Brain changes in autism are comprehensive throughout the cerebral cortex rather than just particular areas thought to affect social behavior and language, according to a new UCLA-led study that significantly refines scientists’ understanding of how autism spectrum disorder The new study finds brain-wide changes in virtually all of the 11 cortical regions analyzed, regardless of… Continue reading Brain changes in autism are far more sweeping than previously known
Tag: autism
Advice for Those Facing a Late Autism Spectrum Diagnosis
Better late than never! That is the best outlook one can possibly have upon learning of an autism spectrum diagnosis long after the fact. This wisdom comes from experience. At first, I felt blindsided, frustrated, confused and let down that it took as long as it did (40 years), considering that I had already worked with a good number of clinicians… Continue reading Advice for Those Facing a Late Autism Spectrum Diagnosis
Pregnant? Better Skip the Pain Reliever Acetaminophen
A study funded by the National Institute of Health suggests that exposure to acetaminophen in the womb may increase a child’s risk for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder, suggests a study funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality, according to an NIH news release.… Continue reading Pregnant? Better Skip the Pain Reliever Acetaminophen
Setting up a Sensory Bedroom for a Child with Autism
Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental brain disease we are still learning a lot about. As the “spectrum” of the term implies, symptoms and severity vary from child to child. While the two disorders are not always co-occurring, many children with autism also have some form of sensory processing disorder, or SPD. Children with sensory… Continue reading Setting up a Sensory Bedroom for a Child with Autism
Girls’ Social Camouflage Skills May Delay or Prevent Autism Diagnosis
On parent-reporting measures, girls with autism seem to struggle more than boys with performing routine tasks like getting up and dressed or making small talk, even when the study group is normalized to meet similar basic clinical diagnostic criteria across sexes. The findings add to the growing evidence that girls with autism may show symptoms… Continue reading Girls’ Social Camouflage Skills May Delay or Prevent Autism Diagnosis
Pediatricians and Primary Care Doctors: How to Screen for Autism
Most children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or autism for short are now identified and diagnosed by age three. Yet, some researchers believe the first signs of the disorder could be detectable as early as 12 months. Everyone agrees early intervention will lead to the best outcomes for the child and his or her family.… Continue reading Pediatricians and Primary Care Doctors: How to Screen for Autism
The Autism Debate: What Causes It?
Earlier this year, Sesame Street added a new character to its popular and enduring television program. Julia, an adorable four-year-old, with a shy smile and red hair, looks like a typical Muppet. She’s upbeat, loves to pick flowers, paint, and sing. However, sometimes Julia will repeat certain words or phrases and she may not answer… Continue reading The Autism Debate: What Causes It?
Autism: Beware of Potentially Dangerous Therapies and Products
One thing that is important to know about autism up front: There is no cure for autism. So, products or treatments claiming to “cure” autism do not work as claimed. The same is true of many products claiming to “treat” autism or autism-related symptoms. Some may carry significant health risks. The Food and Drug Administration… Continue reading Autism: Beware of Potentially Dangerous Therapies and Products
Music Can Be A Major Key to Therapeutic Healing
Music plays a significant role in nearly everyone’s life, but for some people it represents much more than an invitation to dance or a soundtrack for the morning commute. Researchers have found that music therapy provides a diversion from negative feelings and helps manage the pain of not only adults, but of children with developmental,… Continue reading Music Can Be A Major Key to Therapeutic Healing
Winning the Vaccination Debate
Instead of arguing with someone who doesn’t believe in vaccinations, it’s better to focus on reminding them of their child’s well-being, a study shows. The researchers report their findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The widespread fear that vaccines causes autism began in 1998, when The Lancet medical journal published a… Continue reading Winning the Vaccination Debate
How A Protein Crucial To Learning and Memory Works
Researchers at Johns Hopkins have found out how a protein crucial to learning works: by removing a biochemical “clamp” that prevents connections between nerve cells in the brain from growing stronger. The finding moves neuroscientists a step closer to figuring out how learning and memory work, and may one day lead to drugs or other… Continue reading How A Protein Crucial To Learning and Memory Works
Virtual Reality Helps Autistic Adults Get Jobs
If you’re the parent of a grown or teenage child on the autism spectrum, you may have concerns about your offspring’s possibilities for employment and independent living. (See our ThirdAge article entitled “My Adult Son Has Asperger’s Syndrome.”) Now researchers at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago have created a new interactive computer program using human-based simulation that gives autistic adults repeated practice and feedback on their interviewing skills.