Publications - Autism Spectrum Disorders

What Are the Types of Autism Spectrum Disorders?, by Roy Benaroch, Web MD, Nov 19 2016.

“Autism spectrum disorders include social, communication, and behavioral challenges. These problems can be mild, severe, or somewhere in between. Early diagnosis is important, because early treatment can make a big difference. ”

New Data Shows Parents’ Age May Influence Risk of Autism, Not Schizophrenia, by Rick Nauert PhD, Psych Central, Oct 4 2016.

“The debate as to whether children of older parents have a higher risk for autism or schizophrenia has been going on for more than 30 years, and a new study from Denmark adds relevant and rigorous data to the question. Their analysis suggests parents who reproduce later in life are more likely to have children who develop autism disorders. Having children later in life was not, however, associated with increased risk for schizophrenia in offspring. ”

Hearing Test May Predict Autism Risk Sooner: Study, by Robert Preidt, WebMD, Aug 1 2016.

“"A simple hearing test may help identify young children at risk for autism before they're old enough to speak, a new study suggests..." "This technique may provide clinicians a new window into the disorder and enable us to intervene earlier and help achieve optimal outcomes, " said study co-author Anne Luebke, an associate professor in the departments of biomedical engineering and neuroscience. ”

Weight gain studied for second-generation antipsychotics for autism spectrum disorders, by Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Jul 18 2016.

“Some of the most effective treatments for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are also well known for their risk of weight gain and subsequent health complications. For the first time, however, researchers have compared five of these second generation antipsychotics (SGAs) to determine which ones are the biggest culprits. ”

The Benefits Of Recruiting Employees With Autism Spectrum Disorder, by Roberta Holland, Forbes, Jul 11 2016.

“There’s a new frontier in diversity programs focused not on race or gender but on cognitive ability. The growing interest in neurodiversity--hiring people with cognitive disabilities like Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) —is motivated by companies looking to tap into a largely unnoticed labor pool at a time when many bemoan the lack of skilled workers. ”

Autism—It's Different in Girls, by Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, Mar 1 2016.

“One in 68 children in the U.S. is affected by autism—but new research suggests that current diagnostic methods overlook girls, meaning even more kids may be on the spectrum.  Behavioral and preliminary neuroimaging findings suggest autism manifests differently in girls. Notably, females with autism may be closer to typically developing males in their social abilities than typical girls or boys with autism.  Girls with autism may be harder to diagnose for several reasons, including criteria developed specifically around males and overlapping diagnoses such as obsessive-compulsive disorder or anorexia. ”

Mindfulness can improve living with a disability, by Yoon-Suk Hwang, The Conversation, Jan 10 2016.

“Mindfulness, a meditative practice focusing on attention and awareness training, has been shown to have positive effects on mental and physical wellbeing. A recent review of studies has also shown that mindfulness meditation helps people with intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorder reduce their mental and physical problems. ”

Sniffing could provide autism test, by James Gallagher, BBC , Jul 3 2015.

“The way children sniff different aromas could form the basis of a test for autism, suggest researchers in Israel. People spend longer inhaling the delightful aroma of a bouquet of roses than the foul stench of rotting fish. The results of tests on 36 children, in the journal Current Biology, showed that there appeared to be no such difference in children with autism. ”

More Differences Than Similarities Are Found in Autistic Siblings, by Benedict Carey, New York Times , Jan 26 2015.

“Most siblings with a diagnosis of autism do not share the same genetic risk factors for the disorder and are as distinct in their behaviors as any brothers and sisters, scientists reported on Monday in a study that came as a surprise to many doctors, if not to parents. ”

Learning With Disabilities: One Effort To Shake Up The Classroom, by NPR Staff, NPR, Apr 27 2014.

“This is what an inclusive classroom looks like: Children with disabilities sit next to ones who've been deemed "gifted and talented." The mixing is done carefully, and quietly. Students don't necessarily know who's working at what level. Despite a court ruling 25 years ago that gave children with disabilities equal access to general education activities, change has been slow. Today, about 17 percent of students with any disability spend all or most of their days segregated. Children with severe disabilities can still expect that separation. ”

Autism rates now 1 in 68 U.S. children: CDC, by Miriam Falco, CNN , Mar 28 2014.

“One in 68 U.S. children has an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a 30% increase from 1 in 88 two years ago, according to a new report released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This newest estimate is based on the CDC's evaluation of health and educational records of all 8-year-old children in 11 states: Alabama, Wisconsin, Colorado, Missouri, Georgia, Arkansas, Arizona, Maryland, North Carolina, Utah and New Jersey. ”

Autism Spectrum Disorder (revised): The Complete Guide to Understanding Autism, by Chantal Sicile-Kira, Jan 7 2014.

Study: Signs of autism may show up as early as first month, by Miriam Falco, CNN , Nov 8 2013.

“The first signs of autism may be visible as early as the first month of a child's life, according to a study published Wednesday in the scientific journal Nature. "These are the earliest signs of autism ever observed," says lead study author Warren Jones. Researchers at the Marcus Autism Center in Atlanta followed 110 children from birth to age 3, at which point a diagnosis of autism was ascertained. Fifty-nine babies were considered "high risk" for developing an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) because they had siblings with autism; 51 were considered "low risk" because they did not have first, second or third-degree relatives with ASD. ”

Deleted genes offer autism clues, by BBC News, BBC , Oct 3 2013.

“US researchers looked at the genetic profiles of more than 431 people with an autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and 379 without. They found those with an ASD were more likely to have just one copy of certain genes, when they should have had two. UK experts said genetic factors were one promising area of research into the causes of autism. About 1% of the population has an ASD. They can run in families - but scientists have not identified a cause. Gene deletions or additions happen in everyone - it is why people are different. It is which genes are affected that determines what the effect is. ”

How Autism Is Different in Girls vs. Boys, by Shirley Wang, Wall St. Journal , May 6 2013.

“A growing consensus is arguing that sex differences exist in genetic susceptibility, brain development and social learning in autism-and they are meaningful to our understanding of the disorder and how it will be treated. ”