3% sales tax, which she initially wanted the Assembly to put on the spring ballot. Her administration has said the city faces a fiscal cliff, and funding from the sales tax would’ve gone toward child care, housing, public safety, capital projects and property tax relief.

    LaFrance said the tax levy is a more immediate solution to support another struggling city service: education.

    “We believe it is too much to have two revenue measures on the ballot,” LaFrance said. “A sales tax proposal won’t generate revenue for one and a half to two years or so, whereas the levy will be immediate.”

    Though LaFrance is setting aside her sales tax proposal, for now, she said the city still faces a tough financial future.

    “We are still approaching the fiscal cliff, and the municipality faces budget gaps in the next few years,” LaFrance said. “We will be presenting scenarios for potential service cuts.”

    Assembly members plan to introduce the tax levy proposal during their meeting Tuesday night, said Vice Chair Anna Brawley. Brawley is one of the co-sponsors of the tax levy, along with members Erin Baldwin Day and Felix Rivera. In order to put the tax on the April ballot, eight members would need to approve it by Jan. 27. Brawley also introduced a 2% increase to the city’s bed tax, but she said she’s willing to set her proposal and the mayor’s sales tax proposal aside to focus on education funding.

    “I know this conversation is not over, and so for my part, I am happy to set aside the revenue measure for the time being,” Brawley said. “But I will work with my colleagues, with the mayor, and with others in the community, to really continue that conversation and bring forward, you know, what kind of city do we want to be in the future.”

    Bryantt said the tax levy won’t fully address the district’s budget shortfall, but he’s hopeful it will hold the district over while state leaders work on a long-term budget solution.

    “We do anticipate that there will be a change in state leadership as we look ahead towards the governor’s race, and we are yearning for a long-range fiscal vision and fiscal plan for the state and specifically for education,” Bryantt said.

    Anchorage’s municipal election is scheduled for April 7.

    ___ This story was originally published by Alaska Public Media and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – January 2026

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • Autism advocates celebrate release of ‘magical’ first-ever Barbie on the spectrum

    [ad_1]

    (CNN) — Five-year-old Mikko’s eyes lit up with glee when she noticed something familiar about her Barbie: The doll held a fidget spinner and wore oversize headphones, just like hers.

    The moment was “almost magical,” said Mikko’s mother, Precious Hill, who’s based in Las Vegas.

    The doll, launched Monday, is the first Barbie with autism. She carries a pink fidget spinner that actually spins, wears pink noise-cancelling headphones to reduce sensory overload and holds a pink tablet that represents her augmentative and alternative communication, or AAC, device.

    Hill says Mikko, who is nonverbal, also uses an AAC device, which helps people who have speech or language problems to communicate.

    “Autism is such an invisible disability at times, and to see that it’s being represented through Barbie – everybody knows who Barbie is – it felt really good,” Hill said. “It’s really important to me that Mikko walks through life having representation. It really matters to me that she’s not alone.”

    The new Barbie doll is part of Mattel’s Fashionista’s collection. Credit: Mattel, Inc. via CNN Newsource

    The Barbie doll has a gaze that shifts slightly to the side, reflecting how some people with autism avoid direct eye contact. Her fashionable purple pinstripe dress is purposefully flowy, loose-fitting and short-sleeved, a nod to how some people with autism prefer to keep fabric from touching their skin as much as possible.

    As Mattel prepared for the doll’s launch, the company sent the new Barbie to Hill. She too has autism, and she says the doll makes her “feel seen.”

    She also has two other children, 11-year-old twins Matthew and Ma’Kenzie. While Ma’Kenzie has not been found to have autism, Matthew is autistic – and he too was happy to see the doll.

    “Other families that are going through this, or that also have autism or loved ones that are on the spectrum, I hope that they feel seen, too,” Hill said.

    The new doll is part of Mattel’s Fashionistas collection, which includes dolls with a diverse range of skin tones, hair textures, body types and health conditions, including type 1 diabetes, Down syndrome and blindness.

    Mattel worked with the nonprofit Autistic Self Advocacy Network to design the doll, which aims to represent the roughly 1 in 31 children who are diagnosed with autism by age 8 in the United States.

    “It is so important for young autistic people to see authentic, joyful representations of themselves, and that’s exactly what this doll is,” Colin Killick, executive director of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, said in a news release. “Partnering with Barbie allowed us to share insights and guidance throughout the design process to ensure the doll fully represents and celebrates the autistic community, including the tools that help us be independent.”

    Autism spectrum disorder is a range of neurodevelopmental differences that affect how people communicate, interact and experience the world around them. It typically begins before the age of 3 and continues throughout a person’s life. Although there is no cure for autism, early support and therapies can make a meaningful difference.

    Barbie carries a functional fidget spinner. Credit: Mattel, Inc. via CNN Newsource
    She also has an augmentative and alternative communication device. Credit: Mattel, Inc. via CNN Newsource

    Research suggests that autism is more than three times more common among boys than girls, but many experts believe it is frequently overlooked or misdiagnosed in girls.

    In some cases, girls with autism are not diagnosed until much later in life – not until they become mothers. Hill was one of them.

    A doll not just for kids

    “I didn’t know that I was autistic growing up,” said Hill, 32.

    It was only through her daughter’s diagnosis at age 2 that Hill discovered her own diagnosis.

    “When I first learned about Mikko being autistic, I spoke with my aunt – my aunt is who primarily raised me – and she noticed it first. She said, ‘Well, I didn’t want to offend you. I didn’t know how you would take the news, but I kind of noticed that there were some similarities between Mikko and you and how you were when you were growing up.’ And when I was little, she just didn’t know what it was. She just knew that I was different.”

    But as Hill started to research more about autism to support her daughter, she realized that many of the signs, symptoms and experiences paralleled her own life. She then met with a health professional and was diagnosed at age 29.

    Eileen Lamb of Austin, Texas, also was not diagnosed until she was a mother in her 20s.

    Five-year-old Mikko immediately noticed that the doll carries an AAC device, just like her own. Credit: Mattel, Inc. via CNN Newsource

    “I can totally relate to being diagnosed later in life, as a female with autism,” said Lamb, senior director of social media and marketing at the nonprofit Autism Speaks, which advocates for and supports autistic people and families. Two of Lamb’s three children have autism.

    “My 12-year-old was diagnosed at age 2, and I was diagnosed like a year later. … I got my diagnosis just after my son,” she said. “Autism can look different in girls, and the fact that Barbie is a girl is powerful in some way. It’s a great conversation opener, a great way to talk about it in a way that doesn’t feel so clinical and heavy.”

    Lamb applauded the introduction of the new Barbie doll for highlighting some of the tools that help people with autism – such as the fidget spinner and AAC device – but she emphasized that autism is a broad spectrum, and many people may have different needs.

    “I don’t think it’s possible to represent the entire spectrum in one doll. For instance, my son Charlie uses an AAC device also to communicate. He’s fully nonverbal. So I love that the Barbie has an AAC device. But my other son, who’s also on the spectrum, does not. So again, it’s not possible to represent everyone, but it’s a great step,” said Lamb, who’s also founder of The Autism Café blog.

    “Toys matter. Representation matters, and it’s really good for children to see themselves in a toy,” she said. “It sends a message that being different is nothing to be ashamed of.”

    [ad_2]

    Jacqueline Howard and CNN

    Source link

  • Barbie with autism being introduced by Mattel

    [ad_1]

    Mattel Inc. is introducing a Barbie with autism Monday as the newest member of its line intended to celebrate diversity, joining a collection that already includes Barbies with Down syndrome, a blind Barbie, a Barbie and a Ken with vitiligo, and other models the toymaker added to make its fashion dolls more inclusive.

    Mattel said it developed the doll over more than 18 months in partnership with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, a nonprofit organization that advocates for the rights and better media representation of people with autism. The goal: to create a Barbie that reflected some of the ways people with autism may experience and process the world around them, according to a Mattel news release.

    Photo provided by Mattel Inc. shows the new Barbie doll with autism.

    Mattel Inc. via AP


    That was a challenge because autism encompasses a broad range of behaviors and difficulties that vary widely in degree, and many of the traits associated with the disorder are not immediately visible, according to Noor Pervez, who is the Autistic Self Advocacy Network’s community engagement manager and worked closely with Mattel on the Barbie prototype.

    Like many disabilities, “autism doesn’t look any one way,” Pervez said. “But we can try and show some of the ways that autism expresses itself.”

    For example, the eyes of the new Barbie shift slightly to the side to represent how some people with autism sometimes avoid direct eye contact, he said. The doll also was given articulated elbows and wrists to acknowledge stimming, hand flapping and other gestures that some people with autism use to process sensory information or to express excitement, according to Mattel.

    The development team debated whether to dress the doll in a tight or a loose-fitting outfit, Pervez said. Some people with autism wear loose clothes because they are sensitive to the feel of fabric seams, while others wear figure-hugging garments to give them a sense of where their bodies are, he said.

    The team ended up choosing an A-line dress with short sleeves and a flowy skirt that provides less fabric-to-skin contact. The doll also wears flat shoes to promote stability and ease of movement, according to Mattel.

    Each doll comes with a pink finger clip fidget spinner, noise-canceling headphones and a pink tablet modeled after the devices some people with autism who struggle to speak use to communicate.

    The addition of the doll with autism to the Barbie Fashionistas line also became an occasion for Mattel to create a doll with facial features inspired by the company’s employees in India and mood boards reflecting a range of women with Indian backgrounds. Pervez said it was important to have the doll represent a segment of the community of people with autism that is generally underrepresented.

    Mattel introduced its first doll with Down syndrome in 2023 and brought out a Barbie representing a person with Type 1 diabetes last summer. The Fashionistas also include a Barbie and a Ken with a prosthetic leg, and a Barbie with hearing aids, but the line also encompasses tall, petite and curvy body types and numerous hair types and skin colors.

    “Barbie has always strived to reflect the world kids see and the possibilities they imagine, and we’re proud to introduce our first autistic Barbie as part of that ongoing work,” Jamie Cygielman, Mattel’s global head of dolls, said in a statement.

    The doll was expected to be available at Mattel’s online shop and at Target stores starting Monday for a suggested retail price of $11.87. Walmart stores are expected to start carrying the new Barbie in March, Mattel said.

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported last year that the estimated prevalence of autism among 8-year-old children in the U.S. was 1 in 31. The estimate from the CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network said Black, Hispanic, Asian and Pacific Islander children in the U.S. were more likely than white children to have a diagnosis, with the prevalence more than three times higher among boys than girls.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • “I Am No Longer Resolving to Fix My Child”

    [ad_1]


    Every January, the world sharpens its pencils and declares:

    Be more consistent.
    Follow through.
    Set firmer boundaries.
    Stick to the plan.

    But if you are raising a child with ADHD, as I am, you hear these phrases all year long. They come from friends, family members, teachers, neighbors, and strangers who see our children on their hardest days and decide they understand the whole story.

    If you were more consistent, your child would behave.
    If you enforced consequences, they would learn.
    If you just did something different, your child would be fine.

    Unsolicited comments about our parenting land like resolutions we never made and quietly turn into failures we carry.

    💡 Read: An Unusual New Year’s Guidebook for People Who Think Different

     

    ADHD Parenting Resolutions I Never Chose

    I have tried the charts and the routines. I have tried the calm voice and the firm voice. I have tried sticker systems, time outs, time ins, early bedtimes, later bedtimes, warnings, countdowns, and consequences that were supposed to fix everything. I have done these things consistently. I have done them desperately. I have done them while questioning myself every step of the way.

    None of them changed the reality of what it is like to raise a child with ADHD.

    ADHD is not defiance for the sake of defiance. It is not poor discipline or lack of effort. ADHD is emotional dysregulation so intense it hijacks the body. It is rage that comes without warning. It is despair that feels bottomless. It is not choosing chaos but drowning in it. It is a nervous system flooded to the point that logic cannot reach it.

    Still, the advice keeps coming.

    If you just followed through…
    If you just stopped negotiating…
    If you just stayed calm…

    Most parenting advice assumes a child who can consistently pause, reflect, and comply. ADHD breaks that assumption. Tough moments and inconsistency will always be part of ADHD, and they cannot be stamped out with discipline like a resolution. That is why well-meaning advice hurts and turns into intrusive thoughts: What am I missing? What am I doing wrong? Why is this still so hard?

     Read: 10 Things People Say to You When You’re Raising an Extreme Child

     

    A Different Kind of New Year’s Resolution

    I am not trying to raise a child who looks well-behaved to strangers. I am trying to raise a child who feels safe in his own body. I am trying to teach him that his emotions do not make him bad. I am trying to help him come back from places many adults never see, let alone understand.

    The problem is not that ADHD families need better resolutions. The problem is that the world needs a better understanding of what ADHD actually is.

    Until that changes, parents like me will keep standing in the wreckage of well-intentioned advice, trying to explain why it does not work, and wondering why we feel like failures while doing some of the hardest parenting there is.

    I am done resolving to fix my child.

    Instead, I will work to shift how we collectively see ADHD. It is not a discipline problem. It is not a parenting failure. It is a neurological reality that requires compassion, patience, and support. That is the resolution ADHD families truly need.

    Rethinking Resolutions: Next Steps from ADDitude

    SUPPORT ADDITUDE
    Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

    [ad_2]

    Nathaly Pesantez

    Source link

  • Proposed legislation could help autistic drivers in Florida interact with police

    [ad_1]

    TAMPA, Fla. — Many people who have autism are still able to drive, including Eric Kaiser. However, stressful situations, like being pulled over by police, can make him uncomfortable.

    What You Need To Know

    • Blue Peace Envelopes provides information to officers about drivers with autism

    • It includes the driver’s license, emergency contacts, tells an officer if the driver is verbal or non-verbal, and more

    • Eric Kaiser said the envelope could make traffic stops less stressful for drivers like him


    He hopes the Florida Legislature passes a new law that will allow for the use of a Blue Peace Envelope.

    “It’s just to give that sense of calm in a tense situation,” he said.

    The envelope includes a copy of one’s license, emergency contacts, tells an officer if the driver is verbal or non-verbal and more.

    Kaiser said this lets an officer immediately know more about a person on the spectrum.

    “Some people just freeze up. They don’t talk. They can’t talk,” Kaiser said. “Some of us would rather just write stuff down.”

    Tampa Councilman Luis Viera said he met Kaiser through their Autism Awareness Program.

    After learning about the program from Kaiser and seeing similar programs in other states, he’s throwing his support behind the legislation.

    “If it’s not obvious to the person that you have a disability, it can lead to misunderstandings in all areas of life, including with law enforcement,” he said.

    The Tampa Police Department said it doesn’t comment on pending legislation.

    Still, they shared this statement:

    “We remain committed to a proactive approach in building strong, supportive partnerships with our community and providing officers with the tools and information necessary to interact safely and effectively with all residents.

    The Florida Legislature returns on Jan. 13.

    [ad_2]

    Matt Lackritz

    Source link

  • “Raising My ADHD Child Taught Me I Was Never Broken”

    [ad_1]


    Some mornings, I can tell before he even speaks. The air feels charged, as if the world inside his head has woken early. My son moves fast, talks faster, and forgets things just as quickly. I whisper, “Slow down,” even though I know that phrase has never worked for either of us.

    He is my son, but he is also my reflection. The scattered thoughts, the lost shoes, the emotions that rise and fall without warning; I know them all. Parenting a child with ADHD while living with it myself feels like steering two race cars at once. Some days we glide forward. Some days we spin out.

    I used to think my job was to calm him. The world rewards quiet children and those who can smoothly transition. He was born in motion. He notices everything — the flicker of lights, the hum of the refrigerator, the way a room changes when people get tense. He cannot filter life, and neither can I.

    🏠 Read: I Had No Safe Place. Can I Build One for My Son?

    When I was young, teachers told me I had potential — if I would only focus. That word, focus, has followed me ever since. I hear it now when I watch my son trying to finish homework or listen to directions that last too long. His eyes glaze over the same way mine used to. I know exactly where his mind goes when it drifts. Everywhere at once.

    Living with ADHD is like carrying a thousand radio stations in your head and trying to tune in to one. Parenting a child on that same frequency means the noise never stops. Some days I am patient. Other days I am not. He melts down, and I feel myself melting, too. I tell him to breathe, forgetting I need to inhale, too.

    But there is also an understanding between us that words cannot explain. When he cannot describe what he feels, I already know. When others call him impulsive, I see the effort behind his eyes. When he blurts out something too honest, I hear the truth in it. We do not hide emotion well. That might be our biggest flaw and our biggest gift.

    There are days when we spiral together, both of us overstimulated and unsure how to stop. But there are also days when we find our rhythm. We walk the dog and talk about everything that crosses his mind. He asks questions faster than I can answer, but I try anyway. Those are the moments that bring peace. I stop trying to change him and start remembering what it felt like to be him.

    ❤️ Read: The Blessings (and Trials) of Parenting with ADHD

    At night, when he finally falls asleep, I think about how hard he works just to make it through the day. People see a boy who cannot sit still. I see a boy who fights invisible battles from morning to night and still finds ways to laugh.

    He has made me see my own mind differently. I used to think ADHD made me disorganized and too much. Now I see creativity and empathy in the same traits I once resented. He feels everything deeply, and so do I. Maybe we are not broken. Maybe we just move through the world differently.

    Some days I worry about how others will treat him. Other days I believe he will change the world instead of trying to fit into it. His mind is bright and restless. His curiosity has no limits. His energy wears me out but also keeps me alive.

    We are mirrors, he and I. His reflection shows me the parts of myself I used to hide and the parts I am finally learning to love. When I help him find calm, I find it too. When I remind him that being different is not wrong, I believe it a little more for both of us.

    Healing My Inner ADHD Child: Next Steps from ADDitude

    SUPPORT ADDITUDE
    Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

    [ad_2]

    Nathaly Pesantez

    Source link

  • “Can’t Stop Worrying? Just Schedule It for Later”

    [ad_1]


    Did you know that you can timebox and even postpone your worry?

    I don’t need to tell you that anxiety has a way of hijacking the ADHD brain’s attention and focus. That it shows up unannounced, derailing our plans and schedules. But what if you could turn the tables and put anxiety itself on a schedule?

    Giving your worries a scheduled time slot — and pairing them with healthy reframing and other worry-busting skills — isn’t about suppressing or trying to stop anxiety. It’s about staying in control, a form of emotional regulation in action. You’re training your brain to avoid hours of rumination so you can stay more calm, present, and productive.

    Worry Time: How to Timebox or Delay Anxiety

    1. When anxiety and worry come up — like on your way to a doctor’s appointment, or just before taking a difficult exam, or as you think about a difficult conversation you need to have — immediately set a 15-minute timer. (Or whatever time frame is feasible.)

    2. Over the next 15 minutes, write or say aloud all your worrisome thoughts. What if I have a serious disease? What if I make a fool of myself? What if I fail my test? Give your full attention to your thoughts, no matter where they take you.

    💭 Read: Why Do I Assume the Worst-Case Scenario?

    3. As the minutes pass, you may find that you feel much better just by venting. You may have also challenged some of your thoughts:

    • How likely is that to happen?
    • What evidence do I have for this supposed outcome?
    • Where am I jumping to conclusions?
    • Am I doubting my ability to handle the outcome I fear? When have I faced a similar situation?
    • Is the problem in my control? What can I do about it if so? Which of my traits and strengths can I use to help me?

    If you find yourself devoting your entire session to worrying (or if time blindness is a factor), consider a timer within a timer — one to signal that it’s time to switch to problem-solving and thought-challenging mode.

    4. When the timer is up, stop worrying and return to your schedule. Close your notebook and say to yourself, “Worry time is finished.” Follow worry time with a pre-chosen anchor activity, like taking a shower or preparing dinner, to ease your mind off worrying.

    😌 Read: 6 Ways to a Worry-Free Mind

    5. In lieu of setting a 15-minute timer for worrying as soon as it appears, set a standing 15-minute appointment on your calendar for worrying, like you would for any other activity. When worries come up, jot them down and tell yourself that you’ll get to it later. Go ahead and tell your worry to wait. “I’ve got you on my calendar!”

    Linda was studying for the LSAT when the thought, “What if I fail?” kept flashing like a neon sign through her mind. Instead of spiraling and using up her precious study time, she scheduled two standing worry appointments — Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:15 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Whenever anxiety crept in, she reminded herself, “Not now — it’s on the calendar.” By the time her worry slot arrived, her mind was calmer and ready to problem-solve.

    So, the next time your brain insists, “What if I fail?” Try replying, “Great question! I’ll worry about it at 4:15 p.m.”

    How to Control Anxiety: Next Steps from ADDitude

    SUPPORT ADDITUDE
    Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

    [ad_2]

    Nathaly Pesantez

    Source link

  • DRAMATIC VIDEO: Florida boy, 6, found in chest-deep water on Christmas Day after escaping home

    [ad_1]

    DRAMATIC VIDEO: 6-year-old Florida boy found in chest-deep water on Christmas Day after escaping home

    Which way he went this way, this way this way maybe across the street or maybe. Oh Good. OK Or what does it look like she’s moving? your flashlight. I got him on camera. It looks like he’s standing possibly. It looks like it’s *** little bit south of him. I’ll try to adjust my camera so that way it puts it on him *** little better. But it’s right in the area of him. OK, we’re *** couple of us are waiting for. All right, so Debbie is the guy for the water line. Just straight north and you’ll run right into him. Where? OK. OK, we see him. He’s, uh, his chest is above the water. Hold on, don’t, don’t yell because I think that makes him laugh. Just smooth, guys. I don’t want to spook him and make him run off. OK, he’s, uh, he’s good. He’s just sitting here. He’s *** got bar one, probably 30 ft from him. It’s, uh, waist deep for us. And if somebody hasn’t called rescue, we’re going to need them. This water is really cold and shaking. Hey buddy. Are. Hey, bud. You’re Coco. Come here. My name’s Brady. Come here. Come here. You’re OK. We’re gonna get you *** blanket. OK. Come here. Good job, buddy. Got you, buddy. Good boy. Be cold. Yeah, don’t. Glad we got them. All right, good. What? All right, Coco. they’re gonna be walking out at. I know, we’re gonna get you *** blanket, buddy. Yeah. Your dad, are you his dad? Oh, you’re his dad, man. It’s cold. We have the fire department coming just to check on her, Papa, OK. Here, why don’t we, why don’t we put him in *** car with the heat real quick? because he’s got to be cold. Coco. Hey, he’s out here somewhere. Hey, I got him, I got them.

    DRAMATIC VIDEO: 6-year-old Florida boy found in chest-deep water on Christmas Day after escaping home

    Updated: 1:10 PM PST Dec 29, 2025

    Editorial Standards ⓘ

    A 6-year-old Florida boy with autism was rescued from a pond after escaping from his home on Christmas Day, according to the Volusia Sheriff’s Office.Deputies said that this was the second consecutive year the boy had been rescued from a pond.In 2024, the boy was rescued from a pond near his Deltona neighborhood during the summer, according to VSO. He was rescued for the second time this year on Christmas Day, after being found in chest-deep water in a nearby pond. He was found cold but unharmed, according to VSO.Deputies said the boy has autism, is nonverbal, and is known to be attracted to water. After the first rescue incident, VSO said the boy started swimming lessons. Deputies said they discussed with the family ways to enhance safety at home and emphasized the importance of having the child wear his AngelSense tracker at all times.

    A 6-year-old Florida boy with autism was rescued from a pond after escaping from his home on Christmas Day, according to the Volusia Sheriff’s Office.

    Deputies said that this was the second consecutive year the boy had been rescued from a pond.

    In 2024, the boy was rescued from a pond near his Deltona neighborhood during the summer, according to VSO.

    He was rescued for the second time this year on Christmas Day, after being found in chest-deep water in a nearby pond. He was found cold but unharmed, according to VSO.

    Deputies said the boy has autism, is nonverbal, and is known to be attracted to water.

    After the first rescue incident, VSO said the boy started swimming lessons.

    Deputies said they discussed with the family ways to enhance safety at home and emphasized the importance of having the child wear his AngelSense tracker at all times.

    [ad_2]

    Source link