Something about autism seems to attract conspiracy theories and quackery. Maybe because the inability to talk is something out of a horror movie. Maybe because some autistic people also have unusual talents. Maybe because the number of children with an autism diagnosis keeps rising.
As so happens with conspiracy theories, autism conspiracies are not harmless. They inadvertently hurt people. The theory that autism is caused by vaccines — an idea that has run rampant through religious communities, groups of earthy-crunchy yoga moms in California, and libertarians — has resulted in the return of nearly eradicated diseases, including measles, mumps, and rubella. Good job, crazy people!
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