In The Politics of Autism, I discuss various ideas about what causes the condition. RFK Jr. connected circumcision to autism on the grounds that parents often give their kids Tylenol after the bris. He was talking nonsense.
McGrath M, Li X, Jacobson LP, et al. Neonatal Medical Male Circumcision and Child Autism Diagnosis. JAMA Pediatr. Published online August 03, 2026. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2026.3239
Key Points
Questions Is neonatal medical male circumcision (NMC) associated with child autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or autism-related traits and behaviors?
Findings In this cohort study of 2771 male children from 14 cohort sites in the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Cohort, NMC was not associated with ASD diagnosis or autism-related traits and behaviors. These findings were robust after stratification by geographic region, preterm birth, and neonatal intensive care unit admission status; additionally, acetaminophen use during the procedure or in the neonatal period was uncommon (<5%).
Meaning This study found no evidence that NMC is associated with an increased risk of ASD, which may provide reassurance for families who are considering or have elected NMC for their child.
