Autism News & Features
-
For Black Kids, Autism Caught Late in the Game
That delay means that young Black Americans miss out on early intensive treatment that is essential to help children with autism be better able to deal with school and social life, the researchers said.
-
Many With Autism Missing Out on Key Gene Tests
Very few people with autism receive two recommended genetic tests, a new study finds.
-
Pandemic Can Overwhelm Those With Autism
The coronavirus pandemic can be especially difficult for children and adults with autism and their families, experts say.
-
Uncles, Aunts May Increase Child's Odds for Autism
A child with an uncle or aunt with autism appears to have a more than doubled risk of being diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder themselves, a new U.S. government-funded study reports.
-
Common Plastics Chemicals Linked to Autism Traits in Young Boys
The study didn't identify a heightened risk for autism per se among boys, but rather a "small" increase in the chance for developing certain autism-related traits by age 3 or 4.
-
Could a Common Diuretic Med Help Ease Autism Symptoms?
If replicated in future trials, the drug treatment might be a breakthrough, since current treatments for autism in preschool kids are mainly behavioral -- therapies such as using play and activities with parents to improve a child's language, social and thinking skills.
-
Largest-Ever Study Ties Over 100 Genes to Autism
The study, involving over 50 centers around the globe, identified 102 genes associated with ASD -- including a few dozen that had not been recognized before.
-
Brain Waves Explain Sleep Woes in Kids with Autism?
The study found that the brain waves of children with autism are, on average, 25% weaker (shallower) than those of children without autism.
-
New Autism-Screening Guide Seeks Earlier Diagnosis
The new guidelines reinforce the importance of routinely screening 18- and 24-month-olds for the condition, which now affects one in every 59 children.
-
Acetaminophen in Pregnancy Might Raise Children's Odds of ADHD, Autism
New research shows that women who took acetaminophen, best known as Tylenol, at the end of their pregnancies were much more likely to have child with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or autism.
-
Antidepressant Doesn't Ease Obsessive Behaviors of Autism
The study randomly compared use of the drug to a placebo over 16 weeks. In the end, the researchers saw no meaningful clinical benefits from the drug.
-
Unlocking Speech for Kids With Autism
PRT is a set of behavioral techniques for motivating kids with autism to interact and communicate with other people during play activities and daily routines.
-
High Levels of Estrogen in Womb Might Raise Autism Risk
Prior studies had already implicated higher uterine concentrations of male sex hormones -- androgens -- in increasing the odds for an autism spectrum disorder.
-
Extreme Eating Could Be an Early Clue to Autism
A new study finds atypical eating behaviors -- such as hypersensitivity to food textures or pocketing food without swallowing -- in 70% of kids with autism. That's 15 times the rate typically found in children.
-
Autism Largely Caused by Genetics, Not Environment
he largest study of its kind, involving more than 2 million people across five countries, finds that autism spectrum disorders are 80% reliant on inherited genes.
-
Processed Foods in Pregnancy May Be Tied to Autism
Researchers from the University of Central Florida (UCF) College of Medicine in Orlando found that high levels of propionic acid (PPA) -- used in processed foods to extend shelf life -- change nervous system development in the fetal brain
-
Can Medical Marijuana Help Kids With Autism?
Parents of kids with autism should wait for more data before trying to treat them with medical marijuana, warned the lead researcher on the study.
-
Developmental Tests Might Spot Autism Earlier
In the study, young children whose normal development started to slip behind that of other kids appeared to be more likely to be later diagnosed with autism.
-
'Social' Hormone-Based Therapy May Aid in Autism
Two new studies focused on vasopressin, a hormone that has been implicated in the brain's ability to manage social behavior.
-
'Microbiome' May Be Key to Autism Symptoms
The gut-brain axis is a link that's getting more attention, said the study’s lead author, Ruth Ann Luna, an assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine.
-
Could Treating Gut Bacteria Help Autism Symptoms?
All the children in the study had severe digestive issues, so once they were more comfortable perhaps they were better able to focus and learn. Healthier microorganisms in the gut also may send chemicals to the brain that help children learn and make connections.
-
Study: Kids With Autism Can Read Mom's Face
Studying kids who have varying social and emotional processing skills may help identify the types of social situations that are more challenging for children with autism, the researchers said.
-
App May Boost Social Skills in Kids With Autism
The study highlights the promise of digital technology in supporting face-to-face therapies for autism, experts said.
-
Another Study Links Pesticide Exposure, Autism
The study corroborates and builds on previous work, but it also suggests that not all children who are exposed to the same pesticides will go on to develop autism, one expert noted.
-
Can Some Kids Outgrow Autism?
Doctors have known for decades that a small number of young children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder seem to outgrow it. The vast majority continue to face challenges and need support, said lead researcher Dr. Lisa Shulman.
Pagination