Climate activist Greta Thunberg has criticised an Australian journalist after he attacked and mocked her in a column.

“Where are the adults?” tweeted 16-year-old Greta Thunberg after soon-to-be-60 Andrew Bolt, a columnist for Rupert Murdoch’s The Herald Sun, called her “deeply disturbed” and said she had “so many mental disorders”.

The phrase appears to refer to the fact that Thunberg is on the autism spectrum.

“I am indeed ‘deeply disturbed’,” Thunberg tweeted, “about the fact that these hate and conspiracy campaigns are allowed to go on and on and on just because we children communicate and act on the science.”

Thunberg became famous after starting the school strike for climate in 2018, which sees students and young people around the world march for the environment. Her role in mobilising young people has earned her a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Greta Thunberg inspires climate activists everywhere: In pictures Show all 12 1 /12 Greta Thunberg inspires climate activists everywhere: In pictures Greta Thunberg inspires climate activists everywhere: In pictures In the protest that started a movement, Greta skips school to sit outside of the Swedish parliament in Stockholm in order to raise awareness of climate change on 28 August 2018 Getty Greta Thunberg inspires climate activists everywhere: In pictures Greta speaks at the World Economic Forum in Davos on 25 January AFP/Getty Greta Thunberg inspires climate activists everywhere: In pictures Greta stages a protest at the World Economic Forum in Davos on 25 January Reuters Greta Thunberg inspires climate activists everywhere: In pictures Greta speaks at the House of Commons in London on 23 April PA Greta Thunberg inspires climate activists everywhere: In pictures Greta addresses to the occupation at Marble Arch in London on 21 April AFP/Getty Greta Thunberg inspires climate activists everywhere: In pictures Greta meets the pope on a visit to Rome Reuters Greta Thunberg inspires climate activists everywhere: In pictures Greta speaks at the senate in Rome on 18 April Reuters Greta Thunberg inspires climate activists everywhere: In pictures Greta addresses a debate of the EU Environment, Public Health and Food Safety committee at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on 16 April AFP/Getty Greta Thunberg inspires climate activists everywhere: In pictures Greta receives the Special Climate Protection Award at the German Film and Television awards in Berlin on 30 March AFP/Getty Greta Thunberg inspires climate activists everywhere: In pictures Greta attends a children's climate protest in Berlin on 29 March AFP/Getty Greta Thunberg inspires climate activists everywhere: In pictures Greta addresses a children's climate protest on 1 March in Hamburg Getty Greta Thunberg inspires climate activists everywhere: In pictures Greta attends a meeting for the Civil Society For rEUnaissance at the EU Charlemagne Building in Brussels on 21 February AFP/Getty

The exchange happened on Thursday after Bolt published a column lashing out at the environmental activist, calling her “freakishly influential”.

“I have never seen a girl so young and with so many mental disorders treated by so many adults as a guru.”

I am indeed “deeply disturbed” about the fact that these hate and conspiracy campaigns are allowed to go on and on and on just because we children communicate and act on the science. Where are the adults? pic.twitter.com/xDSlN0VgtZ

Autism experts reacted to the column with fury.

“It just shows absolute ignorance and it’s particularly cruel,” Autism Awareness Australia wrote on Twitter.

“It also leads to misunderstanding in the wider community and his audience about what autism is.”

Steve Silberman, a science and mental health author, said the column was as offensive as if someone had written about a black activist, “called them a n**ger and portrayed them as eating watermelon”.

“The bottom line: Rupert Murdoch, owner of Fox News and The Herald Sun, is making money off of Andrew Bolt calling autistic people crazy,” he said.

The Guardian reported that the Australian Press Council had received a complaint about Andrew Bolt’s Herald-Sun column.