Anti-vaccine myth that Amish children don’t have autism resurfaces

High-profile figures continue to promote the persistent myth that childhood vaccines cause autism. Debunking messaging may emphasize that the claim is false on three grounds. 

First, researchers who have searched for a potential connection between vaccines and autism for decades have never found any evidence linking the two. The original study made the claim was retracted due to its unethical research practices. 

Second, Amish children do have autism, albeit at lower rates than the general population. One preliminary study found that Amish children are diagnosed with autism at about a third of the national rate, which may be at least partially due to differences in how Amish parents report their children’s behavior. 

Finally, only around 14 percent of Amish parents refuse vaccinations for their children. That means that the majority of Amish children have received at least some vaccines.

Fact Checking Source(s): Snopes, Health Feedback, Very Well Health, CHOP