U.S. autism rates up 30% in two years; N.J.'s is highest of states studied

U.S. autism rates up 30% in two years; N.J.'s is highest of states studied: Boyle said there also is a need for more research into what causes the disorder, which is thought to result from a combination of genetic and unknown environmental factors.

"More is understood about autism than ever before," she said, "but these numbers are an important reminder of the need for answers."

The rates rose 30 percent between 2008 and 2010. They have more than doubled both nationwide and in New Jersey since the first report was done in 2000. The CDC estimates that 1.2 million people under the age of 21 are on the autism spectrum.

New study sheds more light on when — and where — autism develops in the brain | Deseret News

New study sheds more light on when — and where — autism develops in the brain | Deseret News: A small exploratory study of the brains of children who have autism has shown that some abnormalities appear to form early in fetal development. The differences are seen in certain brain layers.

The research, led by Eric Courchesne and Rich Stoner from the University of California San Diego Autism Center of Excellence, is published in the March 27 New England Journal of Medicine.

CDC: Autism rate increases 30 percent between 2008 and 2010 | www.ajc.com

CDC: Autism rate increases 30 percent between 2008 and 2010 | www.ajc.com: The CDC report has some interesting data about how autism affects certain demographics. Boys are about five times more likely to be diagnosed than girls. One in 42 boys were diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, compared to only 1 in 182 girls. The number of children identified ranged widely from 1 in 175 in parts of Alabama to 1 in 45 in areas of New Jersey.

Trained in calmness, dogs help autistic kids

Trained in calmness, dogs help autistic kids: The two Labrador retrievers are weeks away from officially graduating as Heeling Autism dogs, having successfully shown that nothing — not ear or tail pulling, chairs sailing over their heads, screaming, kicking meltdowns or inquisitive pokes at their toenails — will do more than elicit a doggy grin and a wag.

"They're really amazing with the kids. These dogs are so calm," said Michelle Rose, who teaches a self-contained special education BOCES class at Mahopac's Fulmar School, where the two dogs have visited every other Friday since January. "They will be in homes where they have to be used to unexplained things, very loud things. It's a win-win for both of us."

First preliminary results of an observation of ... [J Diet Suppl. 2009] - PubMed - NCBI

First preliminary results of an observation of ... [J Diet Suppl. 2009] - PubMed - NCBI: Autism is a pervasive developmental disorder, with impairments in reciprocal social interaction and verbal and nonverbal communication. There is often the need of psychopharmacological intervention in addition to psychobehavioral therapies, but benefits are limited by adverse side effects. For that reason, Panax ginseng, which is comparable with Piracetam, a substance effective in the treatment of autism, was investigated for possible improvement of autistic symptoms. There was some improvement, which suggests some benefits of Panax ginseng, at least as an add-on therapy.

Teaching independence to adolescents with autism can boost chances for success after high school

Teaching independence to adolescents with autism can boost chances for success after high school: "We explored many factors that contribute to the poor outcomes people with autism often experience," said Kara Hume, co-principal investigator of FPG's Center on Secondary Education for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (CSESA). "It's clear that teaching independence to students with autism should be a central focus of their activities in high school."

According to Hume, independence is the biggest indicator of which students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are likely to live on their own, have a job, and participate in their communities after high school. "However, adolescents with ASD have trouble observing their peers and picking up on skills important for developing independence," she said.

Gene Study Offers Clues to Why Autism Strikes More Males – WebMD

Gene Study Offers Clues to Why Autism Strikes More Males – WebMD: It turns out that girls tend not to develop autism when only mild genetic abnormalities exist, the researchers said. But when they are diagnosed with the disorder, they are more likely to have more extreme genetic mutations than boys who show the same symptoms.

"Girls tolerate neurodevelopmental mutations more than boys do. This is really what the study shows," said study author Sebastien Jacquemont, an assistant professor of genetic medicine at the University Hospital of Lausanne, in Switzerland.

"To push a girl over the threshold for autism or any of these neurodevelopmental disorders, it takes more of these mutations," Jacquemont added. "It's about resilience to genetic insult."

Scientists Uncover Trigger for Most Common Form of Intellectual Disability and Autism | Weill Cornell Newsroom | Weill Cornell Medical College

Scientists Uncover Trigger for Most Common Form of Intellectual Disability and Autism | Weill Cornell Newsroom | Weill Cornell Medical College: Fragile X syndrome occurs mostly in boys, causing intellectual disability as well as telltale physical, behavioral and emotional traits. While researchers have known for more than two decades that the culprit behind the disease is an unusual mutation characterized by the excess repetition of a particular segment of the genetic code, they weren't sure why the presence of a large number of these repetitions — 200 or more — sets the disease process in motion.

Using stem cells from donated human embryos that tested positive for fragile X syndrome, the scientists discovered that early on in fetal development, messenger RNA — a template for protein production — begins sticking itself onto the fragile X syndrome gene's DNA. This binding appears to gum up the gene, making it inactive and unable to produce a protein crucial to the transmission of signals between brain cells.

Drug shows promise in kids with autism, researchers say

Drug shows promise in kids with autism, researchers say: Building on what they hope will be an important insight into the cause of autism, French researchers are testing a high blood pressure medication on dozens of European children with autism.

The team, which has a financial stake in the drug, has tried it on 30 children with autism; now they are testing it in more, hoping to improve core characteristics of autism for the first time.

Serotonin may be autism key - SFGate

Serotonin may be autism key - SFGate: The hormone that comes from vitamin D affects two genes that control levels of serotonin in the brain and in the gut, and improving consumption of the nutrient could help prevent autism or improve behavioral symptoms of the disorder, according to scientists at Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute.

Asthma as a risk factor for autism?

Asthma as a risk factor for autism?: The results reported by Po-Hsin Tsai and colleagues* detailing the presence of asthma as a potential risk factor for a subsequent diagnosis of autism provide some food for thought. Based on the examination of a large health insurance database based in Taiwan, researchers identified over 2000 preschool children diagnosed with asthma – a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the airways – and compared them with a non-asthmatic control group, looking for any subsequent evidence of a psychiatrist diagnosed autism spectrum disorder label (based on ICD-9 criteria) up to 8 years later.

PsychiatryOnline | Psychiatric Services | STRoNG Intervention for Military Families With Young Children

PsychiatryOnline | Psychiatric Services | STRoNG Intervention for Military Families With Young Children: Military families face unique challenges. Although many exhibit remarkable resilience in the face of hardship, a steep rise in rates of divorce, child behavior problems, and parental mental illness during and after deployment highlights the need for family support. Approximately 40% of children in military families are under age five. Separation from one parent, coupled with heightened distress of the parent left behind, places young children at risk. Reunification poses challenges as well, including the need to reestablish relationships, roles, and routines and to accommodate combat-related injuries or illness. As one father in our program shared, “He was born, and I was deployed before he was walking. And when I came back, he was standing, gripping onto (his mother’s) leg—looking at me like, ‘That’s who?’ She had to tell him, ‘That’s Daddy.’ ” Another father commented, “When I came back, it was difficult . . . trying to find that closeness and trying to find that reconnect.” Thus the challenges faced by military families during this unique period require special attention and support.