Cause and Effect
How Trump’s comments on autism are both dangerous and devastating for parents, and why we recommend you watch Terri White’s new short documentary
As proud members of the SEND community we were still flying high from the success of last Monday’s SEND Day of Action which saw over 800 parents, young people and adults descend on Parliament Square as part of a rally organised by parent groups Let Us Learn Too and SEND Sanctuary UK, with backing from our client, the Disabled Children’s Partnership.
The message - that families just want ordinary things for their children - seemed to resonate with MPs, the media (blanket coverage) and the general public and we had a general feeling that perhaps, finally, people were beginning to listen to what’s needed for successful SEND reform.
Parents, young people and campaigners gather at the SEND rally in Westminster
Monday dawned and we awoke to comments made by the President of the USA, at a White House press conference, where he linked the use of Tylenol (an American brand of paracetamol) during pregnancy with autism and urged pregnant women not to take it.
If your child has autism, you may know how hurtful these comments can be.
When they’re made by one of the world’s most powerful men they can also be profoundly damaging.
Let’s be clear - autism is a complex neurodevelopmental condition with no single cause. Research suggests that genetics play a major role and the impact of environmental factors is also still being assessed.
Claims that common medications like Tylenol are a primary cause are unfounded and misleading, and while scientific studies are investigating correlations, there is currently no conclusive evidence linking Tylenol use during pregnancy to autism.
What is SO dangerous about this type of misinformation is the real-world consequences it can cause:
Parent guilt - mothers may start to question their own actions and burden themselves with unnecessary blame.
Educators may have to deal with fall out and confusion from autistic students.
The public’s understanding of autism remains clouded by myths over facts.
From a SEND perspective, the priority must always be creating inclusive environments where all children can thrive. Of course, it brings us right back to our original mission - Fight For Ordinary.
In other news, we were humbled to watch journalist and campaigner Terri White’s new Guardian documentary about the 5.4m British children currently growing up in poverty, and the impact of the two-child benefit cap. Terri visited places in and around the North West, South Yorkshire and Derbyshire - including the council estate she grew up in during the 80s and 90s - to witness the hardships that many families are facing.
As part of filming, we were delighted to take Terri to OnSide’s state-of-the-art Mahdlo Youth Zone in Oldham in December last year to show her first-hand how - along with OnSide’s network of 15 other Youth Zones - Mahdlo is providing a safe and creative space for young people aged eight to 19, where they are supported by dedicated youth workers.
If you haven’t yet watched the film - “Raising kids in poverty - the UK’s inhumane two child limit” - it’s a hard-hitting and thought provoking watch.
