In this Hot Topic episode of The Neurodivergent Experience, Jordan James and Simon Scott pull apart the latest headline claiming that “COVID during pregnancy causes autism.”

With sarcasm, dark humour and actual science, they look at why every week the media invents a new “cause” — Tylenol, vaccines, circumcision, video games, rain — and how these stories spread without logic, peer review or any understanding of genetics.

Jordan and Simon explain why this reporting is dangerous: it fuels stigma, panic and political agendas, while ignoring the real science behind autistic brains — including genetics and reduced synaptic pruning. Instead of treating autism as part of human diversity, the media keeps framing it as a threat, tragedy or contagious condition.

They discuss:

• The latest claim: “COVID during pregnancy causes autism”
• Why correlation is not causation (no matter how many headlines say it is)
• Politicians weaponising autism for attention and votes
• The Tylenol lawsuit and RFK’s shifting conspiracies
• How media language treats autism like a disease or warning label
• Why autism isn’t “caught” — it’s genetic and always has been
• Why support and accessibility matter more than fearmongering

This episode is a sharp, honest takedown of pseudoscience and scare tactics. If you’re tired of autism being used as clickbait, you’ll want to hear this one.

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