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Autism

Can I Tell You about Asperger Syndrome?

You're Going to Love This Kid! Hi, I am Ron from Belgium. With 40 years old I hear that I have Aspergers Syndrome. It is new to me. I hope make friends with Autism so I learn more of my new life with AS.

autism key podcast show

Episode 3: Son Rise - An Interview with Raun Kaufman from the Autism Treatment Center of America: Great interview with Raun Kaufman, CEO of the Autism Treatment Center of America and the Option Institute.

When Raun was 18 months, his parents received a diagnosis of severe autism with retardation and an IQ below 30. Experts told his parents he would never speak, never read, never communicate and at best, he might be able to learn to dress himself and other simple tasks. Raun defied all the doctors and now holds a degree in biomedical ethics from Brown University. His story was detailed in a made-for-TV movie and book, "Son-Rise: The Miracle Continues." This is a truly inspirational story and a highly recommended interview. For more information, visit www.autismtreatment.com
Episode 2: The Boy in the Window: Our guest for Episode 2 was Barbara Coppo. Barbara's story is incredibly heartbreaking and yet inspirational as well. She is the author of a newly published book, The Boy in the Window. The Boy in the Window is a poignant story told with astounding love and humor. Barbara takes readers on a journey through her tragic and devastating story as her son's behavior becomes increasingly bizarre and uncontrollable after a routine DPT vaccination goes horribly wrong. Suffering brain damage, seizures and autism, professionals encouraged institutionalization for her son, and said that his autism would only worsen with time. They warned the likelihood of non-verbal, autistic individuals to improve socially or any other way was discouragingly remote. To learn more about Barbara's book, please visit her website at www.theboyinthewindowbook.com or you can go straight to the Amazon order page.
Episode 1: Law Enforcement, First Responders, and Autism: We had a very informative interview with Dennis Debbaudt of Autism Risk & Safety Management. Dennis speaks all over the country to law enforcement and first responder agencies on how to properly engage the autistic community while in the field. Preparation is key during these field "contacts," and Dennis explains why.For more information, you can visit Dennis' website at www.autismriskmanagement.com or send him an email at:
ddpi [at] flash [dot] net
Welcome to the Autism Key Podcast Show: Welcome to the Autism Key Podcast Show. We're excited about this new addition to www.autismkey.com and look forward to interviewing people from all across the world of autism. Please check back periodically as we anticipate averaging 2 to 3 interviews per month and already have some exciting ones lined up! For our first audio post, we're including a song that was posted on one of our autism message boards. This is a beautiful song entitled "Shine" by Mark Mathis, who is the father of a 5 year-old autistic child and decided to write and compose this song for his son. Enjoy.

sagepub current

Editorial
Referential communication in children with autism spectrum disorder: Referential communication was studied in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) including children with autism and Asperger syndrome. The aim was to study alternative explanations for the children's communicative problems in such situations. Factors studied were theory of mind, IQ, verbal ability and memory. The main results demonstrated diminished performance in children with autism spectrum disorder, mirroring performance in everyday life, in comparison to verbal IQ and mental age matched typically developing children. Among children with autism spectrum disorders, there was a positive relationship between performance in referential communication and theory of mind. Memory capacity also proved to play a role in success in the task.
Can autistic children read the mind of an animated triangle?: Are children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but normal-range intelligence, impaired on theory of mind skills measured by responses to abstract animations in the form of a computerized cartoon? Fifty-six cases and closely matched comparisons were tested. We rated verbal responses according to the length of their descriptions, their appropriateness and the children's use of `mentalizing' terms. Children with ASD used `mentalizing' language to describe the animations as well as comparisons, although the content of their descriptions was significantly less appropriate. Performance on this task was not well correlated with standardized measures of parent-reported behaviour or the child's interactions with an observer. The implications of our results are discussed in relation to previous studies that have used this methodology.
New-onset psychiatric disorders in individuals with autism: A follow-up study to at least the age of 21 years of 135 individuals with an autism spectrum disorder diagnosed in childhood and an IQ of over 30 was conducted. The study is distinctive in its large size, low attrition rate and use of systematic interviews to obtain clinical information. Questionnaires completed by caregivers asked about the development of new psychiatric disorders. For the 39 individuals with a possible new disorder, a detailed psychiatric assessment was undertaken through parental interview. Of all participants, 16 percent developed a definite new psychiatric disorder. A further 6 percent developed a possible new disorder. Five individuals developed an obsessive-compulsive disorder and/or catatonia; eight an affective disorder with marked obsessional features; three complex affective disorders; four more straightforward affective disorders; one a bipolar disorder; and one an acute anxiety state complicated by alcohol excess. There was no case of schizophrenia.
Exploring the relationship between measures of self-esteem and psychological adjustment among adolescents with Asperger Syndrome: This exploratory study examines the relationships between self-esteem and psychological adjustment among 19 adolescents with Asperger syndrome and 19 typically developing adolescents using a model developed by Harter. The groups were matched for age (mean 13 years), sex (M:F 16:3) and ethnicity (white British). Participants completed four quantitative measures examining self-competencies, social approval, anxiety, depression and self-worth. Findings revealed significant group differences: the adolescents with Asperger syndrome perceived themselves to be less competent in social and athletic domains, and to receive less peer approval. Logistic regression analyses indicated that the variables studied were particularly relevant in distinguishing group differences and worked together in predicting group membership. Indeed the variables in the final model accurately predicted group membership for all individuals in the sample. Exploratory hierarchical multiple regression analyses suggested that the two groups had different patterns of relationships between measures of self-competencies, social approval and psychological outcomes.
Mortality and causes of death in autism spectrum disorders: An update: This study compared mortality among Danish citizens with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) with that of the general population. A clinical cohort of 341 Danish individuals with variants of ASD, previously followed over the period 1960—93, now on average 43 years of age, were updated with respect to mortality and causes of death. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were calculated for various times after diagnosis. In all, 26 persons with ASD had died, whereas the expected number of deaths was 13.5. Thus the mortality risk among those with ASD was nearly twice that of the general population. The SMR was particularly high in females. The excess mortality risk has remained unchanged since our first study in 1993. Eight of the 26 deaths were associated with epilepsy and four died from epilepsy. Future staff education should focus on better managing of the complex relationships between ASD and physical illness to prevent avoidable deaths.
Book review: Interactive Play for Children with Autism: by Diana Seach. Abingdon: Routledge, 2007. ISBN 978 0 415 33326 1. {pound}19.99 pbk. 223 pp

sagepub recent

Editorial
Referential communication in children with autism spectrum disorder: Referential communication was studied in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) including children with autism and Asperger syndrome. The aim was to study alternative explanations for the children's communicative problems in such situations. Factors studied were theory of mind, IQ, verbal ability and memory. The main results demonstrated diminished performance in children with autism spectrum disorder, mirroring performance in everyday life, in comparison to verbal IQ and mental age matched typically developing children. Among children with autism spectrum disorders, there was a positive relationship between performance in referential communication and theory of mind. Memory capacity also proved to play a role in success in the task.
Can autistic children read the mind of an animated triangle?: Are children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but normal-range intelligence, impaired on theory of mind skills measured by responses to abstract animations in the form of a computerized cartoon? Fifty-six cases and closely matched comparisons were tested. We rated verbal responses according to the length of their descriptions, their appropriateness and the children's use of `mentalizing' terms. Children with ASD used `mentalizing' language to describe the animations as well as comparisons, although the content of their descriptions was significantly less appropriate. Performance on this task was not well correlated with standardized measures of parent-reported behaviour or the child's interactions with an observer. The implications of our results are discussed in relation to previous studies that have used this methodology.
New-onset psychiatric disorders in individuals with autism: A follow-up study to at least the age of 21 years of 135 individuals with an autism spectrum disorder diagnosed in childhood and an IQ of over 30 was conducted. The study is distinctive in its large size, low attrition rate and use of systematic interviews to obtain clinical information. Questionnaires completed by caregivers asked about the development of new psychiatric disorders. For the 39 individuals with a possible new disorder, a detailed psychiatric assessment was undertaken through parental interview. Of all participants, 16 percent developed a definite new psychiatric disorder. A further 6 percent developed a possible new disorder. Five individuals developed an obsessive-compulsive disorder and/or catatonia; eight an affective disorder with marked obsessional features; three complex affective disorders; four more straightforward affective disorders; one a bipolar disorder; and one an acute anxiety state complicated by alcohol excess. There was no case of schizophrenia.
Exploring the relationship between measures of self-esteem and psychological adjustment among adolescents with Asperger Syndrome: This exploratory study examines the relationships between self-esteem and psychological adjustment among 19 adolescents with Asperger syndrome and 19 typically developing adolescents using a model developed by Harter. The groups were matched for age (mean 13 years), sex (M:F 16:3) and ethnicity (white British). Participants completed four quantitative measures examining self-competencies, social approval, anxiety, depression and self-worth. Findings revealed significant group differences: the adolescents with Asperger syndrome perceived themselves to be less competent in social and athletic domains, and to receive less peer approval. Logistic regression analyses indicated that the variables studied were particularly relevant in distinguishing group differences and worked together in predicting group membership. Indeed the variables in the final model accurately predicted group membership for all individuals in the sample. Exploratory hierarchical multiple regression analyses suggested that the two groups had different patterns of relationships between measures of self-competencies, social approval and psychological outcomes.
Mortality and causes of death in autism spectrum disorders: An update: This study compared mortality among Danish citizens with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) with that of the general population. A clinical cohort of 341 Danish individuals with variants of ASD, previously followed over the period 1960—93, now on average 43 years of age, were updated with respect to mortality and causes of death. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were calculated for various times after diagnosis. In all, 26 persons with ASD had died, whereas the expected number of deaths was 13.5. Thus the mortality risk among those with ASD was nearly twice that of the general population. The SMR was particularly high in females. The excess mortality risk has remained unchanged since our first study in 1993. Eight of the 26 deaths were associated with epilepsy and four died from epilepsy. Future staff education should focus on better managing of the complex relationships between ASD and physical illness to prevent avoidable deaths.
Book review: Interactive Play for Children with Autism: by Diana Seach. Abingdon: Routledge, 2007. ISBN 978 0 415 33326 1. {pound}19.99 pbk. 223 pp
Editorial
Associative learning of pictures and words by low-functioning children with autism: This research investigates whether children with autism learn picture, word and object relations as associative pairs or whether they understand such relations as referential. In Experiment 1, children were taught a new word (e.g. `whisk') repeatedly paired with a novel picture. When given the picture and a previously unseen real whisk and asked to indicate a whisk, children with autism, unlike typically developing peers matched on receptive language, associated the word with the picture rather than the object. Subsequent experiments respectively confirmed that neither a bias for selecting pictures nor perseverative responding accounted for these results. Taken together, these results suggest that children with autism with cognitive difficulties are learning picture—word and picture—object relations via an associative mechanism and have difficulty understanding the symbolic nature of pictures.
Brief report: Inhibition of return in young people with autism and Asperger's disorder: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the superior search abilities observed in autism/Asperger's disorder may in part be a consequence of a more pronounced inhibition of return (IOR). Contrary to our prediction, IOR in individuals with autism was comparable to the matched comparison group. However, the autism group committed more false alarm responses than the matched comparison group; this may reflect a possible inhibitory deficit, or suggest that individuals with autism rely more on probabilities to determine their behavioural responses. There was a borderline-significant trend (p = 0.052) to indicate that IOR may be more pronounced in individuals with Asperger's disorder. In contrast to the autism group, the Asperger's disorder group had a pattern of false alarm responses similar to that of the comparison group. The findings further inform Minshew's complex information processing theory which seeks to establish which areas of neuropsychological functioning are preserved and deficit in autism.
Recognition of biological motion in children with autistic spectrum disorders: It is widely accepted that autistic children experience difficulties in processing and recognizing emotions. Most relevant studies have explored the perception of faces. However, context and bodily gestures are also sources from which we derive emotional meanings. We tested 23 autistic children and 23 typically developing control children on their ability to recognize point-light displays of a person's actions, subjective states and emotions. In a control task, children had to recognize point-light displays of everyday objects. The children with autism only differed from the control children in their ability to name the emotional point-light displays. This suggests that children with autism can extract complex meanings from bodily movements but may be less sensitive to higher-order emotional information conveyed by human movement. The results are discussed in the context of a specific deficit in emotion perception in children with autism.
A comparison of contexts for assessing joint attention in toddlers on the autism spectrum: Children on the autism spectrum often demonstrate atypical joint attention, leading some researchers to consider joint attention defecits a core feature of the autism spectrum. Structured measures, such as the Early Social Communication Scales (ESCS), are commonly used to provide a metric of joint attention. To explore the assessment of joint attention in multiple contexts, we implemented an alternative system for coding joint attention behaviors. We compared initiation of joint attention (IJA) and response to joint attention (RJA) behaviors coded from naturalistic examiner—child play samples with similar IJA and RJA behaviors elicited within the structured ESCS protocol. Participants were 20 toddlers on the autism spectrum. Levels of IJA and RJA within the two assessment contexts were significantly and positively correlated, providing support for the use of naturalistic sampling of joint attention skills as a viable alternative, or supplement, to structured measures.
Acetaminophen (paracetamol) use, measles-mumps-rubella vaccination, and autistic disorder: The results of a parent survey: The present study was performed to determine whether acetaminophen (paracetamol) use after the measles-mumps-rubella vaccination could be associated with autistic disorder. This case-control study used the results of an online parental survey conducted from 16 July 2005 to 30 January 2006, consisting of 83 children with autistic disorder and 80 control children. Acetaminophen use after measles-mumps-rubella vaccination was significantly associated with autistic disorder when considering children 5 years of age or less (OR 6.11, 95% CI 1.42—26.3), after limiting cases to children with regression in development (OR 3.97, 95% CI 1.11—14.3), and when considering only children who had post-vaccination sequelae (OR 8.23, 95% CI 1.56—43.3), adjusting for age, gender, mother's ethnicity, and the presence of illness concurrent with measles-mumps-rubella vaccination. Ibuprofen use after measles-mumps-rubella vaccination was not associated with autistic disorder. This preliminary study found that acetaminophen use after measles-mumps-rubella vaccination was associated with autistic disorder.
Parents' perceptions of communication with professionals during the diagnosis of autism: In order to obtain the views of parents concerning their perceptions of the process of getting a diagnosis of an autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) for their child, 15 focus groups were conducted across a range of locations in England. These groups were split into parents of preschool-, primary- and secondary-aged children who had recently received an ASD diagnosis. At the time of diagnosis, most of the parents wished for a quicker and easier process. In particular, they would prefer the procedure to have a more coherent structure and content. They also requested greater professional training about ASD, in particular, regarding the information that professionals possess, and the interpersonal skills of some professionals. The idea of broad information sheets to be provided to parents at the time of diagnosis would be of value, especially to combat negative information provided from other sources.
Editorial
Profiling executive dysfunction in adults with autism and comorbid learning disability: Executive dysfunction is thought to be primary to autism. We examined differences in executive function between 20 adults with autism and learning disability and 23 individuals with learning disabilities outside the autistic spectrum. All participants were matched for chronological age and full-scale IQ, and were given a battery of tasks assessing fluency, planning, set-shifting, inhibition and working memory. Analyses of the individual tasks revealed very few significant differences between the two groups. However, analyses of composite scores derived for each executive domain revealed that the group with autism showed impaired performance on the working memory and planning tests. Together, these two measures were sufficient to classify participants into their diagnostic groups significantly better than would be expected by chance (75% of the autism group; 65% of the control group). Executive impairments were neither universal nor exclusive to the autism group, and we suggest that an alternative cognitive theory may better explain the cognitive profile we found.
Development of symbolic play through the use of virtual reality tools in children with autistic spectrum disorders: Two case studies: Difficulties in understanding symbolism have been documented as characteristic of autistic spectrum disorders (ASDs). In general, virtual reality (VR) environments offer a set of potential advantages for educational intervention in ASD. In particular, VR offers the advantage, for teaching pretend play and for understanding imagination, of it being possible to show these imaginary transformations explicitly. This article reports two case studies of children with autism (aged 8:6 and 15:7, both male), examining the effectiveness of using a VR tool specifically designed to work on teaching understanding of pretend play. The results, confirmed by independent observers, showed a significant advance in pretend play abilities after the intervention period in both participants, and a high degree of generalization of the acquired teaching in one of them.
How central is central coherence?: Preliminary evidence on the link between conceptual and perceptual processing in children with autism: This study aimed to test the assumption drawn from weak central coherence theory that a central cognitive mechanism is responsible for integrating information at both conceptual and perceptual levels. A visual semantic memory task and a face recognition task measuring use of holistic information were administered to 15 children with autism and 16 typically developing children. If there is a central integration mechanism, performance on the two tasks should be positively associated. No relationship was found, however, between the two abilities in the comparison group and, unexpectedly, a strong significant inverse correlation was found in the autism group. Classification data further confirmed this finding and indicated the possibility of the presence of subgroups in autism. The results add to emerging evidence suggesting that central coherence is not a unitary construct.
Social challenges and supports from the perspective of individuals with Asperger syndrome and other autism spectrum disabilities: The study describes the perspectives of individuals with Asperger syndrome and other autism spectrum disabilities (ASDs) regarding social challenges and supports. Eighteen adults with ASDs were individually interviewed. They were asked to describe their experiences navigating their social worlds, and recommend effective social supports and strategies for improving social connectedness. Qualitative analyses of the interview transcripts revealed a number of common experiences including a profound sense of isolation, difficulty initiating social interactions, challenges relating to communication, longing for greater intimacy, desire to contribute to one's community, and effort to develop greater social/self-awareness. Commonly recommended social supports included external supports (e.g. activities based on shared interests, highly structured or scripted social activities, and small groups or dyads); communication supports (e.g. alternative modes of communication, explicit communication, and instruction in interpreting and using social cues); and self-initiated strategies for handling social anxiety (e.g. creative/improvisational outlets, physical activity, spiritual practice/organized religion, and time spent alone).
Epidemiological findings of pervasive developmental disorders in a Venezuelan study: The study aims to determine the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) for children receiving services in Maracaibo County, Venezuela. Children aged 3—9 with diagnosis of any ASD were recruited. We ascertained area, referral process, and definitions of ASD for each patient. A total of 430 children were identified, and 76.5 percent were boys. Prevalences were 1.7 per 1000 for all ASD, 1.1 per 1000 for autism, and 0.6 per 1000 for PDD-NOS and Asperger syndrome combined. These prevalences are lower than current reports in the literature. Differences in case-finding methods, diagnostic criteria, and lack of awareness in the general population may have influenced the number of cases identified. An ASD prevalence of 1.7 per 1000 should alert the health and education authorities to the need to reassess the services available for children with these disorders and their families.
Autism and pitch processing splinter skills: A group and subgroup analysis: Autism is characterized by an uneven profile of cognitive abilities and population studies show that approximately 10 percent of diagnosed individuals possess a skill that is significantly better than would be predicted by global IQ. Recent evidence suggests that individuals with autism who possess special skills may represent a distinct genetic group within the autism spectrum. Intellectually high- and low-functioning children and adolescents with autism, together with age- and intelligence-matched comparison participants, completed two experiments that tested pitch discrimination and pitch memory within a visuo-spatial format. The analysis of the data from the studies showed that a subgroup of individuals with autism achieved performance scores that were between four and five standard deviations above the mean for the groups. Unlike comparison participants, their performance appeared to be independent of intelligence, musical training and experience. The findings were interpreted within the context of neuroconstructivist models of typical development and delayed language acquisition characteristic of autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders.
Editorial
Communicative spontaneity of children with autism: A preliminary analysis: The communicative spontaneity of children with autism who had limited spoken language in their natural environment was investigated. This naturalistic observation is a preliminary study using a continuum model to describe the nature of communicative spontaneity. The results indicate that the level of communicative spontaneity in the natural environment varied (1) along a continuum, (2) across communicative forms, functions, activities, partners and consequences, and (3) across the effectiveness of requesting and rejecting functions. The findings from this study may provide some directions for future study.
`Make me normal': The views and experiences of pupils on the autistic spectrum in mainstream secondary schools: Facilitating the learning and participation of pupils with Asperger syndrome and high-functioning autism (herein referred to as AS) in mainstream schools is complex and poorly understood. We report on a small-scale qualitative study of the views and experiences of 20 such pupils drawn from four secondary schools in north-west England. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and pupil diaries. Interpretive phenomenological analysis was used to explore how pupils with AS make sense of their educational experiences. The central theme was how participants constructed their understanding of what their AS meant to them. This was often characterized by negative perceptions of their differences, such as being `retarded' or having a `bad brain'. The links between this understanding and reported difficulties with peers and teachers, the desire to `fit in', and other themes are discussed. The implications of these findings for policy and practice in this area are also presented.
Maternal involvement in the education of young children with autism spectrum disorders: Parent involvement is widely acknowledged to be a critical `best practice' in the education of young children with ASD. Despite its importance, no studies to date have systematically examined the relative influence of child, family, and school factors on the extent to which parents participate in the education of their children with ASD. In the present study, questionnaire and interview data collected from the mothers and teachers of 95 children receiving public school services for ASD were used to address this issue. Descriptively, wide variation was found in both type and intensity of mothers' educational involvement. Regression analyses showed involvement, both at school and at home, to be heavily influenced by the extent to which school staff actively encouraged, assisted, and provided opportunities for parent involvement. In addition, severity of child behavior problems was also found to exert a uniformly negative effect on intensity of mothers' educational involvement, while the influence of family resources and demand variables varied, depending on whether involvement occurred at school or at home. Implications of these findings for future research and for the support of parents seeking to participate in the learning and development of their children with ASD are discussed.
Characteristics of children with autism spectrum disorders who received services through community mental health centers: Despite the presence of significant psychiatric comorbidity among children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), little research exists on those who receive community-based mental health services. This project examined one year (2004) of data from the database maintained by 26 community mental health centers (CMHCs) in the Midwestern US state of Kansas. Children with autism were compared to children with other ASDs — Asperger's disorder, Rett's disorder, and PDD-NOS. Children with autism predictably received more special education services than children with other ASDs, while the latter were more likely to have experienced prior psychiatric hospitalization. Children with ASDs other than autism were also significantly more likely to be diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, depressive disorders, and bipolar disorder. In 2004, Kansas CMHCs served less than 15 percent of the children estimated to have an ASD. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Improving question asking in high-functioning adolescents with autism spectrum disorders: Effectiveness of small-group training: Small-group training consisting of feedback and self-management was effective in improving question-asking skills during tutorial conversations in nine high-functioning adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Training was implemented in a therapy room and lasted 6 weeks. Sessions were conducted once a week and lasted about an hour. Experimenters collected data during tutorial conversations in a natural setting. Training of question-asking skills consisted of verbal feedback and role-play during short simulated conversations and a table game. A self-management strategy and common stimuli (e.g., flowchart) were included to promote generalization. Mean percentage of correct questions during tutorial conversations improved significantly after training. Response efficiency also increased. Participants and personal coaches evaluated the training as effective and acceptable.
Factor analysis of the Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire: The present study investigated the factor structure of parent and teacher Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ) in a population of 7—9 years old children. For validation purposes, factors derived were correlated with results on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). A three-factor solution was identified on both parent and teacher ASSQ. Most of the variance was explained by one factor including measures of social function, validated by a high correlation with the SDQ peer problems scale. The second factor included measures of autism-associated problems. The items allocated to the third factor were more specific for a cognitive style typically found in high-functioning individuals with autism/Asperger syndrome. This factor did not correlate highly with any of the SDQ subscales. The results indicated that the screening efficiency of ASSQ could be increased by closer examination of the individual profile of factor scores.
Book review: Autism Spectrum Disorders: Psychological Theory and Research by Dermot Bowler. Chichester, West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons Ltd., 2007. ISBN 978 0 470 02686 1. Pbk. 308 pp
Book review: Counselling People on the Autistic Spectrum: A Practical Manual by K. Paxton and I.A. Estay, London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2007. ISBN 9781843105527. $24.95 pbk. 206 pp

medicalnewstoday

Facial Structures, Brain Abnormalities Studied To Reveal Formula For Detection Of Autism: Recently, Harvard researchers reported that children with autism have a wide range of genetic defects, making it nearly impossible to develop a simple genetic test to identify the disorder. Now, University of Missouri researchers are studying 3-D imaging to reveal correlations in the facial features and brain structures of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which will enable them to develop a formula for earlier detection of the disorder.
Project Lifesaver Program Helps Law Enforcement Locate At-Risk Citizens Across The USA: It all started because of failure, a missing person who couldn't be located in time. It was and still is a story that happens monthly, if not weekly all across our nation. For families and caregivers exploring options of how to protect a loved one who wanders away from the safety of their home due to Alzheimer's, Dementia, Autism, Intellectual Disabilities or other wandering conditions, there is hope.
California Learning Center Offers Autism Programs Tailored For Chinese-American Children: The San Jose Mercury News on Wednesday profiled the Fremont, Calif.-based Dream Center, which is "believed to be the nation's only Chinese-centric autistic-focused center." The center was founded in 1996 by a few Chinese-American families to "help fellow Asians who were raised to feel ashamed of disabilities," according to the Mercury News.
UT Houston Researchers Study Diet In Autistic Children - Possible Link Between Gluten, Dairy Products Will Be Tested: Researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston have embarked on one of the first double-blind, clinical studies to determine whether gluten and dairy products play a role in autistic behavior as parents have anecdotally claimed. The pilot study is one of seven current studies on autism in the Department of Pediatrics and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston.
Chairman Of National Association Of Karate And Martial Art Schools Has Asperger Syndrome, UK: Joe Ellis, Chairman of NAKMAS (the National Association of Karate and Martial Art Schools) the national governing body of all forms of martial arts in the UK, has announced that he has the neurobiological condition known as Asperger Syndrome. The announcement coincides with the introduction of the NAKMAS Asperger Syndrome training programme, aimed at educating martial arts coaches about the condition.
Pennsylvania Gov. Rendell Law Requiring Private Health Insurers To Cover Treatment For Autism: A bill recently signed by Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell (D) will require private health insurance companies in the state to provide diagnosis and treatment coverage of up to $36,000 per year for residents under age 21 with autism spectrum disorder, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
Disrupted Communication Networks In Brain Lead To Autism's Social Struggles: Picking up on innuendo and social cues is a central component of engaging in conversation, but people with autism often struggle to determine another person's intentions in a social interaction. New research from Carnegie Mellon University sheds light on the neural mechanisms that are responsible for such social difficulties in autism, and on the workings of these social brain mechanisms in all of us.
Bubble Blowing Robot May Help Children With Autism: Papers delivered at three conferences in the US and Europe this summer report on new research at the University of Southern California Viterbi School of Engineering studying interactions of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) with bubble-blowing robots.
Further Evidence For Genetic Contribution To Autism Discovered By Caltech And UNC Research: Some parents of children with autism evaluate facial expressions differently than the rest of us--and in a way that is strikingly similar to autistic patients themselves, according to new research by neuroscientist Ralph Adolphs of the California Institute of Technology and psychiatrist Joe Piven at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Common Mechanisms May Underlie Autism's Seemingly Diverse Mutations: Many of the seemingly disparate mutations recently discovered in autism may share common underlying mechanisms, say researchers supported in part by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The mutations may disrupt specific genes that are vital to the developing brain, and which are turned on and off by experience-triggered neuronal activity. A research team led by Christopher Walsh, M.D., Ph.D., and Eric Morrow, M.D., Ph.
Middle Eastern Families Help Scientists Pinpoint Autism Genes: The hunt for gene mutations that contribute to autism has proceeded slowly, largely because autism encompasses a spectrum of diseases. Just as its symptoms vary widely among individuals, so do the genetic mutations that cause them.
Middle Eastern Families Yield Intriguing Clues To Autism: Research involving large Middle Eastern families, sophisticated genetic analysis and groundbreaking neuroscience has implicated a half-dozen new genes in autism. More importantly, it strongly supports the emerging idea that autism stems from disruptions in the brain's ability to form new connections in response to experience consistent with autism's onset during the first year of life, when many of these connections are normally made.
Autism Could Be Caused By Failure To Trigger Genes In Early Brain Development: An international team of scientists studying genetic causes of autism spectrum disorders by focusing on families where both parents shared a recent ancestor, found that seemingly diverse genes linked to autism had something in common in that many were triggered by by brain development that is regulated by early childhood experience.
National Autistic Society Response To The Bercow Review On Children, Young People And Speech, Language And Communication, UK: The Bercow review has confirmed what many parents of children with autism have been telling us: provision for children with speech, language and communication needs is inadequate and must improve. We strongly welcome Bercow's crucial emphasis on early identification and intervention and support his call for an assessment process and better speech and language services.
The First Autism Disease Genes: The autistic disorder, a neurodevelopmental disease first described in 1943, represents a challenge for treatment and a puzzle for research. Alongside Asperger syndrome, a milder form of the disorder, autism is classified in the continuum of various Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), all of which are characterized by deficits in language, social interaction, and a strangely restricted and repetitive behaviour (stereotypy). Disease onset occurs during the first three years of life.
Autism And Lyme Disease Are Connected, Lyme-Induced Autism Study Finds: Lyme disease may play a role in causing autism according to a recent study published in Medical Hypothesis, a peer-reviewed scientific journal. A team of five physicians led by Robert Bransfield, M.D., analyzed the two diseases and discovered a connection based on epidemiological findings, symptom similarities, case reports, and laboratory test results. The Lyme-Induced Autism (LIA) Foundation has paved the way for studies such as this one.
Researchers Link Early Stem Cell Mutation To Autism: In a breakthrough scientific study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, scientists at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research have shown that neural stem cell development may be linked to Autism. The study demonstrated that mice lacking the myocyte enhancer factor 2C (MEF2C) protein in neural stem cells had smaller brains, fewer nerve cells and showed behaviors similar to those seen in humans with a form of autism known as Rett Syndrome.
Lack Of Fragile X And Related Gene Fractures Sleep: Lack of both the fragile X syndrome gene and one that is related could account for sleep problems associated with the disorder, which is the common cause of inherited mental impairment, said a consortium of researchers led by scientists at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Their findings appear in a report in the current issue of the American Journal of Human Genetics.
NIMH Funds Pitt Researchers To Find Best Treatments For Children With Autism And ADHD Symptoms: Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic of UPMC have received $3 million from the National Institute of Mental Health to conduct a national study of the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children with autism spectrum disorders.
Autistic Man, Who Is Also Kidney Transplant Recipient, Found In Woods: Keith Kennedy, 25, was found by a firefighter "conscious and alert" about one mile a camp he wandered away from one week ago. Keith is not only autistic, he is also a kidney transplant recipient and is on medication to make sure his kidney is not rejected by his body. Keith's family were concerned he might not be able to cope without his anti-rejection medication which he has had to take since 1995.
UCLA Mouse Study Offers Hope For Correcting How Autism Disrupts Brain: UCLA researchers discovered that an FDA-approved drug reverses the brain dysfunction inflicted by a genetic disease called tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). Because half of TSC patients also suffer from autism, the findings offer new hope for addressing learning disorders due to autism. Nature Medicine publishes the findings in its online June 22 edition.
Market America Announces Plans To Launch Vitamins For Children With Autism: Market America announced that it is in the development and testing stages of a new line of nutraceutical products that will support the health of children with autism and related neurodevelopmental challenges. Specialized laboratory testing often demonstrates sub-optimal levels of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and fatty acids in people with autism, which can be addressed with nutritional supplements.
Concept Media Releases AD/HD, Autism, And Mental Retardation Programs: Concept Media, a leading producer and distributor of healthcare education media, has just released ADHD: Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorders, and Mental Retardation in DVD and CD-ROM formats. These new scenario-based series have a multidisciplinary focus that features medicine, nursing, education, and human development.
'Faulty' Brain Connections May Be Responsible For Social Impairments In Autism: New evidence shows that the brains of adults with autism are "wired" differently from people without the disorder, and this abnormal pattern of connectivity may be responsible for the social impairments that are characteristic of autism.
Response To The Carers Strategy By The National Autistic Society, UK: Whilst The National Autistic Society (NAS) welcomes increased funding for vital support services, such as shortbreak schemes, much more needs to be done to tackle the financial hardship faced by thousands of carers. Autism is a serious and lifelong condition and caring for someone with the disability is often a full time job. Carer's Allowance is currently woefully inadequate at Â£50.55 for a 35 hour week - that's Â£1.

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