LET NATURE SPEAK: PROTECT DIVERSITY
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently reignited the conversation about autism being an epidemic to be solved- something caused by vaccines, something that should be eliminated. While I have listened to dozens of his interviews and try to remain balanced and extend him the benefit of doubt, I think his comments and conclusions contain several important errors.
I believe that his investigation into autism and vaccines was initiated by mothers who reached out to him to investigate what was going on after experiencing severe regressions in their children after having received vaccinations. I hear him emotionally recount that if he could save one life from this disease that he would give his. I can extend the grace to believe good intent on his part while still bringing into question his ultimate conclusions and in light of recent studies being released around the genetic causes of neurodivergence, I think now is an important time to speak out about it.
WHY LISTEN TO ANYTHING I MIGHT SAY?
My name is Jennifer Ferrante, CHt. and I’m a clinical hypnotherapist specializing in neurodivergence and sensory differences. Prior to this field I also worked with and private-tutored children with ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia and other sensory disorders. This is in addition to being a mother of 7 children who sit among these spectrums of neurodivergence and I myself am neurodivergent. I also am a master herbalist and it is my special interest to study the natural world and all it teaches us. It is from my personal experience, my experience with my children and now my experience with my students and clients, that I offer the following perspective.
Let’s start with the facts. What we do know is that autism is overwhelmingly genetic. Studies show that autism has a heritability rate of around 83 percent, meaning the vast majority of cases are linked to genetics.
NEW RESEARCH: THE GENETIC ROOT OF NEURODIVERGENCE
Recent studies have revealed something even more profound- many neurological differences share a common genetic foundation. Autism, ADHD, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, OCD, Tourette syndrome, and anorexia all have overlapping genetic markers. Scientists have identified that pleiotropic variants influence multiple aspects of brain development that affect the synaptic pruning that traditionally occurs. They are not inherently disorders, but different expressions of neurobiology.
Yet some researchers (https://www.sciencealert.com/several-psychiatric-disorders-share-the-same-root-cause-study-reveals) have suggested that because we now understand these genetic roots, we might one day be able to isolate and remove these traits from the human genome.
This is where the conversation becomes dangerous.
CORRELATION VS CAUSATION: THE NUANCED TRUTH ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL TRIGGERS
I recognize that genetics do not act in isolation. Just like many other complex conditions, autism can be influenced by environmental factors that interact with genetic predispositions. And vaccines could be one of many possible environmental triggers- not a cause, but a potential “on switch” for an underlying genetic tendency in certain cases.
I say this because I’ve lived it.
I had a severe vaccine reaction as a toddler. At age two, I experienced full skill regression- losing coordination and motor skills that I had previously developed. This is part of my story, and I don’t ignore it. But I also know that my genetic wiring for neurodivergence was already there.
What happened to me- and to others who have similar experiences- is not evidence that vaccines CAUSE autism. It’s evidence of a complex interplay between genetics and environmental factors. Vaccines are just one potential environmental factor, among many, that could trigger that genetic switch to be turned “on”.
The difference between correlation and causation matters.
Just because something coincides with the emergence of autism symptoms doesn’t imply causation. The underlying genetic wiring is what can be pointed to and the focus should be on understanding how different environmental factors interact with that wiring.
NEURODIVERGENCE IS ONLY LABELED A DISORDER IN THE WRONG ENVIRONMENT
I’ve seen this over and over again. The same traits that are labeled as disabilities in one context are seen as gifts in another.
Take sensory sensitivity. A child who can’t tolerate the flickering fluorescent lights in a classroom, who is overwhelmed by the hum of a projector and chaotic chatter of their peers, will struggle. That same child, when out in nature settles. The same sensitivity, in an environment where they can control their surroundings, might allow them to become an extraordinary musician, a scientist who notices microscopic details others miss, or an artist who creates profoundly immersive worlds.
EMBRACE, DON’T ERADICATE
This is where we need to stop and ask a serious question:
If we could isolate and remove the genes associated with neurodivergence, should we?
Because make no mistake- if we had eliminated these traits throughout history, we would have erased most of humanity’s greatest minds. Think about it. Who do you think would have been diagnosed with autism, ADHD, or other neurodivergent presentations, if they were alive today? Albert Einstein (a late talker, highly fixated, terrible at small talk and executive functioning)
Issac Newton (socially withdrawn, obsessed with his work, prone to extreme meltdowns)
Nikola Tesla (intensely sensitive, brilliant, struggled with rigid routines)
Leonardo da Vinci (restless mind, hyper-focused on multiple fields at once)
… and the list goes on.
Show me a genius and I’ll show you their neurodivergence (but let’s be clear- as correlation not causation- not all those with neurodivergence are super geniuses)
Would we really be better off genetically modifying their minds?
If we eliminate neurodivergence, we don’t just remove the struggles. We remove the gifts, the visionaries, the people who think in ways no one else does.
NATURE THRIVES ON DIVERSITY- SO SHOULD WE
Let’s take a peek into nature’s playbook. When John and I were on our honeymoon we went ziplining through the redwoods and our guide told us about the albino redwoods. These trees lack chlorophyll, which means they can’t photosynthesize like other redwoods. This means that the other trees are responsible for feeding them. At first glance, they seem really fragile- like a mistake of evolution. But in reality, they serve a crucial role in the ecosystem. Albino redwoods act as filters and are referred to as the “liver of the forest”, absorbing toxins from the environment, allowing the forest to thrive.
We humans often seek to genetically modify nature. We think we know better. We want to cultivate the strongest, most disease resistant flowers for our gardens, we modify our food, our ornamental trees. We bring plants outside of their native environments and transplant them into environments where they can’t thrive. We now sell roses that don’t have scent because it’s been modified out of them. Would a rose by any other name smell as sweet? Well, not if it was genetically modified as we have done.
Neurodivergent people function much like this example. Society often sees them as something to fix- particularly the less they are able to contribute to society in ways that are socially acceptable and deemed valuable. They seem like glitches in the system.
But what if we need what they do possess?
What if nature knew all along what humanity would need in these times?
What if these individuals are not native to our concrete environments?
What if, when allowed the environment to thrive, they save us?
If the natural world knows to preserve its diversity because it strengthens the whole, why do we keep trying to eliminate our diversity?
It wasn’t until albino redwoods were revealed to be the liver of the forest that they were seen for what they could contribute. This is where a recent popular podcast called “The Telepathy Tapes” has been able to shine light on how much was not realized about the inner world of non-speaking autistic children.
When we know better, we can do better.
Every soul has a purpose and a form and function.
THE CALL TO ACTION: PROTECT NEURODIVERSITY
What can you do?
Support neurodivergent individuals by helping create environments in which they can thrive. Again, look to nature. When a plant isn’t thriving, we don’t say, “what a defective plant!” we ask, “what does my plant need? Is it in the right environment?”
Recognize the strengths of neurodivergence. Instead of seeing autism or ADHD as problems to solve, start asking, “how can we build a world where these differences are valued?”
Because the future isn’t about fixing neurodivergent minds, or blaming what may have “caused them”, it's asking, “if the amount of these souls are coming into this world at an exponential rate during these times, what is it that our human ecosystem needs that they might offer?
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