10/15/2025
We are sure many of you have concerns regarding recent White House press conferences regarding autism. We do too.
There are several factually incorrect theories circulating that must be addressed and corrected.
👉 Does Tylenol (acetaminophen) during pregnancy cause autism?
◾ The answer is NO. The largest study to date included over 2.5 million Swedish children and did NOT demonstrate an increased risk for autism once siblings were controlled for. The Harvard study that the White House is basing this claim from did not control for family history. Autism has been scientifically validated to have a genetic basis.
◾https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2817406 #:~:text=Findings%20In%20this%20population%2Dbased,ADHD)%2C%20and%20intellectual%20disability
◾https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/study-reveals-no-causal-link-between-neurodevelopmental-disorders-acetaminophen-exposure-before-birth #:~:text=April%2011%2C%202024-,Study%20reveals%20no%20causal%20link%20between%20neurodevelopmental%20disorders%20and%20acetaminophen,the%20Swedish%20Prescribed%20Drug%20Register
👉 Flawed Harvard study:
◾ Harvard’s public health dean was paid over $150,000 to testify in court that Tylenol causes autism. This case occurred two years prior to his releasing his study. This presents a severe ethical and financial conflict of interest.
◾https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2025/9/24/autism-dean-public-heal
◾The judge in the case threw out his testimony due to a lack of scientific evidence. The judge wrote, “He cherry-picked and misrepresented study results and refused to acknowledge the role of genetics in the etiology” of autism spectrum disorder.
◾https://www.wlf.org/2024/10/07/publishing/legal-backgrounders/trio-of-tylenol-product-liability-opinions-exemplifies-effective-judicial-gatekeeping/
👉 Can untreated fevers during pregnancy increase the risk for birth defects?
◾Scientists are concerned that untreated fevers during pregnancy can increase the risk of birth defects. More studies are needed.
◾https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scisignal.aal4055ring early pregnancy and the risk for noncardiac birth defects, National Birth Defects Prevention Study, 1997–2011
◾https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5831519/
👉 Do vaccines cause autism?
◾NO.
◾Do we wish that something this simplistic was the source? YES.
👉 Your providers at CWC have nearly 200 years of combined medical expertise and have family members affected by autism, psychiatric disorders, neurological disorders, ADHD, and educational disorders.
◾Did your providers vaccinate their own children? YES. On time and in accordance with the schedule recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
◾Do your providers feel that these conditions were caused by the vaccinations? NO.
◾Does the MMR vaccine cause autism? NO
◾Do children receive too many vaccines? NO
◾Do children receive too many vaccines at one time? NO
👉 Why is there aluminum in vaccines?
◾During the first 6 months of life, a child will receive approximately 4 mg of aluminum in total from all their vaccines combined. This is substantially less than the estimated 10 mg of aluminum ingested in 6 months of breast milk, 40 mg ingested in 6 months of formula or 120 mg in 6 months of soy based formula.
◾In average antacid contains more than 1000 times the aluminum found in your child’s vaccine.
https://www.chop.edu/sites/default/files/vaccine-education-center-aluminum.pdf
👉 Can we give "smaller doses, more spread out" to reduce the risk of side effects?
◾YES. This is actually what we are already doing. The vaccines are tiny pieces of the disease which will trigger your body's immune system to create antibodies against that specific infection.
◾We give such small doses that your child will need to receive this same vaccine multiple times to mount a big enough immune response to fight off that disease.
◾https://www.chop.edu/vaccine-education-center/human-immune-system/immune-system-and-vaccines
👉 Modern vaccines are safer than ever.
◾Are vaccines safe? YES
◾Are children getting too many vaccines? NO
◾Does circumcizing your son cause autism? NO
◾Does autism exist among the Amish? YES
◾Does autism exist in Cuba? YES
◾https://www.chop.edu/vaccine-education-center/human-immune-system/immune-system-and-vaccines
👉 Does giving your child acetaminophen when they have a fever give your child autism?
◾NO
◾American Academy of Pediatrics Fact Check: https://www.aap.org/en/news-room/fact-checked/acetaminophen-is-safe-for-children-when-taken-as-directed-no-link-to-autism/ #:~:text=Decades%20of%20research%20have%20found,a%20disservice%20to%20autistic%20individuals.
👉 What are other reliable sources of information?
◾https://www.chop.edu/vaccine-education-center/vaccine-safety/vaccines-and-other-conditions/autism #:~:text=No%20difference%20in%20the%20age,as%20that%20in%20unvaccinated%20children
◾https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M18-2101
◾https://www.aap.org/en/news-room/fact-checked/fact-checked-vaccines-safe-and-effect-no-link-to-autism/
👉 What does Autism Speaks say?
◾https://www.autismspeaks.org/news/autism-speaks-statement-tylenol-and-leucovorin
👉 What does the Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics say about this?
https://sdbp.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/SDBP_Autism-Statement_9.2025_1.pdf
👉 Can I "cure" my child's autism with leucovorin?
◾No. There is no "cure" for autism.
◾Some of the world’s most influential scientists and artists have been suspected of or have been confirmed to have autism, including Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Emily Dickinson, Albert Einstein, Mozart, Michelangelo, and many, many more.
👉 Can leucovorin help my child’s autism?
◾Maybe. There is a subset of children who have Folate Receptor Autoantibodies. This receptor helps transport folate (vitamin B9) into the brain - an essential process for healthy brain development, neurotransmitter function, and cognition. When these autoantibodies are present, they may block or interfere with folate transport into the brain leading to “Cerebral Folate Deficiency (CFD).” Leucovorin (folinic acid) is a form of folate that can bypass the blocked receptors and reach the brain. It can take 8-12 weeks to see full benefit from this but studies have shown children with ASD who have the presence of these folate receptor autoantibodies respond with some improvements in verbal communication, social interaction, attention span, and emotional regulation.
◾https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7477301/
◾https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32892962/
◾https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8398778/
◾FRAT testing: https://www.fratnow.com/
👉 Will my provider at CWC initiate a trial of leucovorin for my child?
◾Yes. We are willing to initiate a trial for your child.
◾At this time, we are not requiring FRAT testing prior to initiation of medication. We are, however, willing to order the testing if you would like to do so prior to leucovorin initiation.
There is a lot of noise and misinformation circulating about pregnancy, children, autism, vaccines, circumcision, Tylenol, and medication. Your providers at CWC are here to guide you and provide evidence based information for your family to make science based decisions. Please reach out at 404-303-1314 to schedule a consultation with any one of us if you have further questions and concerns. ☎️
Facts First,
Drs. Kirsten Mekelburg, Julie Segal, William Loventhal, Betsy John, Robert Hill, Kelsey Herbert and PNPs Heather Bean and Stephanie Toole
This nationwide cohort study with sibling control analysis examines the association of acetaminophen use during pregnancy with children’s risk of autism, ADHD, and intellectual disability.
