Regarding the Sunday, May 22 article about autism research by Faye Flam, Bloomberg View: In 1971 a friend, wife of a medical resident, was told her son was autistic because he had a cold mother who failed to make an emotional attachment to him — the belief at the time. As you can imagine, it nearly destroyed her with grief and guilt.

In 1967, I was pregnant and told I was 10 pounds over ideal weight. The medical school doctor said I was a candidate for eclampsia so I was limited to gaining only 9 pounds. It was torture and I actually weighed less after delivery than before. I’m amazed at current stories about 40-pound weight gains as normal. Eclampsia has a different explanation now.

Conclusion: Don’t fall for all you read or are told about medical conditions.