When Lupron was used to 'treat' autism

[PermanentTemporary]

Failed to avoid the US news this evening, and ended up down a rabbit-hole reading about Tr*mp's nomination of the anti-vaccine weirdo RFK as Health Secretary. Not very many links away I found myself reading about Mark Geier and his son, who in the early/mid 00s promoted the use of Lupron to 'treat' autistic children by reducing their testosterone levels, along wuth the bollocks that was 'chelation'. This was rightly regarded as a load of dangerous and damaging nonsense, driven by disablist thinking, and was thoroughly discredited.

Now trying to work out how Lupron got reinstated to 'treat' the 'unwanted puberty' of gender non-conforming and in many cases autistic children a few years later and suddenly it's a great thing. I haven't forgotten Mermaids mentioning that transition could remove symptoms of autism.

Fair point.

I guess all I can do is advocate that people like my daughter don't need a "cure" - she needs a combination of strategies to help her build the resilience she needs to navigate the world and reasonable adjustments (that are reasonable, not detrimental to others) - and keep listening to what others in different situations might want.

But on the theme of the thread, what nobody with autism needs is a drug administered in childhood which messes with their endocrine system, has an unknown impact on their brain, possibly leads to infertility (depending on when treatment starts and ends) and likely leads to bone development issues.