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News Related to Autism
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Vaccination Safe for Kids With Genetic Disorders
Oct. 30, 2009 (Philadelphia) -- Vaccination does not appear to cause autism or other health problems, even in children with certain genetic disorders, a new study suggests. Experts say the finding is noteworthy because in 2007 the Department of Health and Human Services conceded that vaccination cou
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Mercury Levels Same in Autistic, Other Children
Oct. 19, 2009 -- Blood levels of mercury are similar in children with autism, those with other developmental problems, and those who are developing typically, according to a new study. ''There has been discussion about whether children with autism have high levels [of mercury],'' says the study's le
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Melatonin Helps Autistic Kids Sleep
Oct. 12, 2009 (Baltimore) -- Low doses of melatonin may help children with autism get a better night's rest, researchers report. Eleven youngsters with autism ages 4 to 10 fell asleep more quickly and slept longer when given low-dose supplements of melatonin, says Beth Malow, MD, director of the Sle
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Autism May Be More Common Than Thought
Oct. 5, 2009 -- About 1% of U.S. children, or about one in 91, may have autism or an autism spectrum disorder, according to two new national surveys. The new estimate is a dramatic increase from the previously accepted number of one in 150. But experts who discussed the findings of the two new surve
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GI Problems and Autism: No Link Found
July 27, 2009 -- For years, a suspected link between gastrointestinal problems and autism has been debated, with medical reports describing GI symptoms in up to 84% of children with the developmental disorder. The debated link has limited epidemiologic evidence but popular widespread acceptance, lea
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Antidepressant No Help for Autism Behaviors
June 1, 2009 --The antidepressant Celexa, often prescribed for children with autism and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) to reduce repetitive behaviors, works no better than a placebo, according to a new study. Even worse, the medication was more likely than the placebo to produce adverse side effect
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Researchers See Recovery From Autism
May 11, 2009 -- One in 10 children diagnosed with autism or autism spectrum disorders may recover, says a researcher who presented data at the recent International Society for Autism Research meeting in Chicago. "We don't know for certain what percent of children are capable of moving off the spectr
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Gene Variants Hold New Clues to Autism
April 28, 2009 -- Rare genetic mutations are known to increase the risk of autism and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Now, researchers have identified new and common gene mutations -- also called gene variants -- that also boost the risk of the developmental disorders that affect an estimated one i
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Asperger's Syndrome: Stress Hormone a Clue
April 2, 2009 -- Asperger's syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder, may be linked to an unusual pattern in salivary levels of the stress hormone cortisol. A new study shows a sharp rise in salivary levels of cortisol soon after waking in typically developing 18-year-old men, but not in young men of t
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Maternal Bereavement Not Linked to Autism
March 30, 2009 -- Despite a possible connection between prenatal stress and autism, researchers in Denmark say the pain of losing a loved one during or just before pregnancy does not increase the baby's risk of autism later in life. Medical evidence has suggested that emotional trauma during or in t
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Two new studies are underway that could shed some light, one harnessing the power of vitamins.
