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Tik-Tok for autism information? Nope

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In a highly discussed paper, researchers from Drexel University report their findings on a scientific and methodologically rigorous study on the accuracy of information posted on the social media platform Tik-Tok. They also discuss where the information comes from and how it is viewed. The accurate and inaccurate posts get “liked” equally, meaning they are taken just as seriously. There are billions of inaccurate posts being viewed, and misinformation spread. On this week’s podcast, all four authors of this paper summarize what they found and what families should know.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37544970/

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Pregnant and concerned about autism? Folic acid can help.

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This week a bunch of new studies came out that focused on changes in probability of having a child with autism after folic acid consumption during pregnancy.  Moderate consumption folic acid and slightly elevated levels of plasma folate during pregnancy has now been shown in at least half a dozen scientific studies to reduce the chance of that child to be later diagnosed with autism.  This is not a prevention effect, but a reduction in probability.   There are enough studies on this question for a Chinese group to have organized them, put their data together, reanalyze them together and conclude that this is a real thing.  If this was an effect seen after say, drinking battery acid, maybe it might require more consideration to recommend to the community.  However, taking folic acid during pregnancy is something medical doctors are recommending pregnant women do anyway.

Want to learn more?  Here are the studies:

Swedish Study:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28978695

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ppe.12414/epdf

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5625821/pdf/13229_2017_Article_170.pdf

Denmark Study:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28946926