Experts have called for large-scale studies into altering the make-up of bacteria in the gut, after a review showed that this might reduce the symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Until now, caregivers have relied on rehabilitation, educational interventions and drugs to reduce ASD symptoms, but now researchers suggest that treating this condition could be...
Tag: <span>ASD</span>
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Predicting autism: Study links infant brain connections to diagnoses at age 2
Researchers use MRIs to make connections between brain regions to predict which high-risk infants will develop autism. For the first time, autism researchers used MRIs of six-month olds to show how brain regions are connected and synchronized, and then predict which babies at high risk of developing autism would be diagnosed with the condition...
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Telehealth reduces wait time, improves care for children with autism living in remote areas
Long wait times have been a persistent issue for families waiting to see an autism specialist, with waits often exceeding a year. Additionally, children with autism living in rural areas have added costs associated with traveling long distances for health care. To address these issues, ECHO Autism, a University of Missouri program, has been successfully training...
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Cannabis for kids: Some parents praise pot to treat autism, other disorders despite lack of research
ARIZONA — To say Brandy Williams was a desperate parent is an understatement. “No mother should feel like a punching bag,” she said while describing what was happening with her little boy Logan. “He was literally cocking his head back and smashing it forward on hard objects around our house. I had 30 dents in...
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Diabetes drug may help symptoms of autism associated condition
Metformin 500mg tablets. A widely used diabetes medication could help people with a common inherited form of autism, research shows. Scientists found that a drug called metformin improves sociability and reduces symptomatic behaviours in adult mice with a form of Fragile X syndrome. Researchers say that metformin could be repurposed as a therapy for Fragile X syndrome...
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Improving social skills in kids with autism
Waving goodbye and blowing kisses—no parent wants to miss out on those special moments. Among the 1 percent of the population of the United States who are diagnosed with autism, however, these small but important gestures often are missing from their behavior. Researchers at the Autism Assessment, Research, Treatment and Services Center (AARTS) Center...
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10 Things Every Child With Autism Wishes You Knew
We are often quick to make judgements on what we perceive to be happening when children behave in a way that draws attention – but when a young person with autism is struggling to cope with the world, the last thing they need is our criticism. These 10 tips reflect our combined experience of research...
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Girls are better at masking autism than boys
Girls with autism have relatively good social skills, which means that their autism is often not recognised. Autism manifests itself in girls differently from in boys. Psychologist Carolien Rieffe and colleagues from the Autism Centre and INTER-PSY (Groningen) report their findings in scientific journal Autism. Information about autism in girls is scarce. What we know about autism is mainly based...
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Beyond Autism Awareness: Here’s How You Can Foster Acceptance Of Autism
On April 2, World Autism Awareness Day was celebrated with a clarion call to expand autism awareness and initiatives as envisaged by the United Nations a decade ago. The entire month of April is devoted to autism awareness. Joining in was the White House with blue illumination, acknowledging the call extended to President Donald Trump by Autism...
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Grandmothers are usually the FIRST to spot autism in children – before parents realize something is wrong
Children who interact with their grandmothers have a quicker autism diagnosis Frequent interactions with grandmothers reduced diagnosis age by 5 months Kids who are around their older siblings are also more quickly diagnosed Parents may think they know their children better than anyone, but a new study warns they may overlook tell-tale signs of autism. In...