Publications - Autism Spectrum Disorders

Autism Risk Unrelated to Total Vaccine Exposure in Early Childhood, by National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute of Mental Health , Mar 29 2013.

“A child’s risk for developing an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is not increased by receiving “too many vaccines too soon,” according to a new study published in The Journal of Pediatrics. ”

Animals Bring Out Positive Social Behaviors in Kids with Autism, by Traci Pederen, Psych Central , Mar 10 2013.

“The simple presence of an animal can strongly enhance positive social behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), according to new research. For the study, researcher Marguerite E. O'Haire and colleagues from the University of Queensland, Australia, compared how children 5 to 13 years old with ASD interacted with adults and typically-developing peers in the presence of two guinea pigs compared to toys. ”

Five psychiatric disorders 'linked', by James Gallagher, BBC , Feb 28 2013.

“Autism, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder and schizophrenia all share several genetic risk factors, according to a major study. Versions of four genes increased the odds of all five disorders. Researchers hope to move the psychiatry away from describing symptoms towards fundamentally understanding what is going wrong in the brain. The findings were reported in the Lancet medical journal. ”

Study: Parents Get Little Help for Autistic Kids Who Wander, by Alexandra Sifferlin, Time , Oct 8 2012.

“Parents of autistic children say that one of the most stressful behaviors they have to contend with is their child wandering off alone -- so much so that it prevents families from engaging in activities outside the home -- and half of parents with concerns about their child's straying say they haven't received any guidance or advice on preventing the behavior. ”

Many Autistic Youth Struggle Right After High School, by Pedersen Traci, Psych Central , May 15 2012.

“Compared to young people with other disabilities, youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) struggle more as they navigate through work and higher education after high school. ”

Asperger's History of Overdiagnosis, by Paul Steinberg, New York Times , Jan 31 2012.

“Considered to be at the high-functioning end of the autism spectrum, Asperger syndrome has become more loosely defined in the past 20 years, by both the mental health profession and by lay people, and in many instances is now synonymous with social and interpersonal disabilities. ”

New Definition of Autism May Exclude Many, Study Suggests, by Benedict Carey, New York Times , Jan 19 2012.

“Proposed changes in the definition of autism would sharply reduce the skyrocketing rate at which the disorder is diagnosed and may make it harder for many people who would no longer meet the criteria to get health, educational and social services, a new analysis suggests. ”

Girls on the Spectrum: Q&A with the Author of Aspergirls, by Maia Szalavitz, Time Magazine , Dec 27 2011.

“Is Asperger syndrome really less common in girls and women, or are females just better than males at masking autistic symptoms? ”

Navigating Love and Autism, by Amy Harmon, New York Times, Dec 26 2011.

“Two college students with Asperger's Syndrome discuss how autism affects their lives and intimate relationships. ”

'Environmental' Poses a Knotty Challenge in Autism, by Perri Klass, New York Times , Aug 8 2011.

“Parents of children with autism often ask pediatricians like me about the cause of the condition, and parents-to-be often ask what they can do to reduce the risk. But although there is more research in this area than ever before, it sometimes feels as if it's getting harder, not easier, to provide answers that do justice to the evidence and also offer practical guidance. ”

Study: Siblings of Autistic Kids Show Similar Brain Activity, by Alice Park, Time Magazine , Jul 13 2011.

“In a study published in the journal Translational Psychiatry, scientists at the University of Cambridge report that even the unaffected siblings of autistic children show signs of brain differences that set them apart from children in non-autistic families. ”

Detecting Autism Early With a 5-Minute Questionnaire, by Alice Park, Time Magazine , Apr 28 2011.

“It's generally better to detect a disease sooner rather than later, but with some slowly progressing conditions, it's not always possible to pick out the first signs of trouble. ”

Straight Talk About Autism: Childhood and Adolescent Issues, by Attainment (Video), 2011.

Siblings of kids with autism have language delays, by Elizabeth Landau, CNN , Oct 8 2010.

“In families in which a child has autism, his or her siblings are more likely to have language delays or speech problems, a new study finds. ”

1001 Great Ideas for Teaching and Raising Children with Autism or Asperger's, by Ellen Notbohm and Veronica Zysk, 2010.