Just another one to add to the list of many!! I know of someone who just recently gave up drinking cows' milk. Being active in her 30's she still believed drinking cows' milk did the body some good... Well she hasn't had a breakout from acne since! And now believes it was from drinking cows' milk that started the breakouts. I never said anything, smerk* I mean in your 30's, okay 36 and still having breakouts? Sorry, but it can only mean one thing... poor diet. "Go Veg" and make a dairy cow truly smile!!

Posted by: Carla | September 29, 2008 01:42 PM

I drink milk, I'll be honest on peta.com - I think this ad will not change my mind as I do not have autism and am not pregnant and do not plan on having children any time soon. Something that might catch my attention to give up milk ? Hmmmm....I'll let ya know. I think it would be a lot easier for me to stop drinking milk if I had it clearly laid out on my table what companies DO NOT abuse animals and what ones DO abuse animals in the milk industry. Get it ?

GO TEAM PETA!

Posted by: Amanda | September 29, 2008 02:37 PM

I feel Peta is making light of a serious condition ie. Autism.. by the quote 'Got Autism'? how would you feel if you saw this ad.. and yes.. you do suffer from autismn.. I really dont' think it's a laughing matter.. by all means Peta. eductate the masses.. but you have to be sensitive to certain issues.. and not make light of them..
I know cruelty to animals is no laughing matter as we all konw.. but neither is any form of illness to human beings either..

Posted by: yf | September 29, 2008 03:03 PM

The link isn't between autism and cow's milk, it's between autism and casein, which is in many things other than cow's milk. Maybe PETA should do its homework first?

Posted by: Jill | September 29, 2008 04:00 PM

Yf,

Hello. If you have read my comments you know that I am very critical of PETA when they have offensive campaigns. I think that this one is not in that category.

As I'm sure you know, this ad is a parody of the "Got Milk" ads for milk. The "Got Autism" slogan is not meant to make fun of those with autism. Instead, it is supposed to be a chilling, disturbing suggestion about the dangers of milk.

I agree that it is easy to misinterpret this ad, but it is clever and the intention behind it is to warn parents, not to degrade those people suffering.

Unfortunately PETA's reputation for being petty and mean can make this message all the more easy to misinterpret, although I think the ad is a good one.

I hope they contine to be clever and cutting edge without being cruel to others.

Posted by: Maya, CVT | September 29, 2008 04:00 PM

Interesting. I like the ad. I read online recently about the dairy/austism connection.

Posted by: Curtis | September 29, 2008 04:01 PM

Hi Amanda, I was drinking milk for a long time myself and had no reason to think it was bad for my health. I got upset last winter when the downer cow thing came out becuase the animals being abused where spent milk cows. I looked carefully into the various daries that I could get organic milk from to see if their farms were run humanely. At first it appeared they were much better than the factory farms. Upon close inspection though it is apparent that the animals at even the finest organic dairies live a life that is not really kind. They are bred and rebred to be kept constantly in milk. They are encouraged through diet and breeding to produce many times the normal amount of milk they would produce to feed their own young. This shortens their average life span from 20 years to 5 years. The energy needed to produce all this milk is equivalent to them jogging constantly. They stand around in barns and rarely have time to socailize ans rest the way they normally would. THEY ARE HEART BROKEN WHEN THEIR CALVES ARE REMOVED. The calves are killed, raised for veal, or if lucky housed separately til they can become pregnant milk cows. There is really nothing kind about raising milk cows. The factory farms are much worse. So I quit drinking milk. Guess what...for about a year prior to quitting I had been missing my period and thought I was in early menopause. Since I quit milk (8 months) I have my regular period back. Also without trying I have lost some extra pounds that no matter how hard I tried before I could not loose. Also I had been having cronic sinus infections and massive headaches. No Milk...now no sinus headaches. Please try an experiement for yourself and go dairy free for 30 days. You may be really surprised at the improvement to your health. Waiting for somebody to prove it to you is not necessary. You can prove it to yourself.

Posted by: joanna | September 29, 2008 04:19 PM

I don't even like milk. What are some sources for calcium? I know women especially need calcium, but I'm not sure where to get the best calcium from.

Posted by: Brenda | September 29, 2008 05:20 PM

WOW ! THANKS PETA ! I AM LEARNING SO MUCH. I KNOW I FEEL BETTER SINCE GOING VEGGIE!

Posted by: SASHA | September 29, 2008 11:01 PM

My husband and I have a 3 1/2 year old son who is living with autism and currently on the GFCF ( Gluten free/Casein free). I do feel that this ad is very offensive and hurtful. I agree with "yf" in that PETA is making light of a serious condition. Clearly, it's not just about protecting animals, it's about making humans feel poorly. Please consider making a public apology if you consider your organization to be a compassionate one. Thank You, Carolyn

Posted by: Carolyn | September 29, 2008 11:22 PM

Is this a joke?

Posted by: pat | September 30, 2008 08:30 AM

For Pat - is what a joke?

Posted by: Carolyn | September 30, 2008 10:19 AM

My son has autism and me and my husband were thinking maybe its all the meat we were feeding him.Because he started eating meat about the time he was starting to get symptoms of autism and then diagnosed with autism.

Posted by: sherry | September 30, 2008 10:39 AM

Get your calcium from green leafy vegetables and nuts and seeds! Eat salads.

The enormously high protein content in milk acidifies your blood. Your body prefers for your blood to be alkaline so it pulls calcium from 1st, your blood; 2nd, your bones, to buffer and expel the acid PH. This is why drinking cows milk causes osteoporosis. Uric acid is the byproduct of this process and it causes arthritis.
You can read all of this at goveg.com.

Another brilliant ad PETA. I just signed up with GoodSearch to send more support your way. BTW, I LOVED, the breast milk idea with Ben & Jerry's IceCream. It was on CNN news!

Cows milk has always disgusted me, and then I learned how cruel the dairy industry is! Vegan is the solution to animal cruelty.

Posted by: Vegan4animals | September 30, 2008 11:00 AM

i know several autistic children, i am going to mention this to their mother.

By the way, I have acid reflux disease and I use milk to counteract the painful attacks....anybody know a alternative solution? if you do please email me at
sassy_sexy_loves_1990@hotmail.com

please and thank you =)

Posted by: Amber Falobas | September 30, 2008 11:15 AM

This is so inappropriate. As the parent of a child with autism, I find this ad in extremely poor taste and hurtful.

Posted by: lisa | September 30, 2008 01:11 PM

If I had an autistic child, I would want to know about every possible cause and treatment, including dietary modifications. PETA is offering hope for children and animals here--don't shoot the messenger! If going dairy-free can help the kids, why not try it?

Posted by: Heidi | September 30, 2008 02:16 PM

PETA’s autism ad is meant to educate consumers, not to offend them. Not only will this campaign potentially help autistic people, but millions of dairy and veal cows too.

Posted by: Margo Forker | September 30, 2008 02:22 PM

My son at the age of 2 1/2 had not talked or interacted with anyone for a year...right after his MMR shots that he had at 13 months. I took him off of milk last November(when he was 2 1/2) to see if it did anything, and he is now talking and playing and catching back up to where his should be(he is 3 1/2 now). Don't get me wrong, it has not been overnight, and we have been incorporating speech therapy along with it...and he still has a limited vocabulary, and does not pronunciate very well. But considering the fact that one year ago I was crying to my husband about only wanting for x-mas for my son to say "mama". And now he is having small conversations with me! It is (in my eyes) a miracle! It may have not been overnight, but the progress started just weeks after taking him off cows milk (and that was before any therapies started). I just dont know if it was a coincidence or not that it all started when I switched him to soy/almond milk. I somehow dont think that it was a coincidence and hope everyone will try soy for their growing children instead of cows milk.

I grew up on cows milk and I am fine...but 32 years ago were there quite as many chemical pumped into these cows? I dont think so!!!

Posted by: Jaimie | September 30, 2008 02:23 PM

Though I understand that the intent was not to offend parents with autistic children, I can see how it may come across as such. Perhaps the slogan could be alter in a way that would get the point across without coming across in the way it is.

Dont get me wrong, i completely am for all the work of PETA, I just can see what the other people have been saying.

Posted by: Allie | September 30, 2008 02:39 PM

Every disease is a serious matter. I applaud PETA for aggressively highlighting a preventative measure--a method that is not often used (especially by health care companies) and in this case misunderstood. I hope they save many lives with this campaign.

Posted by: Cari | September 30, 2008 02:52 PM

As a vegan mother of a young son with autism, who himself has been vegan since birth, I am completely disturbed by this campaign. Autism is a serious developmental disorder which effects millions of people, not just the individuals with autism but the family member who take care of them. While I understand educating the public about animal cruelty I find it deplorable that PETA feels the need to target special needs children and adults many like my son who don't consume dairy products. My son is living proof that dairy is not the cause of his autism!!

Posted by: Nicole Green | September 30, 2008 02:56 PM

Nicole, you bring up a good point. If you read carefully (very, very carefully, I had to read it 3 times) you'll see that PETA is NOT saying milk causes autism per se.

The most important thing here is to click on the links. The links (one of them, anyway) will show you SCIENTIFIC STUDIES that say milk may worsen autism, not cause it.

Don't ever just read a campaign and take it as scientific proof. We all need to read the published, scientific literature which has been scrutinized by the scientific community.

One thing that PETA does really well is they contact real scientists: marine biologists, doctors, medical journals etc to give the most recent, ACCURATE findings.

Science and information is always evolving and changing. The link is not 100 percent proven but PETA did a good job presenting the facts. You do have to read it carefully, though.

Posted by: Maya, CVT | September 30, 2008 03:56 PM

As has been mentioned, good vegan sources of calcium include green leafy vegetables and I highly recommend fortified beverages (OJ for example). One needs to be sure that they also get enough Vitamin D, although a vegan would be limited to fortifed foods, supplements, and getting a little sunlight (very eco-friendly source as well).

If one is concerned about osteoporosis, weight bearing exercises are animal friendly, provided you aren't running from the bulls for your cardio and are shown to increase BMD (bone mineral density). Although compelling, the jury is still out on the consumption of high amounts of animal protein as a cause of osteoporsis, even with high dietary calcium intake thanks to studies on Bantu vs. Eskimo diets and rates of osteoporsis.

Juat to clarify one very common misconception that has been brought up in this discussion - protein rich foods do not change the acidity of one's blood, but rather amino acids (building blocks of protein) in excess of one's needs are converted to organic acids. The increased organic acids are buffered by calcium from bones - there is no pH change in the blood. Does this "calcium diuresis" in fact cause osteoporsis? As I said, the jury is still out, although if this theory helps motivate someone to eat less or no meat, I think that is a good thing.

In fact, because the acid content of the stomach is so high, no food (or amount of food) will change the acidity of the stomach, and all foods are acidic when they leave the stomach; the pancreas generates enzymes which neutralize this and create an alkaline environment in the intestines.

In short, the acid/alkaline blood theory is a bunch of hogwash that incorrectly utilizes physiologic principles and plays on a person's desire for "natural" cures in order to make a buck.

Posted by: Derek, MD | September 30, 2008 03:58 PM

I too find this ad offensive to people with autism. While some researchers & scientists working to uncover the cause(s) of autism believe there is a link between casein (not milk) and/or gluten products and SOME FORMS of autism, even they agree there is not a correlation for ALL forms of autism (ie some believe SOME FORMS of autism may be gastrointestinally based). Many parents of children with autism who are active in autism support communities have already or are trying a GFCF diet (gluten- and casein-free diet) with some children experiencing some success with decreased "symptoms" of autism. Others have seen no change.
I also agree that the "got autism?" slogan is offensive, and the terminology used in the article ("some people with this devastating disease") is also highly offensive. Autism is NOT a disease (although those in cure-based industries love that it is referred to that way) it is a developmental disorder- there is a difference. Using the disease discourse implies that these people can be "cured". It is misleading to say that people with autism "may be able to find relief by simply removing milk from their diet". In this case, it is not the milk that is the problem, but in SOME cases, it IS the casein found in milk.

Posted by: Cathy | September 30, 2008 04:17 PM

As the aunt of two autistic boys, I feel that PETA is using an insensitive approach in passing this information to the public. Its not that I dont appreciate the heads up to studies and possibilities, however, this does seem more like a "scare tactic" than fact. ("it is unclear" .."some suspect".. "others suggest"..) Autism is a developmental Disorder that affects a person's social interaction and learning. This ad makes it seem like children with Autism are doomed individuals destined to live horrible lives. It is hurtful, misleading, and offensive. I have always been a strong supporter of PETA and I hope that they will realize the need to seriously edit this ad.

Posted by: Sascha | September 30, 2008 04:24 PM

Jill,

The casein in milk and cheese is by far the means through which most children encounter it. I have friends with a 4-year autistic child who displayed a marked improvement when dairy was eliminated from his diet.

Posted by: Mike Quinoa | September 30, 2008 04:27 PM

Just another great reason NOT to drink cow milk and ban dairy in general! I did it in January and was able to completely rid myself of all acne and skin issues. It also made me feel a whole lot better! Good job!!

Posted by: Cheryl | September 30, 2008 04:53 PM

How do you explain my little half-brother who was born autistic, to my vegan father and step-mother.

He has never had a sip of cow or any milk in his life.

Ethan

Posted by: Ethan | September 30, 2008 05:05 PM

It hurts me that some parents with autistic children may be offended by this ad. But...with studies and word of mouth testimonials I think this brings forth positive information. As a parent, wouldn't you want to know everything that could HELP you? Clearly this message wasn't to OFFEND but to EDUCATE.

Posted by: Denise | September 30, 2008 06:38 PM

I work in Newark and have seen the ad and it's appalling. I am also an aunt of a wonderful autistic child. The ad is insulting and demeaning to all autistic people. You could have just put up an informational billboard, not got autism in big giant letters with a sad face. Why didn't you put the info in bigger letters so people can check it out on their own instead you made it harder to see the purpose of the billboard. That's what I think makes it so insulting.

Posted by: Barbara | September 30, 2008 07:00 PM

GREAT WORK PETA!!!

I always hated the flavor of milk, and since I found out how the dairy industry treats its animals, I became even more disgusted. We replaced all dairy with soy, and we really noticed changes in our health since then. My skin cleared and daily energy level is much higher. My parents are also happy with the elimination of dairy (and meat ofcourse).

GO VEGAN!!! =)

For those who think it's a joke, just pick up a college level nutrition book (or take a course) and you'll see real reasons why animal products are harmful to your body.

Posted by: Anna | September 30, 2008 07:58 PM

As someone with an autistic brother, I can see how this ad could be offensive to the disabled and their families, and thus don't find this a very effective way for PETA to communicate its message about the possible detrimental effects of milk. While I myself am a firm believer that dairy does more harm than good to the human body (as well as to the animals involved!), I am also a firm believe that snarky, patronizing ads such as this one will lose more respect for PETA than they will gain attention to this very serious possibility of autism effects being linked to dairy consumption. PETA, as a proponent of animal AND disabled rights, I want to support you, so please find a way to convey your message that does NOT trivialize or make fun of a very difficult disease and a very sensitive situation.

Posted by: Cat! =^-^= | September 30, 2008 08:05 PM

i'm all for the information, it's good information, good to know, however intentional or not, it is offensive. whats that saying? the road to heck is paved with good intentions? good intentions, not so good approach.

Posted by: lisa | September 30, 2008 10:00 PM

vegan by design, see my (long!) message at, arcaracing.com click search 2 times then indycar01

Posted by: indycar01 | September 30, 2008 10:40 PM

To those of you who find this ad offensive- grow up! It's not nearly as offensive or disturbing as the photos of the downed crippled cows illegally butchered for their meat & sold to public schools. It triggered the largest beef recall in US history this past Feb. And I read some of those poor sick abused cows were spent & used up dairy cows first. But most people choose to ignore these facts, yet get upset by an ad bringing to attention the pitfalls & health risks of pus filled possibly contaminated hormone & fat filled milk.

Posted by: Gina | September 30, 2008 11:22 PM

As one who has raised my own cow for milk, she was very well treated and did NOT get milked like the factory cows of today. Milked only Twice a day, she was dry for 3 months before she would calve, (which is no different than animals in the wild, except for better health care) and fed quality hay and grain. NEVER given steroids or other medications unless her health seriously needed it, which in her case, was never. She was a family pet and treated as such. She came to her name, and not just to be milked and my two older daughters were raised on her fresh milk and do not have autism....my youngest daughter did not get so lucky as a move prevented many things from staying the same, and location prevented the cow. She drank store milk, does NOT have autism, but her twin daughters do. THEY, in my opinion, have the "required shots" to blame for this moreso than ANY dairy product. Today's dairy is obviously nowhere NEAR the quality of yesterday's BECAUSE of all the drugs, BUT when the autism was noticed, and tested for, they were not on cow's milk yet. MANY factors abound for the problems of today, and the drug companies are the biggest problem first... They push drugs for EVERYTHING, from us to our pets to the livestock industry. Watch all the commercials on the t.v. Everything is a suspect in today's world, and vegan isn't as safe as one would expect either, with the lettuce being contaminated by feces in the water so that it had the e-coli inside it's leaves and could not be washed off....there are so many things to be leary of... and it is a never ending story....

Posted by: Taurus | September 30, 2008 11:32 PM

Autism is a long term condition- sort of like a personality disorder. You can mess around with your diet all day and it won't make a difference. Tell me something- from where was this disinformation sourced? the link takes me to a page detailing geographic tendencies in autism and the word milk doesn't even come up with a search. This article could be compared to saying that drinking milk can affect the hair colour of your baby. Straight up rubbish.

Posted by: You what? | October 1, 2008 04:34 AM

I have a child with autism and I love this ad. The "got milk" ads with the disgusting white upper lip make me sick. We have been GFCF for 12 years. Milk equals sleepless nights and stomach pain.

Posted by: L Land | October 1, 2008 06:53 AM

I wish I saw this add 4 years ago! Thankfully I found mother's online in my researching that all said the same thing about milk, I took my kid of dairy and he improved. Mine did too. THIS IS NOT A LIE. Vaccine injury = GI issues/leaky gut which puts these kids into an opiate high ... voila, drop the milk, your kid wakes up. I wish it were as easy as that to heal autism/vaccine injury but it's not. It took us 4 years and still going. Dairy is the first sign there's a BIG problem brewing. Pay attention new moms! Why would any of us make this up?

Posted by: Kathy | October 1, 2008 08:42 AM

As well meaning as this campaign might be, the environmental autism community is not happy about this promo because it's seriously inaccurate. I have an epidemic in my own home-- both my children regressed into autism without ever having consumed cow's milk in their lives. They regressed after routine childhood vaccinations, including thimerosal.

True, consuming milk (they didn't touch cow's milk products until after 1 year of age) then made our children's regressions more profound and its removal improved things dramatically. But at the same time, gluten and soy caused even worse effects and their removal caused even more marked improvements.

If PETA is going to discuss even triggers of autism, the fact that vegetable and plant products are even worse for children with autism may not mesh with the intent of this campaign. Children with environmental autism have been made "allergic" to their environment and to many substances which would normally be inert or desirable. Some kids can't have leafy greens, others can't be exposed to beans, grains, nuts or certain fruits. Some, in fact-- no matter how much their vegan parents wish otherwise-- would perish if they couldn't eat meat because they've been rendered intolerant of all vegetable sources of protein. I guess this is one way that the meat industry has accidentally gained from the corruption of the vaccine and pharmaceutical industries.

Not one parent that I've met who watched their child regress after an environmental exposure actually believes that milk itself is the "cause" of autism any more than they believe that pollen or animal dander is actually the "cause" of asthma (many children with autism also have asthma-- believed to relate to vaccine injuries as well). These things are triggers. Un-broken-down casein, like gluten, soy protein and often other grains, is believed to cross blood-brain and intestinal-blood barriers, made porous by a combination of exposures to poisons and pathogens. Casein (and gluten, etc.) then trigger the release of opiates in the brain, causing disruptive behaviors, feeding and sleep disorders, etc. These proteins may cause increased inflammation in the brains and guts of children with preexisting encephalitic reactions.

If PETA wishes to incorporate other causes into its promotional material, it would be helpful if the organization did its homework. There are several issues which PETA supports which could overlap the interests of children with environmental autism (hypervaccination harms pets and children alike; factory farming harms the environment, creates toxic products; pollution hurts all living things, etc.). This particular angle, when looked at factually, does not support PETA's position very well.

Posted by: ATG | October 1, 2008 09:01 AM

Autism is not caused by environmental factors.

Autism is genetic.

This has been proven by the Autism Genome Project whose research results were published in February 2007.

This was no small research study in that it involved 137 medical researchers and scientists at 50 medical centres in 9 countries and 1,600 familes with at least one child in the family diagnosed with Autism.

Additionally, recent studies published in September 2008 proved that there is no higher number of Autistics with GI problems than non-Autistics.

If someone is negatively affected by dairy products, it has nothing whatsoever to do with Autism.

Posted by: Raven | October 1, 2008 11:09 AM

Gina,
That is easy for you to say. I find your comment the most offensive of all.
Don't compare an autistic child to a cow. You're the one that needs to grow up.

Posted by: Kurt K | October 1, 2008 12:40 PM

Got a Cold?
Got backache?
Got flu?
Got a headache?
these would have been acceptable.. as a headliner to one of your eyecatching ads..
'Got Autism' (a serious and deblitating condition that people suffering from autism live with for the rest of their lives.. ) isn't..
I wonder whether it's ads like these that some or certain people dont' take Peta as seriously as should .. pity.. because I agree wholeheartedly with any organization that fights or is against animal cruelty and exploitation..
just wish Peta would be a bit more careful with their ads if they expect people to take them seriously..not some of the time.. but ALL of hte time..

Posted by: bet | October 1, 2008 02:39 PM

I have 2 children with Autism, removing milk from their diet has NOT changed a thing! Please back up such suggestions with scientific studies (with references please!)

Posted by: AUTISMawareness | October 1, 2008 04:12 PM

Raven,

You are only partly correct in your statement about autism being "proved" as a genetic disorder and not caused by environmental factors.

As you stated (and I previously implied in an earlier message) there is NO (zero, zip, zilch) link between vaccinations and the development of autism.

That does not mean that there are no environmental factors - there was a higher incidence of autistic children born to mothers infected during rubella outbreaks, and recent research suggets that some toxins, such as organochlorine pestitcides (first trimester exposure) may be a factor as well (Roberts and colleagues (2007) and Samson (2007)).

In regards to the genetic "proof," again there is definitely promising studies and research, but all of that is still being sorted out (serotonin, glutamate, chromosome 11, etc...), but the research is very promising.

So, unfortunately, the "cause" of autism is still unknown, although there are some good leads, and is likely multifactorial.

Posted by: Derek, MD | October 1, 2008 04:14 PM

Now let's be careful here, people. The PSA does not say anywhere that milk --causes-- autism. It says there may be a link. It's borderline but PETA makes it somewhat clear that they mean milk can worsen, not cause, autism.

I think what is most troubling about this PSA is it seems PETA will often jump on any tragedy in order to garnish attention for their cause.

PETA could lessen the number of offended people if they had enough sensitivity to provide a link to a foundation, or where a person can donate for financial assistance to parents of autistic children or autistic people trying to live on their own.

If they just showed that they do care deeply about people who may struggle in life, I think it may go a long way in offsetting the edgy nature of this PSA while still getting the message across.

Posted by: Maya, CVT | October 1, 2008 04:35 PM

ATG,

I feel for your situation in regards to your autistic children, but I am afraid there is no link between vaccines and autism. I have been doing my homework for many years and if valid evidence existed linking vaccines to autism, I would not recommend them to my patients or have had my own children vaccinated. I hope the continued genetic and environmental studies provide you and other parents in similar situations with the true causes of autism...and no, milk is not one of them.

Posted by: Derek, MD | October 1, 2008 05:15 PM

I have been a veg for over 25 years, am an animal rights activist and the mother of two sons, one of whom is autistic. While the gluten free/casein free diet has helped many of my son's symptons, I DO NOT BELIEVE it is "linked" to causing his autism. His genetic makeup did ( his dad and grandad are on the Autistic Spectrum). It's important to note that not all autistic people have a positive reaction to dietary changes. Your new add campaign is hurtful and possibly misleading. Autism is a complicated neurological disorder- I am offended that you and the organization have chosen to go in this direction.....This will only alienate more people! We already have to fight hard enough for those we love.........

Posted by: annie | October 1, 2008 05:46 PM

What an offensive ad! I have mild autism. How rude of Peta to describe autism with a sad face. I am not sick. I am not sad. I don't want or need anyone feeling sorry for me. Nobody 'catches' autism from anything, especially not milk. Besides, there is nothing wrong with me! My brain works a little different, but works extraordinarily well. I am a self-sufficient and productive member of society, am a wife and mother, and I love milk!

Posted by: Emily | October 1, 2008 06:12 PM

The tie-in between casein and autismis not 100%. Informal studies have suggested that between 30-45% of autistic children born after 1990 have an intolerance to casein. Unfortunately for your cause, these same children are also intolerant to gluten and often soy as well, leaving them few alternatives to eating meat to get the necessary proteins we omnivores need to survive.

Posted by: Dad Fourkids | October 1, 2008 06:27 PM

Gina how would you feel if it was your child who had autism? I bet you'll be singing a different tune.

Posted by: Kristi | October 1, 2008 07:09 PM

its nice to see that this billboard made it to the news on my tv ! out of know where i heard "Got Autism" and it drew my attention. it might be a little to much, but i guess what ever it takes to get looks ?

Posted by: ligotti | October 1, 2008 11:44 PM

I'm with Gina. Maybe I'm missing something here, but I don't see how the ad which clearly states that 'Studies have shown a LINK between COW'S MILK and AUTISM' is offensive. A quick Google search brought up AutismWeb.com, nutritioninstitute.com (just for starters) that provide the same information.
If I saw a Peta ad -Got Chronic Headaches- I'd be grateful for any suggestions for relief, not offended because my headaches are debilitating.

Posted by: lynda downie | October 2, 2008 01:25 AM

I'm not a PETA fan at all, but as a mother of an Autistic Child, This add does not offend me. In fact, I think its time to start offending people more in this nation. As a people we've gone soft, we try to silence those that hurt our feelings. Political correctness has led to this Autism Explosion, because in an effort not to 'offend' certain groups that may need to be vaccinated more then others, information has been withheld from responsible parents. We've been given a one size fits all vaccine schedule. So I think we should all just start being a little more offensive, and maybe stuff will get done. And yeah, don't drink milk, its nasty.

Posted by: Manny | October 2, 2008 01:35 AM

I am not personally a vegetarian, but last year when we took my 4 year old son off of milk, casein all dairy, we started to see amazing changes in his behavior and speech. He still has Autism, but is no longer in a black hole of darkness. And we are not done fighting yet. I think people who say this does not work, well how do you know everyone is different. And as a mother of a child with Autism, I do not at all find this offensive I find it truthful, at least for us.

Posted by: DANIELLE MANGLIS | October 2, 2008 10:31 AM

You say 'in a study'...
How many children were tested, how was the dubble blinding testing?
Or is this a test like the one you claimed autism was caused by vaccination, in which test there were only 12 kids who were tested?

Posted by: Zinzia | October 2, 2008 11:31 AM

Hey guys, I'm a vegan with a child with an ASD I am curious for who funded this research, the smart money says PETA. Did you write the results before they completed they research--smart money says YES!!! Any developmental pediatricians consulted? Smart Money says --NO! How can anybody defend this campaign?

Posted by: Jeffg | October 2, 2008 12:40 PM

I am a special education teacher, and although there have been some links between certain behaviors associated with autism and casein, removing milk products from the diet does not always improve these behaviors. This is a very bold move on PETA's part, to make such harsh accusations. Let's do a little more research, and consider all influences.

Posted by: Heather | October 2, 2008 01:05 PM

Removing milk did wonders here. I don't need science, I have two eyes, and a bunch of recovered children. Removing milk is just part of it, but get a grip, do you think thousands would be saying it worked just for the fun of it, or do you think they may see results. If you are not getting results than you are not also removing other junk in the diet. You can't take out milk and leave in MSG and wheat and expect results.

Posted by: Heidi | October 2, 2008 01:22 PM

drinking alcohol when pregnant is the leading cause of autism in america not milk

another major source of autism is

pesticides wich are part of growing veg products

Posted by: kd7mxi | October 2, 2008 02:21 PM

PETA never said that milk causes Autism. They simply pointed to a study which showed a link to milk and the worsening of symptoms.

I see that many parents are saying, "this can't be true because it's not true for my child". That is called anecdotal evidence and one case is no good as proof.

For example, some people smoke their whole lives and never get lung cancer. Does that mean that smoking does not cause lung cancer? Of course not.

To me the bottom line is your right to know the scientific evidence. If one day I read that magnesium pills might cause cancer, I'm off them, even if the evidence is weak!

PETA's link brings you to a journal of medicine from Italy that was written by scientists at a pediatric hospital. You can't get any better than that.

As far as being offended, I think that what's most troublesome is that PETA will use any challenge or tragedy to further their cause.

It would have really made a difference here if PETA had provided a link to groups who help autistic people and parents, or if PETA had invited someone with autism who was helped by a vegan lifestyle.

It would have shown that PETA cares about autistic people as well.

Posted by: Maya, CVT | October 2, 2008 02:43 PM

kd7mxi,

Alcohol is not related to autism, but it is the leading cause of fetal alcohol syndrome...they are two entirely different diseases.

-------------------------

Here is a nice summary from the CDC website:

"In 1998, a study of autistic children raised the question of a connection between the MMR vaccine and autism.

This study had a number of limitations. For example, the study was very small, involving only 12 children. These are too few cases to make any generalizations about the causes of autism.

In addition, the researchers suggested that MMR vaccination caused bowel problems in the children, which then led to autism. However, in some of the children studied, symptoms of autism appeared before symptoms of bowel disease.

In 2004, 10 of the study's 13 authors retracted the study's interpretation. The authors stated that the data were not able to establish a causal link between MMR vaccine and autism.

Other larger studies have found no relationship between MMR vaccine and autism. For example, researchers in the United Kingdom studied the records of 498 children with autism born between 1979 and 1998. They found:

The percentage of children with autism who received MMR vaccine was the same as the percentage of unaffected children in the region who received MMR vaccine.

There was no difference in the age of diagnosis of autism in vaccinated and unvaccinated children.
The onset of "regressive" symptoms of autism did not occur within 2, 4, or 6 months of receiving the MMR vaccine.

Groups of experts, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, agree that MMR vaccine is not responsible for recent increases in the number of children with autism. In 2004, a report by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) concluded that there is no association between autism and MMR vaccine, or vaccines that contain thimerosal as a preservative."

--------------------

It is an understandable reaction to try and find something or someone to blame, but vaccines are not the culprit. In the past, autism was even blamed on bad parenting...much like vaccines, this is not the cause of autism.

Posted by: Derek, MD | October 2, 2008 04:40 PM

I think we are also overlooking the obvious...there are so many more chemicals and drugs in milk today than years ago. Maybe it is not always the casein. I think that maybe each case is individual and what works for one, might not work for another but I dont think anything should be discounted until tried personally.

Posted by: Shondra | October 2, 2008 07:06 PM

Jeffg,

Instead of speculating that PETA deceptively funded a one-sided study, check out the links. As Maya pointed out, one study was done at the University of Rome.

In the particular case of my friends' autistic child, they saw a noticeable improvement when the child adopted a dairy- and gluten-free diet. They didn't get their info from the PETA Files, so obviously this information is not in PETA's sole domain or control.

Posted by: Mike Quinoa | October 2, 2008 08:28 PM

AND WHATS WRONG WITH AUTISM?

autistic kids are often more creative then so called normal kids and often times have photographic memories KIM PIEK FOR EXAMPLE

this makes them smarter in certain ways

MAYBE NOT SOCIALY - BUT MENTALLY

SOCIAL SMARTS IS THE ABILITY TO EXPRESS YOURSELF AND DRESS YOURSELF AND ETC

Posted by: kd7mxi | October 2, 2008 10:06 PM

THE ADVERTISEMENT SAYS MILK CAUSES AUTISM

NOT MAKES AUTISM WORSE

RETHINK THE ADVERTISEMENT MESSAGE PETA

Posted by: kd7mxi | October 2, 2008 10:10 PM

I find it extremely unfortunate that PETA has chosen to prey on parents of children with autism to support their cause, which is clearly to prevent animals from being mistreated during milk production. Over the course of my ten years working with children who have autism, I have met families who have mortgaged their homes when Dateline reported that scretin also showed "marked improvement" in children diagnosed with autism. I have met parents who have paid $350 (out of pocket) for Chelation Therapy, which to the best of my knowledge has to date never been approved by the FDA as a treatment for autism (and has reportedly caused death in some cases). Most of these and similar "treatments" are fueled by TV news reports and studies that have been conducted by proponents of the "treatments", who have something to gain. You find very few, if any, evidence-based studies that prove these “treatments” to be effective.
To date, there is no known cause for autism. Many speculate links; however there is no known cause. There is also no cure for autism. Again, there are no studies that are peer reviewed nor evidence-based that prove that a gluten/cassein free diet will in fact cure, or lessen the "symptoms" of autism. I have sat in a workshop offered by a dietician and listened to a very well-versed woman tell parents that she has "cured" children with autism by removing gluten/cassein from their diets. This is horrifying to me, especially because she only had “studies” conducted by herself and other colleagues in her practice to support her claims.
Parents in general are vulnerable when it comes to the health and livelihood of their children. I’ve met parents of children with autism who had expressed that they often felt helpless and guilty that they haven't explored every option to help their children. Billboards, news items, etc. that report on only portions of facts, or on facts that are not fully defined (what does “marked improvement” actually mean?) are not only doing a disservice to families, but are also cruel.
I think that PETA should display billboards of mistreated cows and leave people diagnosed with autism out of their misdirected rants.

Posted by: Jennifer | October 2, 2008 11:00 PM

I'm 17 and I was diagnosed with Asperger's (highly-functioning autism for those of you who don't know) only within the past year, although i've had symptoms since I was much younger. Never really drank milk, wasn't fond of it. If autism is linked to milk consumption then so be it. If you're really worried about it, don't give your kids milk. There are plenty of viable alternatives. I think it'd probably take unnatural quantities of milk over several years though to have any harmful effect.
Onto the advertisment: I do believe that people need to pull their heads out of their asses and start being more open-minded, even when it comes to petty things such as advertisments. Stupid ad, yes, but try and understand the reasoning behind it.

You all know that ignorance is the downfall of this country, yes?

Posted by: Brennan | October 2, 2008 11:56 PM

One study in one pediatric hospital is also anecdotal.

"More research is needed, but scientific studies have shown that many autistic kids improve dramatically when put on a diet free of dairy foods. One study of 20 children found a major reduction in autistic behavior in kids who were put on a casein-free diet (casein is a component of cow's milk). And another study done by researchers at the University of Rome showed a "marked improvement" in the behavior of autistic children who were taken off dairy products."

A couple of children whose behavoir got better after cutting of the milk, is also anecdotal. 20 kids is not worth to be named a study.

Posted by: Zinzia | October 3, 2008 08:26 AM

PLEASE don't put this out there. Autism is NOT DIRECTLY LINKED to milk. Some children have a casein sensitivity or allergy to casein which is in MANY other things than milk. Casein doesn't CAUSE autism, do your research! People who are affected with autism will NOT appreciate you using this as your slogan. Autism is serious, and its a condition, not a disease that can be CURED. I LOVE MY AUTISTIC SON.

Posted by: Dawn | October 3, 2008 10:02 AM

I have three sons. The middle one is autistic. He and his brothers have been drinking cow's milk since they were one. They all have the same amount and only one is on the spectrum!

We have tried diet changes with our autistic son, including removing dairy and saw no change.

I know this ad is a play on words of the "Got Milk" campaign, but "Got Autism" with a frowny face is deeply hurtful and offensive!

While I wish my child with autism was typical, I wouldn't trade the lessons he has taught our family for the world.

I LOVE animals, but PETA is just so extreme!

I sincerely hope PETA rethinks this campaign!!!!!!

Posted by: Jennifer | October 3, 2008 05:11 PM

I am saddened by some of the comments I have read on this topic.
I think it is really important to listen to the parents of the children who are autistic. They are the ones who see the correlation between the onset of autism and different triggers.
Unfortunately vaccinations seem to be one of those triggers.

Derek, a parent who has witnessed the sudden demise in their child's health after a vaccination does not need 'scientific proof'. Please acknowledge these parent's intelligence. At this place in time we do not have scientific proof; unfortunately there exist many parents who have seen the 'proof' with their own eyes.

If you have a child with autism you will try everything that has a possibility of making a difference. While it may not work for your child, it could work for some other young person.
In the world of health, scientific proof, has often been far behind what many parents have known all along. Let us all keep an open mind and trust in each other's experiences.
Please, let us all keep sharing our ideas and observations.

Posted by: Dar | October 3, 2008 11:46 PM

I find the banner - and the article - super offensive. I work with autistic children and it's no joke, a banner like this is offensive in more ways than one to autistic children and their families (i am not referring to the milk being linked to autism part, but the image and slogan itself).
About the article, i reckon that, until proven properly one should not release this kind of rumour either. It's the same thing tabaco companies do when they release a study that says "cigarettes don't cause cancer" it's a vague study - i haven't seen any proving in this article to make me believe this statement (yours) thus it should be further proven before released into the public.

I am an avid supporter of animal rights, i don't consume corpses, I respect PETA and the hardwork done by and on PETA'S behalf, but it is my opinion, my intrinsic values that, if one is to respect animal life, he/she should start by respecting human life (or respect them equally). Treating Autism as propaganda for quiting milk, and treating it as a "sad" disease or a quick slogan is not respecting all forms of human life.

i do not mean to rant too much, i apolagise for this, i still respect PETA imensley - just not on this article. Definitely not.

Posted by: Sara | October 4, 2008 03:30 AM

I just wanted to comment a little on my experience with eliminating milk from my diet.

Now first and foremost, with the amount of pollution of air and groundwater, and limited access to organic fruits and vegetables I find in my small city, a person can only do so much to prevent or alleviate symptoms of disease through their diets and life styles.

However, upon reading up on the amount of pus, blood, hormones, antibiotics etc. that I was consuming by choosing to use milk in my diet, I decided to try to make the switch over to soy milk. Since doing so, I no longer have indigestion or bloating after my morning cereal! And usually when I catch a cold, I lose my voice; since making the switch over, I have not lost my voice with a cold, and I find I can breath much easier and feel more energetic and less (gassy, I may as well say it) on a regular basis.

One day we ran out of soy and I had to resort to my room mate's cow's milk -- I had a stomach ache and gas instantly.

I am manager of a weight loss and nutrition center and the owner recently produced a PETA article about animal abuse in the meat and dairy industry, which only fueled my passion for not drinking milk, and furthered it to a strong belief that I can be healthy, fit, and make a difference in the world ALSO by eliminating all animal products. I'm presently making the switch over from elimination of dairy products alone to vegetarianism. This is day three guys!! Wish me luck! Although with the videos I've seen and the disgusting books and articles I've read, I don't believe I'll need much "luck".

ALSO I have to admit that even though I am appaulled by what goes on behind the closed doors of a barn or slaughter house, I am more worried about my own health than the lives of the dairy/meat producing animals. Farming and meat processing is not what it used to be. Small family farms where humane and even mutual relationships between animals and humans existed, and where harmful hormones, antibiotics, pesticides, and poisons were NOT used, have switched drastically in the other direction. As a daughter of a man who died of prostate cancer at the age of 55, a young lady who has found a lump in my breast, and a mother of one, it scares me to death -- I do not let my daughter drink milk either, and am now going to work on giving her a healthy vegan and organic life style just like I want for myself and all the people I know! I applaud PETA for helping to bring to light so many real, terrifying matters that are masked so well by the industry.

PETA you've changed the mind and life of another family! Keep it up and keep working to spread the word!

Posted by: Cody | October 4, 2008 09:54 AM

I think people need to calm down and read the article carefully. There in no way shape or form does PETA claim that MILK CAUSES AUTISM. I cannot see for one second how this campaign can be offensive!!! There isn't one word that is derogatory at all. I heard people say "show us the study.." etc. The link is there. CLICK! There are MANY things that we eat that are very harmful in many ways. The FDA is NOT our friend. There is an ACCEPTABLE amount of FECES that can be found in ground beef, SPLENDA took MANY times to pass through as acceptable because it was found harmful to humans and animals....etc. Now that doesn't mean that EVERYONE who drinks milk or eats meat or eats SPLENDA is going to be autistic, get Alzheimer's Disease, have memory loss, etc. This article does not even ELUDE to this point. We are all individual and are sensitive to different items we ingest or use and react in different ways. The study found A LINK to the two. PETA's job is to point out the deception of the meat and dairy industry. That is their job. And in my opinion, they do it well. I do not think for one second they meant to offend. In some of their campaigns, heck yeah...they do mean to offend. But not this one. It is education. It is food for thought. As a person who works with people that have disabilities, I found NOTHING offensive to this. ALL people need to be educated. Don't expect the government or big businesses to do it for you! NOT gonna happen. Not when it will effect the gold lining of their greedy pockets.

Posted by: Gretchen | October 6, 2008 07:59 PM

This is a horrible campaign. As a parent of multiple children with autism I find it offensive that PETA could use such a devastating DISORDER not a disease to base unfounded claims on. First off, the link is between gluten and casein which is found in many things besides dairy products. Also, our children are not your poster market to use for your gains. Use scientific evidence, use proof, use something that actually has merit to it to get your point across. Many of our children lead difficult lives as it is and as parents we get targeted constantly with false cures and causes as if we are abusing our children. Do not add to the hysteria, do not make it worse. Find another outlet but by all means, do not use my children and the countless others to make your point.

Posted by: Krystal | October 7, 2008 09:02 AM

I have a child with autism and we stopped giving him milk products at 2 years old. Other than helping with diarrhea, it has not had any other beneficial effect on him. I personally find this advertisement very offensive. There are better ways to "get the word out." It seems to me that PETA is trying to take advantage of my son's condition and the Autism community to promote their own agenda - they are only using autism because so much attention on the condition is in the media right now, and because the etiological studies are unclear - this is not right for you to do this. If you have any respect for my child and his fellow members of the Autism community, please change your advertisement, or drop it altogether. For an organization that prizes ethical treatment, this is the most ethical thing for you to do. Thank you.

Posted by: Emily Sudbrink | October 7, 2008 09:49 AM

I agree with what Krystal said

"Find another outlet but by all means, do not use my children and the countless others to make your point."

PETA needs to find another way to be hostile towards animal cruelty. Using children with autism is not a great source. PETA needs a good reputation in order to scientifically and emotionally convince people to go vegan. Putting a billboard in the most dense area of 8 year old autistic kids (2002 study) may have been crossing the line. Publically attacking the "Got Milk" campaign (which many people appreciate) may not have been the best move to make, especially if your goal is to check-mate the dairy industry.

Posted by: Blake | October 7, 2008 03:37 PM

Beautifully said Krystal. :)

Posted by: Karen | October 7, 2008 08:17 PM

Bottom line. PETA owes the autism community a HUGE apology. HUGE HUGE HUGE. My mouth is hanging wide open at the audacity of this campaign. I have an autistic son who has been reading since he was 3. With a very literal mind, how do you think a 5 year old would take this ad??? Even if he read it VERY carefully? Isn't advocacy (whether it be animal or human rights) about expanding people's perspective and opening their minds? What if your child doesn't have autism, but has, say, brown hair and the ad said "how now brown cow?" with a frowny face and a tag saying milk is link with the "devastating disease" of having brown hair. It doesn't matter how catchy the ad title is, or what it is a parody of. "clever" is NOT the word that comes to my mind.Please...THINK people!

Posted by: Jen P | October 7, 2008 11:13 PM

First and foremost, PETA should do their homework before making up statistics that are not real. The CDC Study cited was misrepresented by PETA. The study included the city of Newark but the data was not seperated out by county or municipality. In fact, the rates they showed were by States and the CDC does not cite Newark as having the highest rates in the country. In the future, you should review the data and consumers you should not be mislead. Also, the 2 European studies are based on small samples sizes of about 20 in one and 30 children in another. Studies this small are rarely generalizable to the greater public.
PETA, do better homework. Anyone that reads the reports you've cited will know that you have mislead them for your benefit. I have had respect for your organization in the past, but this was irresponsible and I would hope for your reputation and credibility you would consult experts in the field to make sense of current research that is out there.

Posted by: C2H | October 8, 2008 09:54 AM

I am medical doctor, a student in public health, and a strong believer in animal rights. I am also a parent of a child with autism. I agree with your cause but found that ad exploitative and misleading. That research you refered to is poor quality and not reproduced by other investigators. It is irresponsible to center an ad campaign on it. I find it personally offensive that you are suggesting my wife caused my daughter's autism by drinking milk supported only by this weak research. Please stick to well supported facts or moral grounds and leave out the pseudoscience. No investigator has demonstrated in a scientifically rigorous manner the cause/s of autism. To suggest otherwise is incorrect.

Posted by: Garrett | October 9, 2008 04:04 PM

Yes, in fact, I do have Autism.

And it wasn’t from drinking milk.

I am a high functioning autistic student in university who just read one of your adds on Autism being worsened by cow’s milk.
I drink cow's milk every day and my behaviour is just fine, thanks.

I have been working in the education system and in community outreach for years delivering talks about Autism –and never before in my research and discussions have I come across milk being a factor. These kinds of adds are exactly what is causing Autism ignorance in communities. If you’re going to try and scare people, at least show them the facts.

Not all Autistics are affected by cow’s milk because AUTISM IS DIFFERENT FOR EVERY CHILD.

Some children benefit from 'gluten free diets' and others don't. Some will react poorly to milk and others won’t.

This is because Autism affects us differently per person.

I would kindly ask that you clarify your add and that you would stop using our developmental disability as a pawn in your scare tactics.

Posted by: Autistic student | October 9, 2008 06:34 PM

I have autism. Not only is this advert inaccurate, it is also very offensive to autistic people.

The consumption of gluten and casein can exacerbate autistic symptoms in some people. This is why a minority of autistics follow gluten and casein free diets. But the consumption of gluten and casein does not cause autism (if it did, wouldn't the entire planet be autistic?) and they don't affect all autistic people adversely. I can eat foods containing gluten and casein (that's everything from bread to tomatoes, by the way) without experiencing any ill effects whatsoever.

People are born autistic. The genetic component is strong. This is shoddy research, and it's just another attempt at fear-mongering - if you eat this/don't eat that, your child will be cradle-snatched by the terrible autism monster!

I'm tired of being used as a poster girl for other people's causes.

Posted by: Vicky | October 10, 2008 08:36 AM

Perhaps you have to be the parent of a child with autism to feel what they feel when seeing the poster. As l cant see it as being offensive at all, l see a question about whether your child as autism, along with a sad face. Have we not been told, and seen film of autistic children that often do feel deep sadness, and heard that message from parents of the difficulties they and their child can experience. Hasnt there been campaigns by the represtatives from autistic groups that they should not be ignored or unacknowledged.
Of course the ad isnt making fun or light of the problem,
even if peta were doing it solely for their own ends, re to encourage people to stop drinking milk, they wouldnt be joking about it, but l do think they are just advicing that there can be a connection in drinking milk and increasing symptoms,so it is up to parents if they are prepared to try whatever may help, if you dont need advice or help, just ignore it, but l dont think being the victim
helps anyone.

l would appreciate any advice about my sons glue ear, his diabetes, my allergies,i.c,ibs,cancer which is in your face 24-7,
its about keeping an open mind and trying things that might help, if they dont it was worth a try.
l actually love soya milk, tried for other reasons, and remained with it.

Posted by: lynne | October 10, 2008 06:33 PM

I want to know: WHERE DOES THIS ARTICLE SAY THAT DRINKING MILK CAUSES AUTISM?? I can't find it. Lynne, I appreciate your comment. I think it is well thought and fair.

Posted by: Gretchen | October 12, 2008 11:10 PM

Will someone please let the people here know that no where in the article does it say Milk causes autism. Those of you who have children with autism need to really read through it again. And secondly, this is one study. No where does it give you the details about the study, who the subjects were, and so on. Its not the end all....this is one study, perhaps not a great one....but casein (the protein that breaks apart during digestion) is also found in human milk...however a cow is drugged up with so many hormones and steroids could have more harmful effects for anyone really.
I can understand how someone would get offended for the pic used here; its not a joke...they should have left it out....
btw, casein is also found in cheese and many other products made from milk-so people should consider that also when they mention the cut-off of milk in their diet and didn't see any improvements. There are so many things that you wouldn't think have milk as an ingredient.

Posted by: pebbles | October 16, 2008 03:54 PM

As a special education teacher, a vegan, and a peta fan, I approach this ad with mixed feelings; however, my gut tells me this billboard is the wrong move for PETA. Listen when I say that there is nothing inherently wrong with having autism. It is not a disease; it is a developmental disorder. People with autism think differently from others. And that is okay! It's just that the other people around that person have a hard time understanding that person. We have to seek to understand people with autism because they see the world differently than we do. It is our job as people to make this crazy world more palatable for people with autism so that they can become more self-sufficient and content in the world. While I think that the world needs to be educated about links between autism and environmental factors (plus milk is just so disgusting and awful for you anyway), I think this ad will offend and alienate more people than help. If I weren't a vegan already, I would approach this billboard with utmost disgust, which would not do me, people with autism, PETA, or animals any good at all. Associating autism with that sad face and proclaiming, "Got Autism" like it is a terrible thing is just awful. We should seek to help people with autism to thrive in a world that they have a hard time understanding, not label them with a sad face because they don't fit society's cookie cutter standards.

Posted by: Allison | October 16, 2008 05:39 PM

I've been diagnosed with high function autism and I find this to be extremely offensive. It misrepresents what autism is and just puts up more walls for people like myself who are already having so much trouble overcoming steryotypes and discrimination. I'm in my 20's and attending college at a major univeristy...the bowl of milk and cereal is just too much....I can only imagine how this image will harm those who are younger and more sensitive than myself....PETA should pull this add immediately and issue a formal apology.

Posted by: stacey | October 16, 2008 10:08 PM