All parents need to understand the history of autistic spectrum diagnoses for the health of ALL children. Thanks to the misinformation spread during the 1990s and early 2000s about the rising rate of autism diagnosis, some parents chose not to vaccinate their kids. With Trump spouting the now-debunked association between vaccines and autism, soon even more parents could choose to withhold critical vaccinations, putting the overall health of our nation at risk. Steve Silberman, WIRED reporter and author of Neurotribes, provides a persuasive account of the history of autism in his TED talk. He explains that the rising number of children diagnosed on the spectrum results from a widening of diagnostic criteria–not vaccines.
TED Talk: The Forgotten History of Autism
Marguerite Elisofon is a New York City writer and the author of My Picture Perfect Family, a memoir about how her family navigated life with a child on the autistic spectrum before the internet and support groups existed. She also blogs about parenting young adults and disability related issues in The Never Empty Nest. Her writing has been featured in a variety of publications, including Time and NY Metro Parents magazine, and her family’s story has been featured by the NY Post, Fox News, The Daily Mail, and on Jenny McCarthy’s Dirty Sexy Funny radio show. A Vassar graduate, Marguerite was born and raised in New York City, where she still lives with her husband, Howard, in their mostly-empty nest. She is available to speak about a wide variety of issues relating to twins, parenting, and autism. 