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UrduIn an Australian first, South Australia has appointed a new Assistant Minister for Autism, tasked to increase autism supports in public primary schools. This could not have come at a more urgent time as new research from the University of South Australia shows that parents world-wide report a lack of awareness and understanding of the unique learning needs of autistic children across all levels of mainstream school.
Tag: Autism
Eye test could screen children for autism
Measuring how the eyes’ pupils change in response to light—known as the pupillary light reflex—could potentially be used to screen for autism in young children, according to a study conducted at Washington State University.
Only Half of Children With Autism Receive Early Intervention Services
Despite a federal mandate requiring access to early intervention programs (EIP) for children with disabilities, fewer than half of autistic children in four New Jersey counties received services before 36 months of age, according to a Rutgers study.
New Resource: Mental Health Guide for Autistic College Students
Vanessa Bal, associate professor at the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology and the Karmazin and Lillard Endowed Chair in Adult Autism and Evan Kleiman, assistant professor of psychology at Rutgers, are available to discuss a newly created resource…
Scientists develop blueprint for turning stem cells into sensory interneurons
Key takeaways:
• Just like the real thing. The stem cell–derived interneurons, which play a role in sensations like touch and pain, are indistinguishable from their real-life counterparts in the body.
• Tomorrow’s therapies. In addition to potential treatments for injury-related sensation loss, the discovery could lead to new methods for screening drugs for chronic pain.
• Moving forward. While stem cells from mice were used in the research, scientists are now working to replicate the findings with human cells.
Social-sexual education for individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities
People with neurodevelopmental disabilities are often not given the tools to create romantic relationships in a meaningful, safe way. This puts them at risk for sexual abuse. A new educational program, tested in partnership with the UC Davis MIND Institute, may help foster healthy, romantic relationships.
Summer Institute focused on life after high school for kids with autism, ADHD, more
The UC Davis MIND Institute’s annual Summer Institute on Neurodevelopmental Disabilities is focused on strategies to support individuals with ADHD, Down syndrome, autism and more as they prepare for life after high school. The free, virtual event will take place Aug. 3 from 9:00 a.m. – 1:15 p.m. and is open to all.
Autistic adults have become increasingly visible in media, books, television, and more in the past decade, but challenges with representation persist
Researchers documented a shift toward more representation for adults in popular portrayals of autism, which have historically focused on children.
Joe C. Wen and family donate $20 million to support the new UCI Health Center for Advanced Care
Irvine, Calif., June 27, 2022 — Supported by a $20 million gift from Joe C. Wen and his family, the UCI Health outpatient clinical facility at the new UCI Health–Irvine complex will bring specialty clinical expertise closer to coastal and south Orange County residents on the UCI campus. “The Joe C. Wen & Family Center for Advanced Care at UCI Health–Irvine will play a special role in the life of south Orange County because of our unique ability to marshal all the resources of a comprehensive research university in support of delivering the best and most up-to-date care,” said UCI Chancellor Howard Gillman.
A mother’s blood may carry the secret to one type of autism
The reactivity of a mother’s autoantibodies to specific fetal brain protein patterns may predict the child’s diagnosis with a type of autism known as MAR ASD. MAR ASD was present in around 20% of kids with autism in Arkansas and Philadelphia samples and was linked to more significant autistic traits.
When it comes to ADHD and ASD, the eyes could reveal all
In the first study of its kind, researchers found that recordings from the retina could identify distinct signals for both Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) providing a potential biomarker for each condition.
Opioid Analgesic Fentanyl May Cause Autism-Like Behavior in Young Mice
Fentanyl, a mu-opioid receptor agonist, is one of the most commonly used analgesics in the hospital and may induce long-lasting behavioral and somatosensory impairment in rodents.
Stem Cells Either Overproduce or Underproduce Brain Cells in Autism Patients
Analyzing brain stem cells of patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Rutgers scientists have found evidence of irregularities in very early brain development that may contribute to the neuropsychiatric disorder.
Artificial Intelligence Reveals Links Between Individual Differences in Brain Anatomy and Differences in Autism Spectrum Disorder Symptoms
Differences in behavior among people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are closely related to differences in neuroanatomy – the shape of a brain – a team of Boston College neuroscientists report today in the journal Science. This discovery could help to understand the causes of ASD, and to develop personalized interventions.
Broad Spectrum of Autism Depends on Spectrum of Genetic Factors
UC San Diego researchers report significant progress in understanding how the combined effects of rare mutations and common genetic variation in determining whether a child will develop ASD and its consequential effects.
A wet nose and a wagging tail opens up a new world for autistic kids
A new study looking at the impact of an autism assistance dog for children and their parents has made an unexpected discovery: the dog has expanded their world, literally, giving them the confidence to visit a lot more places.
Adaptive swim classes build confidence, safety skills for autistic children
Based on the positive results of a new pilot study offering personalized aquatic occupational therapy for 19 autistic children, researchers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine will expand the program to include 36 autistic children over the next year.
Autistic Individuals Have Poorer Health and Healthcare
Autistic individuals are more likely to have chronic mental and physical health conditions, suggests new research from the University of Cambridge. Autistic individuals also report lower quality healthcare than others.
Visual System Brain Development Implicated in Infants who Develop Autism
For the first time, scientists have found that brain differences in the visual brain systems of infants who later are diagnosed with autism are associated with inherited genetic factors.
Adaptive swim classes build confidence, safety skills for children with autism
From SOURCEARU.com Based on the positive results of a new pilot study offering personalized aquatic occupational therapy for 19 children with autism, Ohio State University researchers will expand the program to include 36 children over the next year. Initial results…
Do early therapies help very young children with or at high likelihood for autism?
In an analysis of reviews published between 2009 and 2020 that assessed therapeutic or educational interventions for very young children with or at high likelihood for autism, researchers found that certain types of interventions—called naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions, developmental interventions, and behavioral interventions—can provide benefits, but there were significant limitations in the quality of the evidence and many differences in how studies were performed.
Does autism begin in the womb?
An international research group led by Professor Toru Takumi (Senior Visiting Scientist, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research) and Researcher Chia-wen Lin at Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine has shown that idiopathic autism*1 is caused by epigenetic*2 abnormalities in hematopoietic cells during fetal development, which results in immune dysregulation in the brain and gut.
Gene Therapy Reverses Effects of Autism-Linked Mutation in Brain Organoids
UC San Diego scientists use lab-grown human brain tissue to identify neural abnormalities in Pitt-Hopkins Syndrome and show gene therapy tools can rescue neural structure and function.
Autism, ADHD and school absence are risk factors for self-harm, according to new study
Research led by King’s College London and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has analysed factors associated with self-harm in over 111,000 adolescents aged 11-17 years old.
Study suggests early self-awareness of autism leads to better quality of life
People who learn they are autistic when they are younger may have a heightened quality of life and sense of well-being in adulthood.
Report: Autistic children at the intersection of race and poverty experience compounding health risks
A report from the Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health (AIR-P), a multi-site collaboration housed within UCLA Health’s Department of Medicine, highlights the intersection of autism, poverty and race/ethnicity and their compounding impact on health and health care.
Jewish autistic pupils thrive as bilingual learners, after communities reject advice “not to teach Hebrew”
Parents and teachers of Jewish autistic children say they frequently have to disregard outdated professional advice not to teach them Hebrew – a recommendation they describe as “stealing” their cultural identity.
Autism Prevalence is at 5 Percent or Higher in Many New Jersey Communities
In some New Jersey communities up to 8 percent of children have autism spectrum disorder (ASD) — more than triple the national average, according to a Rutgers study. The national average of children with ASD is 2 percent.
Rutgers Researchers Find Links to Genetic Disorders in Walking Patterns
Rutgers researchers have linked the genetic disorders Fragile X and SHANK3 deletion syndrome – both linked to autism and health problems – to walking patterns by examining the microscopic movements of those wearing motion-sensored sneakers.
Unusual visual examination of objects may indicate later autism diagnosis in infants
Unusual visual inspection of objects in infants may precede the development of the social symptoms characteristic of autism syndrome disorder, a UC Davis Health study has found.
Preemptive Therapy for Infants Showing Early Signs of Autism
JAMA PediatricsOriginal Investigation Effect of Preemptive Intervention on Developmental Outcomes Among Infants Showing Early Signs of Autism Article PDF JAMA Pediatrics EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2021 Media advisory: The full study is linked to this…
UC: Pilot study of diet/exercise in young adults with intellectual disabilities is promising
Adhering to a diet and exercise program to manage health can be a challenge for anyone.
Gene Messengers, Rather Than Genes, May Provide Best Disease Clues
Genes can be expressed in different ways depending on how cells process their messengers, aka splicing isoforms. Genetic mutations can damage some splicing isoforms but not others. UC San Diego School of Medicine researchers found that splicing isoforms hit by…
Brain Organoids Mimic Head Size Changes Associated with Type of Autism
Stem cell models derived from people with specific genomic variation recapitulate aspects of their autism spectrum disorder, providing a valuable model to study the condition and look for therapeutic interventions.
Learning a New Exercise Can Improve Cognitive Function in Children with Autism
Cognitive deficits are commonly found in children with autism. Research shows that exercise could be an effective intervention to lessen such deficits, yet why and how physical activity impacts cognitive function remains unclear. Investigators believed that apart from physiological factors,…
What a song reveals about vocal imitation deficits for autistic individuals
A new paper comparing the ability to match pitch and duration in speech and song is providing valuable insight into vocal imitation deficits for children and adults with autism spectrum disorder.
UNC TEACCH Researchers Awarded $9 Million for Study of Suicide Prevention Tailored for Youth on the Autism Spectrum
Brenna Maddox, PhD, assistant professor in the UNC Department of Psychiatry and an implementation scientist for the UNC TEACCH Autism Program, is co-leading a national study funded by a $9-million award from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) that will compare the effectiveness of two suicide prevention interventions for autistic individuals.
Study Shows Visual Evoked Potential Is a Promising Tool for Translational Research Into Phelan-McDermid Syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorders
Researchers at the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Mount Sinai have identified specific transient visual evoked potential waveform abnormalities in individuals with Phelan-McDermid syndrome (PMS), proving the method to be an effective, noninvasive technique to gather objective data from a range of individuals, including those who are profoundly affected.
Support for Adults with Autism
Autistic adults may have different behaviours or perspectives in the workplace or in social situations which may lead them into compromised situations.
Brain Organoid Study Highlights Potential Role of Genetic and Environmental Interaction in Autism Spectrum Disorder
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have shown in a brain organoid study that exposure to a common pesticide synergizes with a frequent autism-linked gene mutation.
Study Identifies a Neural Signal that May Help Explain Social-Cognitive Ability in Autism
An electroencephalogram (EEG) study of adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) identified a neural signal that may help explain the variation of how those with ASD perceive or understand the mental states of others (called “Theory of Mind”).
California’s Top Autism and Special Education Law Firm Director James D. Peters III Featured in Lawyer Monthly Magazine
Q&A with Peters addresses class action suit to obtain services for children with special needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rutgers Job Training Program for Autistic Adults Gets Boost from Local NJ Logistics Company
With the pandemic shutting down on-campus jobs, Bettaway Supply Chain Services steps in to collaborate with Rutgers Center for Adult Autism Services (RCAAS), providing local jobs, career pathing and support for adults on the autism spectrum
Early Screening Tool Leads to Earlier Diagnosis and Treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorder
Chemotherapy can induce a painful peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), a chronic condition and common adverse effect for cancer patients undergoing treatment. Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, with colleagues elsewhere, have used a mouse model to demonstrate the pivotal role of cholesterol in CIPN, and proposed a novel therapeutic approach to reverse it.
Examining the ‘service cliff’ for youth with autism and their family caregivers
A team of researchers from the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences interviewed 174 families to examine the use of health, medical and social services for youth with autism
Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health to Host 38th Annual Advances in Developmental Pediatrics Conference
Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health will host the 38th annual Advances in Developmental Pediatrics Conference on May 24 to 26, 2021.
UTEP Study Examines Movement in Children with Autism
For more than a year, researchers at The University of Texas at El Paso’s Stanley E. Fulton Gait Research & Movement Analysis Lab in the College of Health Sciences have been using real-time 3D animation to investigate motor impairments in children who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The greatest takeaway from this study is that when teaching or coaching new movements to an individual with autism, the teacher or coach needs to understand the individual with autism’s specific motor learning characteristics.
CHOP Researchers Demonstrate How Dynamic Changes in Early Childhood Development May Lead to Changes in Autism Diagnosis
Researchers found that difficulties in diagnosing toddlers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) might be due to the dynamic nature of the disorder during child development. Children with clinical characteristics that put them on the diagnostic border of autism have an increased susceptibility to gaining or losing that diagnosis at later ages.
Study Shows Facial Emotions are Successfully Encoded in Brains of Those with Autism
A study led by Stony Brook University that tested neural activity in the brains of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) reveals that they successfully encode facial emotions in their neural signals – and they do so about as well as those without ASD.
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Researchers Find Individualized Training Is Key for Autistic Adolescents Learning to Drive
A new study identified clear strengths and a series of specific challenges autistic adolescents experience while learning to drive.