RFK Jr claims he can tell if children are unhealthy just by 'looking'

Secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services claims he can spot unhealthy children just by looking, sparking debate as experts stress complex conditions need proper medical assessment

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Could someone just look at your kid and instantly tell if they’re “suffering” from an undiagnosed complicated condition? According to US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, apparently you can.

 

He recently claimed he can spot children with mitochondrial issues or developmental problems, simply by observing their appearance and behaviour. No tests, no lab reports, just his eagle eye.

 

“I’m looking at kids as I walk through the airports today... and I see these kids that are just overburdened with mitochondrial challenges, inflammation... You can tell from their faces, movements, and lack of social connection I know that's not how our children are supposed to look,” he said in a recent interaction with the media during a public event in Austin, Texas.

 

 

He linked this to conditions like autism and mitochondrial dysfunction, a group of rare disorders where the body’s cells do not produce enough energy. In simple terms, he suggested his eyes alone are enough to know if a child is unwell.

Can someone really ‘see’ if a child is unhealthy?

Doctors and scientists have raised concerns. Many health professionals on social media agree that while some illnesses may show visible signs, such as pale skin in anaemia or fatigue in chronic illness, one cannot diagnose complex conditions like autism or mitochondrial disease by appearance alone.

 

Experts also worry such statements could:

• Spread misinformation about how diseases are detected
• Increase stigma around children with developmental differences
• Distract parents from seeking evidence-based medical advice

What are autism and mitochondrial disorders?

According to Cleveland Clinic, an American nonprofit academic medical centre in Ohio, autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects communication and behaviour. It’s diagnosed through structured assessments, not a “quick look”.

Mitochondrial disorders, on the other hand, are rare genetic conditions where cells cannot produce enough energy. They need blood tests, genetic studies, and sometimes muscle biopsies for diagnosis. 

Both conditions require medical expertise, testing, and time, not visual guesswork.

 

Earlier this year, RFK Jr told said that his department would release a report by September about the root causes of autism. 

Misinformation shadows measles crisis

Texas recently faced a severe measles outbreak with more than 900 infections, mostly in children. Health officials declared the outbreak over only last week. During this time, RFK, a longtime vaccine sceptic, continued promoting misleading anti-vaccine claims despite rising infections.

 

“It used to be, when I was a kid, that everybody got measles. And the measles gave you lifetime protection against measles infection,” he told Fox News in March. “The vaccine doesn’t do that. The vaccine is effective for some people for life, but for many people it wanes.”

 

On Wednesday, Kennedy also hailed the end of Covid vaccine mandates after the US Food and Drug Administration approved updated shots but restricted their use.