Freaks, geeks and Asperger syndrome ... - Google Books

Freaks, geeks and Asperger syndrome ... - Google Books: "Freaks, geeks and Asperger syndrome: a user guide to adolescence By Luke Jackson"

Written by a young man with Aspergers

SpringerLink - Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, Volume 38, Number 10

SpringerLink - Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, Volume 38, Number 10: "LEGO® therapy and the Social Use of Language Programme (SULP) were evaluated as social skills interventions for 6–11 year olds with high functioning autism and Asperger Syndrome. Children were matched on CA, IQ, and autistic symptoms before being randomly assigned to LEGO or SULP. Therapy occurred for 1 h/week over 18 weeks. A no-intervention control group was also assessed. Results showed that the LEGO therapy group improved more than the other groups on autism-specific social interaction scores (Gilliam Autism Rating Scale). Maladaptive behaviour decreased significantly more in the LEGO and SULP groups compared to the control group. There was a non-significant trend for SULP and LEGO groups to improve more than the no-intervention group in communication and socialisation skills."

Promoting social behavior with oxytocin in high-functioning autism spectrum disorders — PNAS

Promoting social behavior with oxytocin in high-functioning autism spectrum disorders — PNAS: "Social adaptation requires specific cognitive and emotional competences. Individuals with high-functioning autism or with Asperger syndrome cannot understand or engage in social situations despite preserved intellectual abilities. Recently, it has been suggested that oxytocin, a hormone known to promote mother-infant bonds, may be implicated in the social deficit of autism. We investigated the behavioral effects of oxytocin in 13 subjects with autism. In a simulated ball game where participants interacted with fictitious partners, we found that after oxytocin inhalation, patients exhibited stronger interactions with the most socially cooperative partner and reported enhanced feelings of trust and preference. Also, during free viewing of pictures of faces, oxytocin selectively increased patients’ gazing time on the socially informative region of the face, namely the eyes. Thus, under oxytocin, patients respond more strongly to others and exhibit more appropriate social behavior and affect, suggesting a therapeutic potential of oxytocin through its action on a core dimension of autism."

The relationship between executive functioning, central coherence, and repetitive behaviors in the high-functioning autism spectrum — Autism

The relationship between executive functioning, central coherence, and repetitive behaviors in the high-functioning autism spectrum — Autism: "This study examined the relationship between everyday repetitive behavior (primary symptoms of autism) and performance on neuropsychological tests of executive function and central coherence (secondary symptoms). It was hypothesized that the frequency and intensity of repetitive behavior would be positively correlated with laboratory measures of cognitive rigidity and weak central coherence. Participants included 19 individuals (ages 10—19) with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (ASD group) and 18 age- and IQ-matched typically developing controls (TD group). There was partial support in the ASD group for the link between repetitive behavior and executive performance (the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task). There was no support for a link between repetitive behavior and measures of central coherence (a Gestalt Closure test and the Embedded Figures Test). Further research on repetitive behaviors in autism may benefit from a focus on narrow behavioral and cognitive constructs rather than general categories."

SpringerLink - Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, Volume 37, Number 5

SpringerLink - Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, Volume 37, Number 5: "Abstract
Altered visual exploration of faces likely contributes to social cognition deficits seen in autism. To investigate the relationship between face gaze and social cognition in autism, we measured both face gaze and how facial regions were actually used during emotion judgments from faces. Compared to IQ-matched healthy controls, nine high-functioning adults with autism failed to make use of information from the eye region of faces, instead relying primarily on information from the mouth. Face gaze accounted for the increased reliance on the mouth, and partially accounted for the deficit in using information from the eyes. These findings provide a novel quantitative assessment of how people with autism utilize information in faces when making social judgments."

The Complete Guide to Asperger's ... - Google Books

The Complete Guide to Asperger's ... - Google Books: "The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome By Tony Attwood"

A cognitive behaviour therapy intervention for anxiety in children with Asperger's syndrome - UQ eSpace

A cognitive behaviour therapy intervention for anxiety in children with Asperger's syndrome - UQ eSpace: "A cognitive behaviour therapy intervention for anxiety in children with Asperger's syndrome"

Asperger Syndrome Guide

Asperger Syndrome Guide: "Definition
Asperger syndrome is often considered a high functioning form of autism. People with this syndrome have difficulty interacting socially, repeat behaviors, and often are clumsy. Motor milestones may be delayed.
Alternative Names
Pervasive developmental disorder - Asperger syndrome; Autistic spectrum disorder - Asperger"

Asperger's Syndrome-Symptoms

Asperger's Syndrome-Symptoms: "Although there are many possible symptoms of Asperger’s syndrome, the main symptom is severe trouble with social situations. Your child may have mild to severe symptoms or have a few or many of these symptoms. Because of the wide variety of symptoms, no two children with Asperger's are alike."

Health Buzz: Autism Study Was an 'Elaborate Fraud' - US News and World Report

Health Buzz: Autism Study Was an 'Elaborate Fraud' - US News and World Report: "A British doctor committed an 'elaborate fraud' by faking data in a since-retracted 1998 study that linked autism to childhood vaccines. That's according to a report published Wednesday by the British Medical Journal that accuses Andrew Wakefield of misrepresenting or altering the medical histories of the 12 children he studied. Published in the journal Lancet, Wakefield's study, which linked the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine to autism, prompted thousands of parents to skip the shot. Some experts say immunization rates have never fully recovered. Reported U.S. measles cases hit a 12-year peak at 140 in 2008, and the majority of sick children were unvaccinated, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."

Joint attention training for children with autism using behavior modification procedures

Please click the link in order to read the article.
http://www.thelearninglane.com/documents/jointattention4.pdf

First Do No Harm: Alternative Medicine Can Be Lethal to Kids

First Do No Harm: Alternative Medicine Can Be Lethal to Kids: "'Natural' remedies may seem a lot safer to give a child than some medication with a mysterious, multisyllabic name with a lot of x's and y's. But a just-published study has found that complementary and alternative medicine treatments can be dangerous and even fatal to children."

Children with autism and their friends: a multidim... [J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2008] - PubMed result

Children with autism and their friends: a multidim... [J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2008] - PubMed result: "This study of Israeli and American preadolescent children examined characteristics of friendship in 44 children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (HFASD) compared to 38 typically developing children (TYP), as they interacted with a close friend Participants were 8-12 years of age (HFASD: Israel, n = 24; USA, n = 20; TYP: Israel, n = 23; USA, n = 15), and were matched on SES, receptive language vocabulary, child age, and gender (each study group included one girl). Multidimensional assessments included: individual behaviors of target children and observed child-friend interactions during construction and drawing scenarios; target child's and friend's self-perceived mutual friendship qualities; and mother-reported characteristics (friendship's duration/frequency; friend's age/gender/disability status). Overall, children with HFASD displayed a number of differences on individual and dyadic friendship measures. Both age and verbal abilities affected friendship behaviors. Children with HFASD and their friends perceived friendship qualities similarly, suggesting that preadolescents with HFASD have capacities for interpersonal awareness. Between-group similarities also emerged on several complex social behaviors, suggesting that friendship follows a developmental trajectory in autism and may enhance social interaction skills in autism."

A social adjustment enhancement intervention for h... [J Autism Dev Disord. 2004] - PubMed result

A social adjustment enhancement intervention for h... [J Autism Dev Disord. 2004] - PubMed result: "This paper reports the findings of a 20-week social adjustment enhancement curriculum for boys aged 8-12. The curriculum was designed to address three areas hypothesized to be deficient in persons with HFA, AS, and PDDNOS: emotion recognition and understanding; theory of mind; and executive functions/real life type problem solving. Parents attended a semi-structured concurrent psychoeducational training meeting during children's sessions. Statistically significant improvements in facial expression recognition, and problem solving were reported for intervention group children compared to waiting list control group children. For the intervention group (the only group for whom data were available), older and less cognitively able boy's scores on a depression inventory decreased significantly more than younger children's. Mother's depression scores tended to decrease and there were significant reductions in child problem behaviors reported. Results are discussed in the context of individual differences in participant cognitive levels and profiles, symptom severity, and affect-related variables."

The effectiveness of parent-child interaction ther... [J Autism Dev Disord. 2008] - PubMed result

The effectiveness of parent-child interaction ther... [J Autism Dev Disord. 2008] - PubMed result: "We report the results of a pilot trial of an evidence-based treatment-Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT; Eyberg et al. Psychopharmacology Bulletin, 31(1), 83-91, 1995) for boys aged 5-12 with high functioning autism spectrum disorders and clinically significant behavioral problems. The study also included an investigation of the role of shared positive affect during the course of therapy on child and parent outcomes. The intervention group showed reductions in parent perceptions of child problem behaviors and child atypicality, as well as an increase in child adaptability. Shared positive affect in parent child dyads and parent positive affect increased between the initial and final phases of the therapy. Parent positive affect after the first phase was related to perceptions of improvement in problem behaviors and adaptive functioning."

Autism Teaching Tools: Play and Language Therapy

Engage With Your Child with Autism

Parent Child Interaction Video Dr. Solomon

Videos By Topic

Videos By Topic: "Videos and audio are now exclusively available in the new UC Davis MIND Institute Media Player. Adobe Flash and Javascript are needed to play back all media on the MIND Institute website. Chances are that Flash and Javascript are already a part of your browser as they are installed on almost all computers connected to the Internet. However, if you are having difficulty playing any media on this site, Adobe Flash can be downloaded from Adobe's website and instructions for enabling Javascript in your browser are available here."


Excellent video presentations regarding research and treatment.

Parent Training for Young Children With Developmental Disabilities: Randomized Controlled Trial

Parent Training for Young Children With Developmental Disabilities: Randomized Controlled Trial: "A randomized controlled trial was used to evaluate a parent training intervention for caregivers with preschool-age children with developmental disabilities. The 21 families in the experimental group received usual care plus the 12-week Incredible Years Parent Training Program with developmental delay modifications. Families in the control group (n = 23) received usual care, including early childhood education and related services. Results suggest that this parent training intervention was superior to usual care for young children with developmental delays or disabilities in reducing negative parent–child interactions and child behavior problems. Participants in the experimental group indicated high satisfaction with treatment. Additional research is necessary to document maintenance and generalization of treatment outcomes."

Autism Speaks, Press Updates, Early Intervention For Toddlers With Autism Highly Effective, Study Finds

Autism Speaks, Press Updates, Early Intervention For Toddlers With Autism Highly Effective, Study Finds: "'This is the first controlled study of an intensive early intervention that is appropriate for children with autism who are less than 2½ years of age. Given that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all 18- and 24-month-old children be screened for autism, it is crucial that we can offer parents effective therapies for children in this age range,' said Geraldine Dawson, Ph.D., chief science officer of Autism Speaks and the study's lead author. 'By starting as soon as the toddler is diagnosed, we hope to maximize the positive impact of the intervention.'"

Parent implemented early intervention for young children with autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review - McConachie - 2006 - Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice - Wiley Online Library

Parent implemented early intervention for young children with autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review - McConachie - 2006 - Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice - Wiley Online Library: "The review found very few studies that had adequate research design from which to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of parent-implemented early intervention. Both randomized and controlled studies tended to suggest that parent training leads to improved child communicative behaviour, increased maternal knowledge of autism, enhanced maternal communication style and parent child interaction, and reduced maternal depression."

Study finds link between autism, air pollutants - San Jose Mercury News

Study finds link between autism, air pollutants - San Jose Mercury News: "Researchers have found that children who live near freeways at birth have twice the risk of autism, suggesting that environmental factors may play a role in the disorder's growing incidence.
A study by researchers at the Saban Research Institute of Children's Hospital Los Angeles found that babies who lived within 1,000 feet of a freeway, but not a major road, were at risk.
Lead researcher Helen Volk says that may be due to the type and high level of pollutants on a freeway.
The study, published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, looked at 304 children with autism and 259 normally developing children."

How a gene mutation leads to autism

How a gene mutation leads to autism: "Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine have developed a mouse model to find how a gene mutation leads to autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).
They found that when one copy of the SHANK3 gene in mice is missing, nerve cells do not effectively communicate and do not show cellular properties associated with normal learning."

Clinical Trial For Rett Syndrome Launched -- BOSTON, Dec. 16, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --

Clinical Trial For Rett Syndrome Launched -- BOSTON, Dec. 16, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --: "Researchers at Children's Hospital Boston have begun a randomized, placebo-controlled trial to test a potential drug treatment for Rett syndrome, the leading known genetic cause of autism in girls. The drug, mecasermin, a synthetic form of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), is already FDA-approved for children with short stature due to IGF-1 deficiency.
The trial, now enrolling patients, marks the beginning of a trend toward drug treatments seeking to modify the underlying causes of autism spectrum disorders, rather than just behavioral symptoms such as anxiety or aggression. It follows research in animal models, published in 2009(1), which suggested that raising IGF-1 levels can reverse features of Rett syndrome by enhancing maturation of synapses —the points of communication between brain cells."

Management of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders -- Myers et al. 120 (5): 1162 -- AAP Policy

Management of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders -- Myers et al. 120 (5): 1162 -- AAP Policy: "Pediatricians have an important role not only in early recognition and evaluation of autism spectrum disorders but also in chronic management of these disorders. The primary goals of treatment are to maximize the child's ultimate functional independence and quality of life by minimizing the core autism spectrum disorder features, facilitating development and learning, promoting socialization, reducing maladaptive behaviors, and educating and supporting families. To assist pediatricians in educating families and guiding them toward empirically supported interventions for their children, this report reviews the educational strategies and associated therapies that are the primary treatments for children with autism spectrum disorders. Optimization of health care is likely to have a positive effect on habilitative progress, functional outcome, and quality of life; therefore, important issues, such as management of associated medical problems, pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic intervention for challenging behaviors or coexisting mental health conditions, and use of complementary and alternative medical treatments, are also addressed."

SpringerLink - Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, Volume 40, Number 1

SpringerLink - Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, Volume 40, Number 1: "The authors analyzed the results of a social validation survey to determine if autism service providers including special education teachers, parents, and administrators demonstrate a preference for the intervention components of Applied Behavior Analysis or Training and Education of Autistic and other Communication Handicapped Children. They also investigated the comprehensiveness of these treatment models for use in public school programs. The findings indicate no clear preference for either model, but a significantly higher level of social validity for components inherent in both approaches. The authors discuss the need for research to define what is meant by comprehensive programming in autism."

Early Intervention Improves Autism Symptoms

Early Intervention Improves Autism Symptoms: "Dec. 8, 2010 -- A six-month, group-based early intervention program with a special emphasis on social development can improve some of the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder in children as young as 2, according to a study in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.
“This and other autism studies suggest that the ‘wait and see’ method, which is often recommended to concerned parents, could lead to missed opportunities for early intervention,” Rebecca Landa, PhD, director of the Center for Autism and Related Disorders and the REACH research program at Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, says in a news release. “By acting early, we are providing toddlers tools and skills to increase social opportunities throughout their lifetime and positioning them to have the best possible outcomes.”"

Targeted intervention improves social skills in toddlers with autism

Targeted intervention improves social skills in toddlers with autism: "In a new study, researchers found that targeting the core social deficits of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in early intervention programs yielded sustained improvements in social and communication skills even in very young children who have ASD.
Although some research suggests that ASD may be reliably diagnosed earlier than the current average age of 3 years, few interventions have been tested in children younger than 3."

Cell Energy Dysfunction Seen in Autism | Psych Central News

Cell Energy Dysfunction Seen in Autism Psych Central News: "Autism in children is strongly associated with defects in the mitochondria, the cell’s energy producer, according to a UC Davis study. Researchers believe that built-up damage and oxidative stress in mitochondria may perpetuate the development of autism as well as the severity of the disorder"

VOA | US Scientists Developing Autism Test | Health | English

VOA US Scientists Developing Autism Test Health English: "American scientists think they have developed a test – using MRI brain scans – that can determine whether someone has autism.

Up until now, there has been no clear biological test to objectively conclude if someone has autism. Doctors currently diagnose autism, usually in children, by observing behavior and interactions with others."

Now, a simple test to detect autism in minutes!

Now, a simple test to detect autism in minutes!: "Now, a simple test that can detect autism in just 10 minutes, say scientists.
A team from the Harvard University-affiliated McLean Hospital and University of Utah has devised the revolutionary test which it claims not only takes just 10 minutes but also costs 100 pounds.
According to the scientists, using MRI scans to measure deviations in brain circuits, the test can detect high-functioning autism with 94 per cent accuracy.
The test could be available in hospitals in five years, replacing a series of checks carried out by psychologists and psychiatrists, which rely on subjective opinions only, the 'Daily Express' reported."

Children With Autism Appear More Likely To Have Cell Irregularity

Children With Autism Appear More Likely To Have Cell Irregularity: "Preliminary research has found that children with autism are more likely to have impaired mitochondrial function (structures within cells responsible for energy production) and mitochondrial DNA abnormalities than typically developing children, according to a study in the December 1 issue of JAMA"

Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med -- Abstract: Maternal and Paternal Age and Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorders, April 2007, Croen et al. 161 (4): 334

Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med -- Abstract: Maternal and Paternal Age and Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorders, April 2007, Croen et al. 161 (4): 334: "Risk of ASDs increased significantly with each 10-year increase in maternal age (adjusted RR, 1.31; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07-1.62) and paternal age (RR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.09-1.51). Adjusted RRs for both maternal and paternal age were elevated for children with autistic disorder (maternal age: RR, 1.18; 95% CI, 0.87-1.60; paternal age: RR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.06-1.69) and children with Asperger disorder or pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (maternal age: RR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.09-1.93; paternal age: RR, 1.24; 95% CI, 0.99-1.55). Associations with parental age were somewhat stronger for girls than for boys, although sex differences were not statistically significant."

Arch Gen Psychiatry -- Abstract: Advancing Paternal Age and Autism, September 2006, Reichenberg et al. 63 (9): 1026

Arch Gen Psychiatry -- Abstract: Advancing Paternal Age and Autism, September 2006, Reichenberg et al. 63 (9): 1026: "There was a significant monotonic association between advancing paternal age and risk of ASD. Offspring of men 40 years or older were 5.75 times (95% confidence interval, 2.65-12.46; P<.001) more likely to have ASD compared with offspring of men younger than 30 years, after controlling for year of birth, socioeconomic status, and maternal age. Advancing maternal age showed no association with ASD after adjusting for paternal age. Sensitivity analyses indicated that these findings were not the result of bias due to missing data on maternal age."

PINNACLE - Behavior Problems of Children With Autism, Parental Self-Efficacy, and Mental Health

PINNACLE - Behavior Problems of Children With Autism, Parental Self-Efficacy, and Mental Health: "Self-efficacy has been identified in the general parenting literature as an important variable affecting parent outcomes. In the present study, 26 mothers and 20 fathers of children with autism reported on their self-efficacy, anxiety, and depression. Teachers rated the behavior problems of the children. Regression analyses showed that self-efficacy mediated the effect of child behavior problems on mothers' anxiety and depression, but there was no evidence that it functioned as a mediator for fathers. However, there was evidence that self-efficacy moderated the effect of child behavior problems on fathers' anxiety. No evidence for the moderating effect of self-efficacy was apparent for mothers. Methodological issues and the theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed."

New drug to treat autism being tested at New Brunswick hospital | mycentraljersey.com | MyCentralJersey.com

New drug to treat autism being tested at New Brunswick hospital mycentraljersey.com MyCentralJersey.com: "'We are targeting the symptoms of autism,' said Dr. Joan Fallon, founder of Curemark LLC., a drug-research and development company located in Rye, N.Y. The company is testing its new product at 13 locations nationwide.The testing being conducted at Saint Peter's involves 170 youngsters, hospital spokesman Phil Hartman said.Fallon said the test pool covers children age 3 to 8. She said she expects results 'sometime early next year.'"

Opposing Views: Does Attachment Parenting Cause Autism?

Opposing Views: Does Attachment Parenting Cause Autism?: "It is perhaps the ultimate irony that advocates of attachment parenting who reject vaccination because of fear of autism have ignored the possibility that it is attachment parenting itself that causes autism.

Consider the ever growing body of evidence:"

Horses becoming a more common therapeutic tool | Dothan Eagle

Horses becoming a more common therapeutic tool Dothan Eagle: "After David Paul Harper gets a boost onto Trigger, one of the therapy horses at Camp DD in Cottonwood, he asks a simple question.

“How do you start it?”

With a chuckle, Camp Director Dina Bright tells David to put a quarter in it. All kidding aside, Bright then begins a series of instructions for David and another camp visitor who will be leading Trigger around the round pen as David rides."

New autism drug tested at New Brunswick hospital | APP.com | Asbury Park Press

New autism drug tested at New Brunswick hospital APP.com Asbury Park Press: "'We are targeting the symptoms of autism,' said Dr. Joan Fallon, founder of Curemark LLC, a drug-research and development company located in Rye, N.Y. The company is testing its new product at 13 locations nationwide.
The testing being conducted at Saint Peter's involves 170 youngsters, hospital spokesman Phil Hartman said.
Fallon said the test pool covers children age 3 to 8. She said she expects results 'sometime early next year.'"

KOMU.com - NewsFullStory

KOMU.com - NewsFullStory: "COLUMBIA - University of Missouri College of Education researchers announced Thursday a new autism curriculum being implemented in two Columbia schools. Researchers are conducting their curriculum in both Lange Middle School and West Junior High. The study is targeting both autistic boys and girls ages eleven to fourteen years old. Janine Stichter, special education professor at MU, said the new intervention curriculum will help autistic students because it focuses on a broad number of social issues that should appeal to kids with different abilities. 'In the past people have said 'oh they have social deficits. We can just use a social skills program in general and hopefully a bunch of that will fit a bunch of kids. Our approach has been to really target the intervention for their specific needs,' Stichter said. The new curriculum also features some computer programming that Stichter hopes will help students in rural areas get the special help they need."

Distinctive brain activity in autistic kids - World - Mail & Guardian Online

Distinctive brain activity in autistic kids - World - Mail & Guardian Online: "The pattern of brain activity in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is markedly different from that of children without the condition, according to a new brain-imaging study."

Study Reveals Children Recover From Autism With Intensive Three-Year Behavioral Therapy -- PHOENIX, Nov. 12, 2010 /PRNewswire/ --

Study Reveals Children Recover From Autism With Intensive Three-Year Behavioral Therapy -- PHOENIX, Nov. 12, 2010 /PRNewswire/ --: "A landmark study proves that children are capable of recovery from autism, or of making substantial gains in cognitive and adaptive functioning, as well as language skills, according to results released last night by Dr. Doreen Granpeesheh, founder of the Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc. (CARD)."

Testing Autism Drugs in Human Brain Cells - Technology Review

Testing Autism Drugs in Human Brain Cells - Technology Review: "A team from the University of California, San Diego, and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies devised a way to study brain cells from patients with autism, and found a way reverse cellular abnormalities in neurons that have been associated with autism.
The researchers took skin biopsies from patients with a severe form of autism called Rett syndrome, and genetically reprogrammed those cells into pluripotent stem cells. Pluripotent stem cells have the power to differentiate into any kind of cell in the body, depending on environmental cues during early development. The team differentiated the stem cells into fully functioning neurons, and then studied their functioning. They found that neurons derived from patients with Rett syndrome showed certain abnormalities, including markedly smaller cell bodies, dendrite connections, and decreased cell-to-cell communication."

Bracelet may help communication for people with autism | Marketplace From American Public Media

Bracelet may help communication for people with autism Marketplace From American Public Media: "For people with autism, communication can be a struggle, one that can seem insurmountable. But a team of researchers at MIT may have come up with a fairly simple solution: a bracelet. The Q Sensor wristband can provide a window into how the wearer is feeling at a given time."

DNA Variation Increases Autism and Schizophrenia Risk | Chromosome 17, DNA & Genetics | My Health News Daily

DNA Variation Increases Autism and Schizophrenia Risk Chromosome 17, DNA & Genetics My Health News Daily: "People who possess a specific change in one of their chromosomes are nearly 14 times more likely to develop an autism spectrum disorder or schizophrenia than those without this change, according to a new study.
The change, which is called a deletion, happens when a section of chromosome 17 is missing. The deletion is found only in people who have an autism spectrum disorder, a developmental delay or schizophrenia, said study researcher David H. Ledbetter, a genetics professor at Emory University."

Community Magazine

Community Magazine: "Infants exposed to the highest levels of thimerosal, a mercury-laden preservative that used to be found in many vaccines, were no more likely to develop autism than infants exposed to small amounts, according to a study conducted by the immunization safety office at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and published in the journal Pediatrics. Thimerosal has been used as a preservative in vaccines since the 1930s. In the last decade, scientists have also presented evidence refuting an earlier claim that the MMR (mumps, measles, rubella) vaccine might trigger autism. In the wake of the latest study, Geraldine Dawson, chief science officer for a leading advocacy group, Autism Speaks, urged parents to have their children vaccinated."

Autism – Detected By A Simple Urine Test

Autism – Detected By A Simple Urine Test: "The test is similar to that of pregnancy can diagnose with a few drops of urine, write DailyMail. Such psychological tests and numerous visits to hospital, although necessary for diagnosis, can have a traumatic effect on children. Besides this benefit, the new method means starting treatment earlier, increasing chances of a life closer to normal for the child."

Acupuncture Helps Children with Autism - New Research

Acupuncture Helps Children with Autism - New Research: "New research demonstrates that a session of 12 acupuncture visits using electro-acupuncture improves functions in children with autism. Electro-acupuncture caused improvements in language comprehension and self-care ability for the children in this randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled, clinical trial of acupuncture for the treatment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Electro-acupuncture also caused significant improvements in social initiation, receptive language, motor skills, coordination, and attention span. Improvements in motor coordination include better writing ability. Participants were better able to write words within set lines and squares. One participant had significant improvements in swimming ability and improvements in paper cutting were also noted. Interesting motor improvements include better walking posture, speed of walking, and ability to ascend and descend stairs."

Can pets help keep you healthy? - Sleepy Eye, MN - The Sleepy Eye Herald Dispatch

Can pets help keep you healthy? - Sleepy Eye, MN - The Sleepy Eye Herald Dispatch: "People have lots of reasons for owning pets. A small but growing body of research suggests that owning or interacting with animals may have the added benefit of improving your health.
People and animals have a long history of living together and bonding. Perhaps the oldest evidence of this special relationship was discovered in Israel where a 12,000-year-old human skeleton was buried with its hand resting on the skeleton of a 6-month-old wolf pup."