3 Inarguable Reasons Why Speculations About Barron Trump Having Autism Must End

November 27, 2018

Speculations about Barron Trump being on the spectrum

Over the last two years, there have been wild speculations circulating on the internet about Donald Trump’s youngest child, 12-year-old Barron, having autism. The issue blew up when a video surfaced alleging Barron might be on the spectrum. It was created by James Hunter, a man who has ASD. The video became popular after Rosie O’Donnell, a comedian and anti-Trump activist, shared it on Twitter.

.@Rosie O'Donnell Tweets Video Asking Whether Barron Trump Has Autismhttps://t.co/LryWWKeLUy
— Fox News (@FoxNews) November 23, 2016

Melania Trump was furious at the unfounded allegations and even hired a lawyer for the video to be taken down and for those involved to apologize. The issue seems to be settled now.

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3 reasons why speculations about Barron’s alleged autism must end

Speculations about Barron’s mental health are unfair both to him and his family, and to people who do have autism. Here’s why:

1. The word “autistic” should NEVER be used as an insult.

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Some internet users have called Barron “autistic,” “weirdo,” and “creep” in the comments. This is an insult both to Barron and to people with ASD. The boy may seem to behave awkwardly in public, as shown in the video, but awkwardness doesn’t automatically equal autism. Barron is just a 12-year-old who isn’t used to being in the spotlight. And not all people with autism behave “awkwardly.” You may even know someone with ASD without knowing they have it.

2. Only a qualified professional can diagnose autism.

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It’s impossible to diagnose autism based on a few footages showing Barron’s behavior in public. Only a professional experienced in autism spectrum disorders can make the diagnosis after observing a child in person and talking to him (or her) and his (or her) parents.

3. Barron Trump’s mental health is ONLY his and his family’s business.

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Even if President Trump’s youngest son did have autism, it's none of our business. While the President has to make his health record public, his family members have no obligation to do the same. No one should try to violate Barron’s right to privacy, end of story.