Holly Robinson Peete — Mother of Autistic Son — Reacts to Trump’s Tylenol Claims

On Monday, Trump introduced that the US Meals and Drug Administration can be issuing a warning to medical doctors to not suggest Tylenol (acetaminophen) throughout being pregnant, claiming the medicine is linked to a “very elevated threat of autism” in youngsters.

“Do not take Tylenol. Do not take it. Combat like hell to not take it,” mentioned Trump, who was joined by his Secretary of Well being and Human Companies, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., amongst others.

Following Trump’s announcement, Peete — whose 27-year-old son, RJ, was recognized with autism when he was three — reacted on social media, criticizing how Trump and the HHS have addressed autism whereas additionally exhibiting assist for different pregnant moms after the Tylenol claims appeared to put the blame on mothers who used the drug.

The actress shared an Instagram submit which featured a digital flyer for her and her husband Rodney’s HollyRod Basis, which supplies assist for households who’ve these residing with Parkinson’s illness and/or youngsters with autism.

“I would not change my son for the world, however I’d attempt to change the world for my son,” learn a quote on flyer, which additionally featured a candy picture of Peete and RJ.

“No matter they need us to imagine causes #Autism would not change the truth that there are such a lot of households that simply need assistance, compassion, understanding, applications, interventions, entry to analysis, inclusive employment, unbiased residing assist, and most significantly entry to HEALTHCARE. The Division of Well being and Human SERVICES needs to be centered on offering… companies and never reducing funding for households who’re actually struggling, particularly in underserved communities,” Peete wrote within the submit’s caption. “Do not be distracted by all of those causation theories and breaking information shiny press conferences… let’s all concentrate on getting the companies to households which might be determined for them.”

“And let’s normalize normalizing kindness in the direction of individuals who course of the world otherwise,” she added. “If you’re simply getting an autism analysis, begin to construct a crew round your youngster and by no means cease advocating and making an attempt to vary the world for her or him!!!! 🫶🏽🫶🏽🫶🏽🫶🏽🫶🏽.”

The 21 Leap Road star additionally shared a message for moms in one other Instagram submit, writing in a photograph assertion, “Expensive Moms: Your kid’s autism shouldn’t be your fault. What defines you is the care, energy and love you give every single day.”

“For a lot too lengthy, moms have been unfairly blamed for his or her youngsters’s autism,” Peete added within the caption. “Many people have labored tirelessly to erase that stigma and exchange it with fact and love. To any mother who’s feeling heavy at this time, and to each pregnant mom carrying fear — please know I’m pondering of you, standing with you, and reminding you: blame has no place right here.”

Jenni “JWoww” Farley, whose son Greyson can also be autistic, shared the submit to her Story.

The Kings Courtroom actress, in the meantime, went on to specific additional ideas on her personal Instagram Tales.

“What I do know for positive! Autism : ✅Is NOT A Illness ✅Is NOT a ‘Horror Present’ ✅Does NOT destroy households ✅Is underfunded and households want entry to analysis, applications and companies,” she wrote.

Trump’s announcement was met with widespread criticism as there is no such thing as a definitive proof to assist a hyperlink between acetaminophen (also called paracetamol outdoors of the US) and autism, in response to well being consultants. Acetaminophen has lengthy been thought-about the most secure ache reliever or fever reducer for pregnant ladies.

Kenvue, the maker of Tylenol, hit again on the Trump administration’s declare, saying the medication is “the most secure ache reliever choice for pregnant ladies as wanted all through their total being pregnant,” including that “unbiased, sound science clearly reveals that taking acetaminophen doesn’t trigger autism.”

The Nationwide Institute of Psychological Well being defines autism or autism spectrum dysfunction (ASD) as a “neurological and developmental dysfunction that impacts how folks work together with others, talk, be taught, and behave.”

The announcement comes just some months after HHS Secretary RFK Jr. mentioned in April that he would know the reason for autism by September.

A couple of days later, Kennedy made a controversial speech concerning the dysfunction in a information convention. Whereas discussing a current CDC examine concerning the rise of autism diagnoses within the nation, he made a handful of controversial — and infrequently false — claims concerning the dysfunction, which subsequently acquired criticism on-line.

“Autism destroys households, and extra importantly, it destroys our biggest useful resource, which is our youngsters. These are youngsters who shouldn’t be struggling like this,” he mentioned on the presser. “These are children who won’t ever pay taxes. They will by no means maintain a job. They will by no means play baseball. They will by no means write a poem. They will by no means exit on a date. A lot of them won’t ever use a rest room unassisted.”

After RFK Jr.’s feedback went viral, Peete was amongst those that slammed the HHS secretary on-line. Peete shared a number of posts on social media, together with a virtually eight-minute-long video on Instagram, through which she addressed a handful of Kennedy’s claims concerning the dysfunction, calling his remarks “triggering,” ignorant, and finally, “bulls–t.”

The Meet the Peetes star mentioned Kennedy’s feedback “triggered me in methods I am unable to even describe,” accused the HHS Secretary of “peddling” “institutionalized hopelessness.”