Brandon Lux received his autism diagnosis as an adult.
The autism advocate knows how it feels to be misunderstood by what he calls a neurotypical society.
Lux gathered with other advocates Sunday on Lackawanna County Courthouse Square to protest what he called autism misinformation coming out of President Donald Trump’s administration.
“We had autistic individuals there,” Lux said. “They were really fired up, like myself."
The protest came after Trump made an announcement last week linking Tylenol use with autism that has drawn backlash from healthcare professionals and advocates around the country.
"They were upset at the way that the Trump administration is acting like autism is something that needs this cure right away, and that autism itself is something that is basically a harm to society and needs to be vanquished," Lux said of his fellow demonstrators.
"We were there to celebrate autism as something there should be a lot of pride in, and that has a lot of gifts and beautiful aspects that need to be celebrated,” he added.
Trump links acetaminophen and autism
Trump made several claims about the causes of autism during a press conference last week.
He linked the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy to a heightened risk of autism in children, suggested the frequency of childhood vaccinations could be a cause of autism and said a common cancer treatment could be used to treat autism.
Acetaminophen is also commonly known by its brand name, Tylenol.
Trump announced that the Food and Drug Administration will update acetaminophen’s drug labeling to discourage its use during pregnancy.
He also said the label for leucovorin, commonly associated with cancer treatment, will be changed to say can be used to treat autism.
As reported by NPR, Tylenol-maker Kenvue “strongly disagreed” with the Trump administration’s claims.
Research published in 2024 by JAMA Network, a medical journal published by the American Medical Association found that “acetaminophen use during pregnancy was not associated with children’s risk of autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability.”
The study included more than two million children born between 1995 and 2019 in Sweden.
Research also overwhelmingly negates the association between vaccines and autism.
Autism researchers credit the dramatic jump in Americans living with autism cited by the Trump administration to the broadened definition of autism and successful public health programs that increased screening for autism in children.
Medical professionals weigh in
Dr. Diane Timms, the division chief of maternal fetal medicine at Geisinger Health System, advises patients and her colleagues to follow guidance from professional societies — like the Society of Maternal Fetal Medicine and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists — and not the White House.
“There has been nothing that has proven that there is causation between acetaminophen exposure and neurodevelopmental outcomes in children,” she said.
Timms recommends Tylenol for her patients as needed during pregnancy.
“If a mother is having pain, has a high fever because she has influenza, let's say it is far more important to make sure that we get her treated and comfortable and support her than that she avoids acetaminophen,” Timms said.
An untreated fever during pregnancy can be potentially dangerous for the mother and the child.
“Untreated fever, particularly in the first trimester, increases the risk of miscarriage, birth defects, and premature birth, and untreated pain can lead to maternal depression, anxiety, and high blood pressure," the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine said in a statement released following the Trump administration’s announcement.
Timms said the linkage has caused unnecessary confusion. She’s received an uptick in questions from patients.
“We don't want patients ever to feel as though they have to suffer because they're pregnant,” Timms said. “We just hope that our patients don't feel as though they have no alternative other than to have pain or have a fever because they're fearful of using this very safe medication.”
Advocates: announcement harmful for autism community
The Autism Society of NEPA said it is “fully aligned” with the Autism Society of America's statement. The local chapter is an affiliate of the national group.
“Premature claims like the association with acetaminophen risk retraumatizing autistic individuals and families, stigmatizing mothers, and diverting attention from what truly matters: ensuring Autistic people have access to the supports they need across their lifespan,” the statement read.
The Arc, an advocacy organization for families of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities, also released a statement following the press conference.
“When public officials talk about autism, their words carry weight. Too often, those words have painted the diagnosis of autism as a tragedy, erasing the dignity and humanity of autistic people,” the statement said.
Roseann Polishan, lead advocate at The Arc NEPA, a local chapter, agreed.
“Part of our concern with some of the recent discussion is that they're painting the diagnosis of autism as a tragedy," Polishan said. "We have to remember that while it's very difficult for many individuals, it is a spectrum disorder, but we don't want to erase their dignity and the understanding that disability is part of the human condition.”
Polishan said pinpointing a cause and treatment are important, but so is proper research.
“Families really deserve that research and those policies," she said.
"We work a lot with educating families so that they know that they're able to ask questions and speak up and that they never should feel like they're to blame for anything that their child experiences,” Polishan added.
'We really want to focus on the families that need support'
Polishan said what’s coming out of the administration in Washington is not helpful.
“Many families are really impacted, and their loved one is really impacted by severe autism, and it really is difficult all day, every day for these families,” she said. “And they want to be heard and they feel they're not being heard currently.”
Her organization will continue to serve families through the confusion.
“We really want to focus on the families that need support,” Polishan said. “There's not one cause. We want to continue to make sure that we're funding the services that have been known to help and improve the lives of individuals with autism or under intellectual disability.”
Lux said learning about autism is a good way to support the community. He encourages people to turn to those who know and understand the diagnosis personally.
“To really learn about autism, learn it from autistic voices. Learn it from people that experience autism. Learn it from families that have kids with autism," he said.
