Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently promised to find the cause of autism in five short months. When asked about the reason for this focus, he commented that “President Trump wants dramatic change in the next two years, and we are going to deliver that for him.” 

Secretary Kennedy does not want slow research, he wants to act. But there is plenty of existing rigorous research that is worth actioning. Rather than wasting time and resources examining the private health records of Americans in hopes of findings a cause and cure for autism, we should be focusing on using the scientific evidence we already have to improve the lives of autistic individuals and their families. 

As an autism researcher, I know autism can be reliably identified as early as 18 months old, which can unlock a whole world of services and support from therapists, doctors and teachers. Yet currently, the average age of diagnosis remains stagnant at over four years old. 

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This is particularly problematic because by the age of three, a child's brain has grown to 80% of its adult size. Before that, it’s more moldable, making it easier for the child to rewire, adapt and learn. In autistic children, this early-intervention period is........

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