A D.C. family of a boy with autism says Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s recent remarks about the disorder were painful.
Ronald Duncan, 12, of Northeast D.C. loves trains and recently was chosen for Metro’s Autism Acceptance Month campaign.
“I was super proud,” said his mother, Maureen McKoy. “I got the text at 7 in the morning, and I cried until like 3 … spreading the word.”
When Ronald was young, doctors told his parents he would never learn to speak, but now, Metro had Ronald making announcements in the transit system.
“Whenever we have IEP (individualized education program) meetings or parent-teacher conference, I tear up, because I think about what the doctor said,” McKoy said.
This week, Kennedy called autism an epidemic in the U.S.
“These are kids who will never pay taxes,” he said. “They’ll never hold a job. They’ll never play baseball. They’ll never write a poem. They’ll never go out on a date. Many of them will never use a toilet unassisted. And we have to recognize we are doing this to our children, and we need to put an end to it.”
Ronald’s family finds those comments painful.
“For me, it got me emotional,” McKoy said. “Because, I mean, you’re doubting him, and you don’t know nothing he’s been through.”
“So much of the stigma that was stuff that we’ve been trying to break down is what was said in that press conference,” said Dr. Mona Amin, a pediatrician who often sees autistic patients.
“It is not a disease; it’s not an epidemic,” she said. “It’s just of the way our brain is wired differently.”
Decades of research point to a link between autism and genetics, Amin said, not necessarily environmental factors, as Kennedy has suggested. The Department of Health and Human Services sent News4 a statement reading:
“Secretary Kennedy remains committed to working toward a society where people with autism have access to meaningful opportunities, appropriate supports, and the full respect and recognition they deserve. His statements emphasized the need for increased research into environmental factors contributing to the rise in autism diagnoses, not to stigmatize individuals with autism or their families.
“HHS supports ongoing collaboration and research to both identify the causes of autism and provide the best possible care and management strategies for those impacted. Secretary Kennedy’s family history includes a long-standing commitment to individuals with autism and developmental disabilities, further reinforcing his dedication to supporting affected families and advancing scientific progress to improve their quality of life overall.”
