内容摘要：Chilli the dog wears has a chilli hat placed on his head in the BBC Radio 2 Dog Garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London, Monday, May 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Chilli the dog wears has a chilli hat placed on his head in the BBC Radio 2 Dog Garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London, Monday, May 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

. Here’s a look at some of those claims Kennedy has made, with additional context and facts.KENNEDY, at a news conference Wednesday: Studies show that autism rates in the U.S. were “1 in 10,000 when I was a kid” compared to a recent U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study that found it to be 1 in 31. He says that is evidence of an autism epidemic in the U.S. and that, “we know it’s an environmental exposure. It has to be.”

THE FACTS: It’s true that in the 20th century, only 1 in 10,000 children were diagnosed with autism —- the diagnosis was rare and given only to kids with severe problems communicating or socializing and those with unusual, repetitive behaviors. But the term became shorthand for a group of milder, related conditions known as ″autism spectrum disorders,” and the number of kids labeled as having some form of autism began to balloon.The term “epidemic” is widely used to describe surges in different health problems — like autism, obesity and gun violence, to name a few. But strictly speaking, “epidemic” is defined as a fast-spreading outbreak of disease, and there’s not good evidence that autism meets that definition.Health officials have largely attributed growing autism numbers to better recognition of cases, through wide screening and better diagnosis. Last week, the CDC said

There are no blood or biologic tests for autism; it is diagnosed by making judgments about a child’s behavior. Research has looked at a variety of other possible explanations, including genetics, the age of the father, the weight of the mother and chemicals in the environment.Prior to his rise to health secretary, Kennedy joined anti-vaccine advocates in claiming childhood vaccines are responsible for autism, but studies by the CDC and others have ruled that out. A fraudulent single study that claimed a link between the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine was later retracted by the journal that published it.

Kennedy recently announced a major study into the cause of autism and told an April 10 Cabinet meeting: “By September we will know what has caused the autism epidemic and we’ll be able to eliminate those exposures.” But last week, he softened that to having ”some of the answers by September.”

— Mike Stobbe and Devi ShastriWith Coles’ due date approaching, Keener talked about what to watch for around delivery and shortly after, like blood clots and postpartum depression. She advised Coles to take care of herself and “give yourself credit for small things you do.”

During an ultrasound a few minutes later, Coles watched Dr. Jacob Lenz point to her unborn baby’s eyes, mouth, hand and heart. He printed an image of the scan, which Coles immediately showed her daughter.Keener said she’s gratified that Coles would not be giving birth prematurely this time.

“You made it to term – yay!” she told her client.Coles smiled. “My body can do it!”