People who show characteristics of autism are more at risk of attempting suicide, according to a Coventry University study whose results are being presented to a United States federal advisory committee tomorrow. Researchers found that people who exhibited higher levels of autistic traits were more likely to try to end their lives than people without the...
Tag: <span>Autism</span>
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Most alternative therapies for treating autism show inconclusive benefits
Dr. Shafali Jeste has no tolerance for those who would promote therapies for treating autism that lack any scientific basis. Dr. Shafali Jeste knows well the desperation of a parent seeking a cure for their child with autism spectrum disorder. As a clinician who both researches the causes of the disorder and treats children...
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Google Glass autism app is a real conversation-starter
Although Google Glass never did reach the market, the technology could presumably be adapted to other smart glasses Among other things, children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often have difficulty initiating and maintaining conversations. That’s why a team of scientists, led by University of Toronto assistant professor Azadeh Kushki, created Holli. It’s an app...
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New autism diagnosis guidelines miss the mark on how best to help children with developmental problems
Autism has become a default consideration for any child who struggles socially, behaviourally, or with sensory stimuli. The first national guidelines for diagnosing autism were released for public consultation last week. The report by research group Autism CRC was commissioned and funded by the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in October 2016. The NDIS has taken over the...
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Folic acid may mitigate autism risk from pesticides
(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) — Researchers at UC Davis and other institutions have shown that mothers who take recommended amounts of folic acid around conception might reduce their children’s pesticide-related autism risk. Rebecca Schmidt In the study, children whose mothers took 800 or more micrograms of folic acid (the amount in most prenatal vitamins) had a significantly lower...
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Using DNA to predict schizophrenia and autism
Huntington’s disease, cystic fibrosis, and muscular dystrophy are all diseases that can be traced to a single mutation. Diagnosis in asymptomatic patients for these diseases is relatively easy—you have the mutation? Then you are at risk. Complex diseases, on the other hand, do not have a clear mutational footprint. A new multi-institutional study by Japanese...
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Scientists make autism advance using monkey model
Autism is a common neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social communication and restricted and repetitive behavior or interests. The reported prevalence of autism has been rising worldwide. Due to the application of large-scale exome sequencing in recent years, hundreds of novel autism-associated genes have been identified. Mutations in SHANK3 remain one of the best characterized...
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How exposing children with autism to risk can teach them resilience and life skills
Last night’s ABC Australian Story episode Clearly, Africa is not the practical answer to helping the majority of children thrive. But the lessons learnt from the journey may encourage a slightly “riskier” approach to parenting and education for some children with autism. An unconventional approach Parents James and Benison decided to take Sam to Africa for six months to “expose him...
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Autism severity detected with brain activity test
FINDINGS UCLA researchers have discovered that children with autism have a tell-tale difference on brain tests compared with other children. Specifically, the researchers found that the lower a child’s peak alpha frequency — a number reflecting the frequency of certain brain waves — the lower their non-verbal IQ was. This is the first study to...
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Eye test could help diagnose autism
A new study out in European Journal of Neuroscience could herald a new tool that helps physicians identify a sub-group of people with Autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The test, which consists of measuring rapid eye movements, may indicate deficits in an area of the brain that plays an important role in emotional and social development. “These findings...