Kelly Harold is helping neurodivergent people make sense of the news and take action

Over the past 25 years, news consumption habits have changed greatly. In 2000, nearly 50% of Americans read a daily paper or habitually watched the evening news. These fact-checked outlets instilled confidence and helped consumers make choices.

Today, social media and content creators have added a sometimes overwhelming layer of noise on top of traditional outlets.

The result, especially as it relates to reporting on neurodivergence, is headline fatigue, rising stress levels, and narratives that — while critical to societal acceptance — too often blur the line between community building and misinformation.

Research shows that up to 57% of social media content about neurodivergence is misleading. Yet millions of neurodivergent people and their families are making critical life decisions in exactly this environment — flooded with noise they can’t necessarily trust.

They may find themselves wondering:

• “Does Tylenol cause autism?

• “Will the Department of Education really shut down?”

• “Does red dye cause ADHD?”

Families need to know where to turn for trusted analysis, clear guidance, and support.

Understood’s Kelly Harold was perfectly positioned to help. As the parent of a child with ADHD, she knows what families are concerned about. And before she came to Understood, she’d spent nearly two decades at ABC News. As managing editor, she helped viewers parse fact from fiction while covering critical topics such as:

• Immigration and deportation

• The COVID-19 pandemic

• Gun violence in America

Kelly began building a newsroom to counter misinformation. The goal? To offer fact-based guidance that people could understand. She developed a strategy that drew on Understood’s existing expertise to monitor developing issues and anticipate future ones. 

Understood’s network of 90+ experts mirrored the trusted sources that traditional newsrooms rely on for subject matter expertise. The research team could provide data-driven analysis to add depth to the newsroom’s reporting. And trusted voices from the Understood Podcast Network, the Understood YouTube channel, and the Understood.org content library could be tapped to deliver news stories.

Since January 2025, the Understood News team has researched and created more than 60 original articles, videos, and podcast episodes to address news related to neurodivergence. And this May, Understood News began offering a weekly newsletter of its original reporting. Now readers can keep up with news about neurodivergence — and easily understand what it means for them and their families.

“I really appreciate how you break things down and actually share the sources instead of just giving a biased take. It makes such a difference having the info right there to look at for myself.” (YouTube)

Check out our career page for open roles that match your skill set. Help fund our work so we can continue to provide free access to expert-vetted tools and resources that help neurodivergent individuals and their families thrive at work, school, and home. Donate to support our mission.