MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'autism spectrum disorder'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:28:25 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4704713&cid=t_104786_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F04%2F12%2F6-tips-for-living-with-an-autism-spectrum-disorder-in-college%2F As Autism Awareness month continues, April is a time of transition for many high school seniors, as they learn what colleges and universities they got into. So it seems like an ideal time to talk about autism and college, and some tips to help with the transition. The excerpt below is from the book, Living Well on the Spectrum by author Valerie L. Gaus, Ph.D. The book is a self-help book that helps a person with an autism spectrum disorder identify life goals and the steps needed to achieve them. Read on for the excerpt… April is the month when most high school seniors receive their college acceptance letters and begin to plan the next phase of their lives. The transition from high school to college can be very difficult for people on the spectrum. All too often I am referred a youn... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4704713 Tue, 12 Apr 2011 21:05:05 +0100 4704713 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4693335&cid=t_104786_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F04%2F08%2Fbest-of-our-blogs-april-8-2011%2F I’m going to skip my biweekly words of reflection today and talk about something important going on this month. While bees spread pollen during spring, organizations are spreading awareness about autism in April. There will be several activities running this month that will help raise awareness about autism, which is defined by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke as, “complex neurodevelopment disorders, characterized by social impairments, communication difficulties, and restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior.” It is estimated that “three to six children out of every 1,000 will have an autism spectrum disorder.” For more information, you can check out the NINDS website. And to find out what you can do participate i... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4693335 Fri, 08 Apr 2011 11:56:52 +0100 4693335 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3876655&cid=t_104786_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fresearch-suggests-autism-could-be-diagnosed-with-a-15-minute-brain-scan%2F2010.08.17 A team of researchers at King’s College of the University of London (KCL) has developed a brain scan which can purportedly detect autism in adults. The scan, which uses MRI to obtain images of the brain, can identify autism based on the physical makeup of grey matter in the brain. Results of an initial study involving the scan were published in the Journal of Neuroscience today. From the article: The team used an MRI scanner to take pictures of the brain’s grey matter. A separate imaging technique was then used to reconstruct these scans into 3D images that could be assessed for structure, shape and thickness — all intricate measurements that reveal Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at its root. The research studied 20 healthy adults, 20 adults with ASD, and 19 adults with A... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3876655 Tue, 17 Aug 2010 12:00:52 +0100 3876655 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3611938&cid=t_104786_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F05%2F30%2Fyou-do-make-a-difference-in-the-dsm-5%2F Good news — you can make a difference! According to a presentation at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association last week, the 8,600 comments submitted in response to the draft of the new version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (called the “DSM-5″ for short — the 5 stands for the 5th edition of the book) helped spur changes in the draft. To me, this kind of change demonstrates a fundamental shift in the ability to engage in a meaningful scientific/clinical dialogue. Twenty years ago, there was no easy feedback mechanism for a project of this scale. Back then, significant time and resources would be needed in order to get legitimate and critical feedback (e.g., setting up focus groups in multiple geographic locations, ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3611938 Sun, 30 May 2010 12:55:55 +0100 3611938 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2967419&cid=t_104786_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FIyJ1ZqXFUE8%2F This study aims to improve these and other related cognitive skills by using a driving game in which players practice paying attention to relevant information, such as traffic signs, and ignoring irrelevant information, such as billboards. The study monitors brain activity with electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings and observes eye position and game performance in younger adults (ages 18 to 30) and older adults (ages 60 to 80) before and after six weeks of game play. The study assesses changes in cognitive ability, brain activity and transfer of game-related skills to similar cognitive operations and activities that take place in daily life. Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (Philadelphia, PA) Reward Circuitry, Autism and Games that Teach Social Perceptual Skills – tests effe... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2967419 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:35:40 +0100 2967419 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2390176&cid=t_104786_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2Fdk7Y9bg3raU%2F Complex disorders like autism are very tricky to study when finding the genes responsible for them. There are many factors that can cause autism and genes was thought to play only a small role. So far, the genes that were found linked to autism explained only a small fraction of the phenotypes, and environment was the big chunk. The symptoms and signs that people with autism showed were also quite varied that it was hard to know if there was anything genetically common among them. On top of that, disorders that were classed as autism spectrum disorders (ASD) ranged from very severe to much milder forms and everything in between. Well, recently, scientists became very excited because a common genetic link was found among people with autism! To be exact 65% of people with autism showed a com... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2390176 Mon, 04 May 2009 15:38:00 +0100 2390176 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2046918&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FTQl7IZaJLPw%2F First, huge applause for Bonnie Sayers for organizing, garnering prizes, managing Autism Twitter Day. Did you tweet? (I did, though not as much as I would have wanted to—-a thing called giving exams, and grading exams, and end of semester business…….) What did you think? Do it again? Tags: asd, asperger syndrome, autism, autism spectrum disorder, community, prizes, twitter, weblogShare This (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2046918 Wed, 17 Dec 2008 21:00:08 +0100 2046918 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1531376&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F315546894%2F The earlier part of this year saw the publication of a number of studies about the genetics of autism, with one scientist speculating about a unified theory of autism. The July 2008 Nature Genetics has a review of psychiatric genetics that considers progress and controversy. Here is the abstract: Several psychiatric disorders — such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and autism — are highly heritable, yet identifying their genetic basis has been challenging, with most discoveries failing to be replicated. However, inroads have been made by the incorporation of intermediate traits (endophenotypes) and of environmental factors into genetic analyses, and through the identification of rare inherited variants and novel structural mutations. Current efforts aim to increase sample sizes by ga... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1531376 Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:39:08 +0100 1531376 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1531378&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F315051596%2F Kendall Bailey is 19 years old, 6 foot 6, and a champion swimmer headed for the Paralympics in Beijing this September—–but he was almost rendered ineligible by the United States itself. Bailey has cerebral palsy, mental retardation, autism, and Klinefelter’s syndrome, which prevents his body from producing testosterone. Today’s New York Times profiles his dream to swim in the Paralympics and the efforts of his mother, Connie Shaw, to make sure that this happens: Kendall Bailey is a rare case of a mentally disabled athlete who also has the physical disabilities to qualify him for the Paralympics. But in April, amid confusion about how disabled athletes are classified both before and during the Games, officials who oversee the American team on behalf of the United States ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1531378 Thu, 19 Jun 2008 01:25:03 +0100 1531378 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1467900&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F297920803%2F 22-year-old Nicky Reilly is being held over a nail bomb attack last week in a restaurant in Exeter, UK. Reilly is believed to have Asperger’s Syndrome, today’s Times notes: Reilly, 22, is a Muslim convert who has spent time detained in a mental health hospital. He has been described as a shambling introvert with the mental age of a 10-year-old. He is believed to have Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism, and may also suffer from schizophrenia. Security officials say Al-Qaeda appears to have exported the tactic from Iraq, where disabled “foot soldiers” have been used to devastating effect. They point to a case in February when a suicide bomber in a wheelchair killed an Iraqi general in Samarra, north of Baghdad. Earlier, two women, initially thought to have Down’s syndr... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1467900 Sun, 25 May 2008 20:00:42 +0100 1467900 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1461029&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F295576659%2F We all root for amputees—-until they win medals is the blurb on an article by William Saletan in the May 21st Slate. Saletan writes about Oscar Pistorius, the runner from South Africa who—he is a double amputee—runs on specially built prostheses called “cheetahs” ( j-shapes blades made of carbon fiber). Pistorius recently won a decision to be allowed to compete in the Olympic trials; the International Association of Athletics (IAAF—track’s governing body) had argued that he had an unfair advantage because of his high-tech prosthetic legs. But the Court of Sports Arbitration “deemed that there was not enough evidence to prove that Pistorius’s flexible j-shaped blades, attached below his knees, gave him an advantage.” It could as readil... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1461029 Thu, 22 May 2008 05:11:48 +0100 1461029 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1396267&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F277067492%2F Big Brother contestant Adam Jasinki—who achieved near-universal opprobrium in the autism community for calling autistic children “retards” on the show—-is one of the final two contestants to win the half a million dollar prize. Today’s Philadelphia Inquirer describes him as a “wide-eyed lug with Cherry Hill roots”—-that’s Cherry Hill in South Jersey—-who has “connived his controversial way” into possibly winning. If Jasinski wins, it’s a sad statement about what people will do for money and about people in general: Something a lot, lot less than brotherly love. Tags: asd, asperger, autism, autism spectrum disorder, big brother, cbs, children, offensive language, pdd-nos, Psychology, StereotypesShare This (Source:... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1396267 Thu, 24 Apr 2008 18:00:51 +0100 1396267 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1312409&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F254084755%2F A Difficult Youth Is A Good Thing for a Fisher——um, a fish, according to a study about the Bluehead Wrasse reported about in Science Daily back in February: [Scientists] discovered that fish larvae that survive a long, rough, offshore journey eventually arrive at a near shore reef in good condition, and that they thrive afterwards.In contrast, locally produced young have a relatively easy life and they arrive on the reef (near the area where they were spawned) in a variety of conditions –– from poor to good. Only the young that are in good condition survive after a month on the reef. Fisher is Charlie’s last name and his childhood (these first ten years and ten-plus months) has definitely been a journey upstream, in a rough current. We’ve all become better swimm... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1312409 Wed, 19 Mar 2008 05:43:30 +0100 1312409 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1271861&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F244415772%2F Google and genius; the meaning of MR and the meaning of intelligence; a new name for autism from David Kirby; an online town meeting for the NYU Child Study Center; a little presidential candidate politicking……. Parents Don’t Cause Autism And neither do vaccines or something in vaccines. Myth, Science, and Autism: A Message from the AAP Well aware of the amount of misinformation about vaccines and autism circulating in the public sphere, the AAP has sent out a request to hear from parents who have an autistic child and who are in support of immunizations, or parents whose child has a vaccine-preventable illness; parents who might wish to speak on behalf of the AAP in either capacity can email the AAP. Nate Tseglin Removed From His Home and Institutionalized: Why? Should Ch... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1271861 Sun, 02 Mar 2008 18:04:50 +0100 1271861 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1265175&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F242861051%2F Some interesting reviews from Toronto of Autism: The Musical which (EyeWeekly notes) offers a “real life alternative to Rain Man.” And, while I’m on the subject, two more musicals: In Brick Township, NJ, a “rock opera,” Day After Day, that is about “the daily struggles the families of autistic children face”; it’s being performed this Friday and has also been performed eight times in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York over the course of two months in 2004. On a slightly different note (sorry for the unintended pun), in New York there’s Next to Normal, the city’s “first mainstream musical about manic depression.” Housewife Diana is manic-depressive and, it seems, undergoes electro-shock treatment in the course of the... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1265175 Thu, 28 Feb 2008 18:34:45 +0100 1265175 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1245125&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F238282724%2F My school, Saint Peter’s College in Jersey City, has been on lockdown since 10.34am after a “suspicious note” was found. The campus website notes that “there has not been an actual incident”; my students and I, and everyone in our building, have been told to stay put until further notice (we haven’t been told much and have been watching a live video with Jersey City police getting out of their vehicles with dogs…..more news here on Fox News). I’m hoping things are all right and wondering if I’m going to be able to get home to meet Charlie’s schoolbus……. Tags: asd, asperger, autism, autism spectrum disorder, jersey city, lockdown, pdd-nos, Psychology, securityShare This (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1245125 Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:31:08 +0100 1245125 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1238197&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F236651855%2F Do I even need to say that?—-after all, it’s no longer the days of the refrigerator mother theory of autism popularized by self-styled early child development expert Bruno Bettelhaim. But then one encounters this headline:  Autism Caused by Uninformed Parents in the National Expositor, which is not directly blaming bad parents for causing autism. It’s blaming parents for taking one particular bad action that “causes” a child to become autistic—for having them vaccinated—specifically for having them “injected” with a mercury-based substance in vaccines.  …[Methyl] mercury is injected directly into the bodies of children where it causes severe neurological damage. And yes, it does cause Autism, despite what you’ve read ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1238197 Sun, 17 Feb 2008 22:09:35 +0100 1238197 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1237775&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F236578423%2F Oxytocin is sometimes called the “love hormone”; it is a brain chemical that is associated with pair bonding, between mothers and infants and also between males and females. It seems to play a role in social and repetitive behaviors, and researchers at the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine have found that oxytocin may reduce some repetitive behaviors in autistic adults. The February 14th Science Daily reports on a study at the University of California at San Diego that is using oxytocin to treat anxiety: In humans, oxytocin is released during hugging and pleasant physical touch, and plays a part in the human sexual response cycle. It appears to change the brain signals related to social recognition via facial expressions, perhaps by changing the firing of the amygdala, the part of... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1237775 Sun, 17 Feb 2008 18:04:11 +0100 1237775 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1237613&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F236362329%2F Neon-bright marquees and music (from B.B. King’s theater–Buckwheat Zydeco is playing) and tour buses driving up halfway onto 42nd street and Russian Spanish Korean Twi being spoken and the smell of the gyros and steam from the subway grates: That was what Charlie walked through, holding Jim’s arm and grinning, with my parents and me bringing up the rear on Saturday afternoon in New York City. Too much going on, same as the topics for the past two weeks’ posts. What’s It All About, Eli? (2): Keeping the FaithWhile the court case that the main character of ABC’s legal drama, Eli Stone, successfully argues in the show’s first episode involves vaccines and “mercuritol,” a stand-in for thimerasol that is claimed to have caused a child to b... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1237613 Sun, 17 Feb 2008 06:03:25 +0100 1237613 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1237614&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F236244882%2F 11 children in the San Diego area have now been diagnosed with measles and one more child is being tested, according to today’s Sign On San Diego. All of the 11 children who have been confirmed to have measles were not vaccinated, either because they were younger than one year old (the minimum age for the measles inoculation) or because their parents did not have them vaccinated: School leaders, health officials and physicians say they hope the outbreak will persuade parents to have their children inoculated against measles, mumps and rubella. They said the vaccine is safe. However, a growing number of parents are exercising their right under California law to decline vaccination for their children. They fear that vaccines may be linked to autism. Sign On San Diego describes the... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1237614 Sat, 16 Feb 2008 23:02:31 +0100 1237614 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1236978&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F236150026%2F Charlie takes the Alternate Proficiency Assessment (APA). He was first tested when he was in the fourth grade, in the subject areas of Language Arts Literacy, Mathematics, and Science; this year, he’ll only be tested in Language Arts Literacy and Mathematics. His teachers have to attend special training sessions to administer the test. Florida is just launching a statewide alternate assessment test this year—school districts had previously each used a different test. Here in New Jersey, the APA test is administered to Charlie one-on-one by a teacher and he is scored in three areas, Progress, Program, and Proficiency. There are three levels that he is scored in, Substantial, Considerable, and Minimal. Last year’s assessment reveals (surprise surprise) that Language Arts ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1236978 Sat, 16 Feb 2008 18:00:10 +0100 1236978 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1236239&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F235955717%2F “Reinvent date night proclaims the New York Times (on February 14th, “heart day” no less): Doing something different, exciting and new is, for long-married couples, the “simple prescription for rekindling the romantic love that brought [you] together in the first place.” Don’t know about you, but “going out,” on a “date” or not is a fairly novel occurrence for us, due to a few reasons. First is the perennial Finding a Babysitter problem. Over the years, we’ve had two great babysitters who we called frequently in order to attend school meetings or even (more rarely) to go out for dinner. One was a high school student who went to college in Maryland a few years ago. The other is now a speech therapist; while she is able to... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1236239 Sat, 16 Feb 2008 06:45:12 +0100 1236239 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1236240&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F235851848%2F Lunch is a rather chance affair for me, usually because, for me, 2pm is the equivalent of the clock striking midnight in the Cinderella story: I grab everything and head for my car to get home to meet Charlie’s bus, and try to cram in as much work at my desk as I can. But I know that if Charlie’s lunchbox ever was not in his backpack, it would be Not Good. I’ve been fortunate that, for this week, my parents have been visiting from California and have not only been meeting Charlie at the bus; my mom (”PoPo”—Cantonese for maternal grandmother—to Charlie) has been making Charlie’s lunch. One unchanging feature of Charlie’s lunchbox has been a CapriSun juice, Mountain Cooler/Splash Cooler/Pacific Cooler/Surf Cooler flavor. No other flavor... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1236240 Sat, 16 Feb 2008 01:03:20 +0100 1236240 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1234666&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F235705878%2F Neither today’s children, nor today’s adults, are overmedicated, writes Judith Warner in today’s New York Times. Nonetheless, she writes, the belief persists that “American children and adults are being over-diagnosed and overmedicated for exaggerated or even fictitious mental disorders”; such a notion “has now become one of the defining tropes of our era.” Warner notes that there’s an image out there in the public mind that people seek out prescriptions to pop pills for minor ailments and issues, and put more medication into the mouths of babes (their children) because Johnny can’t sit still after lunch. Far from it, Warner writes. People and parents (myself among them) only decide to give medication after serious, serious considera... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1234666 Fri, 15 Feb 2008 18:56:04 +0100 1234666 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1233278&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F235370696%2F I shouldn’t even have to say that. Period. Someone did, on CBS’ Big Brother TV show: Adam Jasinski, who is the PR Manager for the United Autism Foundation (UNIAF). Here’s a video clip in which Jasinski talks about taking autistic children to a hair salon for kids with special needs “so the retards can get it together and get their hair done.” A woman named Sheila confronts Jasinski about what he’s said. “Can get it together”—–Jasinski’s use of the word “retards” is terrible as it is, but talking about kids “getting it together”: This is seriously troubling language. My own son Charlie has a lot of cognitive delays—-I’ve mentioned his struggles to read, write, and do most academi... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1233278 Fri, 15 Feb 2008 05:32:34 +0100 1233278 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1233279&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F235305006%2F Self-cleaning clothes, made from wool and silk, no less? Can’t even begin to imagine the possibility of spending less time with the washing machine, and the Shout, and the ketchup and soy sauce stains……. Tags: asd, asperger, autism, autism spectrum disorder, chemicals, children, clothes, pdd-nos, Psychology, red wine, self-cleaning, silk, washing machine, woolShare This (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1233279 Fri, 15 Feb 2008 02:40:52 +0100 1233279 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1233280&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F235212149%2F I’ve gotten my valentines (and gave a better-than-chocolate-one to my students in the form of “no weekly quiz”). Phoebe passed on a link to Donors Choose—–if you search under the word autism, you’ll come to this page, on which a number of teachers and therapists have posted requests for toys, puzzles, pictures for flashcards and picture schedules, and many more items for use in their classrooms. I’m wishing I had saved a few more of the materials we used for Charlie’s home ABA therapy; I gave away a lot them years ago—-am happy there are plenty of other ways to help other kids like Charlie. Tags: asd, asperger, autism, autism spectrum disorder, children, donations, donors, pdd-nos, Psychology, schools, teachersShare This (Source: Autism... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1233280 Thu, 14 Feb 2008 22:41:54 +0100 1233280 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1231888&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F235081487%2F MIT researchers have found that the lack of a brain protein, Shank 1, in mice causes them to learn some tasks faster but, when tested weeks later, they were not able to retain that knowledge. Shank 1 is a key protein in building synapses, and mutations in the closely related protein, Shank 3, have been linked to autism. The mice were found to be able to learn a spatial task quickly but (as compared to normal mice) were later unable to remember how to do it. The study is published in the Journal of Neuroscience; here are more details form Science Blog: …… mice genetically engineered to lack a key protein used for building synapses–the junctions through which brain cells communicate–actually learned a spatial memory task faster and better than normal mice. But when... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1231888 Thu, 14 Feb 2008 17:50:37 +0100 1231888 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1230382&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F234759467%2F In anticipation of Valentine’s Day, the February 13th New York Times had an article about romantic relationships that persevere in the face of great differences—-vegetarians/vegans falling for carni/omnivores: Sharing meals has always been an important courtship ritual and a metaphor for love. But in an age when many people define themselves by what they will eat and what they won’t, dietary differences can put a strain on a romantic relationship. The culinary camps have become so balkanized that some factions consider interdietary dating taboo. True love does find a way, though—-I’ve been a vegetarian since I was in high school but when you’re the mother of a growing boy (I have just one inch over him still), you do end up finding yourself frying him... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1230382 Thu, 14 Feb 2008 04:43:02 +0100 1230382 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1229282&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F234475131%2F The Florida parents of 7-year-old Matthew Faiella, who has autism, are taking him to Costa Rica at the end of this month for adult stem cell treatments. According to WESH.com, Daniel and Ruth Faiella say that they have seen “improved mental skills” in Matthew after trying many different therapies, “including a $20,000 hyperbolic chamber that allows Matthew to breathe in pure oxygen that his parents believe stimulates his brain cells.” Costs for the Costa Rica trip are, Daniel Faiella says, “‘depleting all of our funds’” and they are seeking donations. There are currently no clinical trials underway in the US for using stem cell therapy for autism and stem cell treatment is not allowed in the US. Stem cell therapy is offered in Mexico and Ch... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1229282 Wed, 13 Feb 2008 17:40:55 +0100 1229282 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1226779&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F234206925%2F “This is a high note. Which is lower?” The music teacher asked, gently plucking the A string and the C string of the cello. Charlie reached over and set the instrument back sideways against his shoulder, and pulled at the strings. The music teacher, the aide with the token board, Charlie’s teacher, and I all listened. Charlie had his first cello lesson today. I’ve been wondering about him learning to play a stringed instrument for awhile, ever since he became fascinated with the sounds and the vibrations of a small guitar that my parents gave him a few years ago. He even insisted on taking the guitar into the car with him. Unfortunately, within a week—-probably had something to do with Charlie kneeling on the guitar to look at the strings as he plucked them&... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1226779 Wed, 13 Feb 2008 07:04:56 +0100 1226779 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1226780&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F234027895%2F Not too many people are trying to get on ABC’s Supernanny tv show, notes the February 10th News OK (Oklahoma). “The parents featured on the show have seen their families spiral so far out of order that they’re willing to try anything to regain control of their children,” it is noted—–one of the mothers currently seeking to appear on the show is Sammi Williams. She’s a single mother working her way through nursing school and has three sons, Dalton, 11, Jesse, 7, and Garrett, 5, two of whom have “severe autism.” She said it’s not uncommon for her to be reduced to tears in the grocery store or have mealtimes completely waylaid by outbursts. Williams’ extended family wants to plan a ski trip, but she said that won’t be... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1226780 Tue, 12 Feb 2008 23:39:33 +0100 1226780 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1225360&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F233863471%2F Generation Rescue, an organization that says that “autism is mercury poisoning,” has taken out a full page ad in USA Today proclaiming that we need to “green our vaccines” and take “greater care” in administering them. By “greening” vaccines, Generation Rescue seems to mean that vaccines need to be—-like certain green cleaning products being promoted for use in New Jersey schools—safer. But today’s ad is merely the “same old same old” message the group has been putting out for the past years, and the “green” of their message is starting to wilt and wither. In the past, Generation Rescue—and proponents of the hypothesis that vaccines or something in vaccines, such as thimerosal—have spoke... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1225360 Tue, 12 Feb 2008 17:44:42 +0100 1225360 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1223733&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F233628847%2F Researchers at the University of California-Davis M.I.N.D. Institute suggest that some cases of “regressive autism”—-in which a child seems to be developing normally and then loses skills and becomes autistic, in contrast to “early onset autism”—-may be connected to the immune systems of mothers during pregnancy. Antibodies in the blood of mothers of autistic children were found to bind with fetal brain cells and affect healthy brain development. More specifics about the study Science Daily: [Judy] Van de Water, senior author of the study and professor of rheumatology, allergy and clinical immunology, and her team began their research with blood samples from 123 mothers – 61 whose children have autism and 62 whose children are typically developing. T... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1223733 Tue, 12 Feb 2008 08:48:33 +0100 1223733 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1223734&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F233439506%2F “As a parent, I saw the future and so the question is, given our position, what do we do about it? Maybe we could be an example, maybe we could use our position of leadership to try to change the work environment.” So Walgreens executive Randy Lewis—who has a 19-old-son with autism—says in an ABC news report on companies employing disabled employees. More than 40 percent of the 700 workers at the Walgreens distribution center in Anderson, South Carolina are disabled. Another quote from Lewis: “People come to me and say, will this work in my environment? Yes, it will. This is not just a good thing to do, the right thing to do. This is better…..When you walk through this building, there is a sense of purpose. Everybody knows why they’re here. Ever... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1223734 Tue, 12 Feb 2008 00:20:49 +0100 1223734 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1222369&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F233325698%2F Four-year-old Scarlet Chen drowned in the bathtub of her Scarborough, Ontario, home on July 12, 2004. Her death was initially ruled an “‘unfortunate accident,’” but, on February 28, 2005, Scarlet’s mother, Xuan Peng, was arrested and charged with murder. The case went to trial on November 5, 2007; Peng has been free on $110,000 bail since May of 2005. The February 7th Toronto Star reports on more details about the case, including a visit with pediatrician Dr. James Leung, hours before Scarlet died. “‘”In their mind, they still hadn’t given up on a quick solution,’” Dr. Leung told prosecutor Joshua Levy of Scarlet’s parents. There is no “quick solution” or “quick fix” to get a child to start ta... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1222369 Mon, 11 Feb 2008 20:00:50 +0100 1222369 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1222370&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F233194787%2F It’s the charm that matters most, at least according to New York Magazine in a review of Eli Stone, the new ABC legal drama that got off to a controversial start with its first episode about lawyer Stone winning a $5.2 million verdict for a mother who claimed that her son became autistic due to a mercury-based substance in a flu vaccine. New York Magazine says “tsk tsk” to the New York Times for feeling it “necessary to deplore this plot point in a February 2 editorial about mercury preservatives. (Sloppy science in a TV serial! Imagine that.).” Who cares about the science or the George Michael musical moments in the show when, as New York Magazine notes, the show has a “high and churning tide of charm” with its “buoyant cast of talented acto... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1222370 Mon, 11 Feb 2008 15:32:48 +0100 1222370 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1221298&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F232954388%2F The North Shore Long Island Jewish Health System is doing a joint project with the University of New Brunswick on Adult Sexuality for individuals between 21 and 65 who fall into the Autism Spectrum. Individuals can participate in the study via a confidential online survey. Here is some more information: The purpose of this study is to better understand sexuality and relationships of adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). The information collected from the study may increase knowledge of how best to help teens and adults with ASDs experience healthy sexual development. Participation in this study involves completion of a set of online questionnaires at www.unbstudy.com that will take between 45 minutes and 1¼ hours to complete. For more information about this ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1221298 Mon, 11 Feb 2008 05:21:29 +0100 1221298 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1221299&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F232802031%2F 15-year-old Tony Presley, who has high-functioning autism, was tased by police on January 28th for “getting out of control at school,” WDIO reports: Assistant Police Chief Charles LaGesse says on January 28th, Tony got out of control at school. A police report says the school liaison officer wrote Tony a ticket, but then Tony started kicking and biting the officers and school officials. The report says another police officer was called in, and he is the one who tased Tony. Tony described the ordeal in his own words. “When I got in that office,” said Tony. “I was calm until they were going to write that ticket. I didn’t know what they were doing, they had no business doing that. All I wanted to do was throw the ticket away.” Tony’s sis... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1221299 Sun, 10 Feb 2008 21:51:06 +0100 1221299 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1220864&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F232676608%2F Long Before Legos, Wood Was Nice and Did Suffice proclaims today’s New York Times in explaining why industrial designer Tucker Viemeister prefers, and still has, sets of Froebel wooden blocks. Froebel blocks are named for Friedrich Froebel, who created kindergarten and who also devised the idea of making boxed sets of blocks “meant to inform and inspire children about symmetry and beauty.” Charlie has had numerous sets of Legos of numerous sizes and of blocks over the years. While he has readily learned how to build sculptures of our designing, he has never been too interested making things of his own from Legos, or K’nex, or from the numerous plastic pieces of a marble run. Charlie’s preference has long been for toys made of wood: the tracks of his train se... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1220864 Sun, 10 Feb 2008 16:27:02 +0100 1220864 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1220693&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F232481133%2F Is this American’s favorite mom? asks the Gainesville Times about Donna Aldridge, who has an autistic son, Ryan, and a speech-delayed daughter, Julie, and whose husband nominated her for NBC’s America’s Favorite Mom, with the winner to be announced on May 11 (which is, surprise surprise, Mother’s Day). I have to say, I know many other candidates (I’ll start by mentioning my own mom, who is traveling here today to spend the week). Tags: america's favorite mom, asd, asperger, autism, autism spectrum disorder, children, mother's day, nbc, pdd-nos, PsychologyShare This (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1220693 Sun, 10 Feb 2008 06:00:14 +0100 1220693 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1220694&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F232378781%2F The newly formed Autism Institute at Gwynedd Mercy College in Gwynedd Valley, Montgomery County (PA) plans to offer training and resources for teachers and other educators. It is first focusing on programs to train preschool teachers, “because officials believe they are in most need of help,” today’s PhillyBurbs.com notes: Teachers of school-age children with autism usually have a good array of resources upon which to draw, said Deborah Schadler, head of the Autism Institute. Teachers of preschool age children, though, often aren’t so lucky. And those teachers will probably have more and more children with autism coming into their classrooms, as more parents push to get their children into mainstream preschools This is good to hear, that more parents are tryin... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1220694 Sat, 09 Feb 2008 23:59:56 +0100 1220694 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1219937&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F232276421%2F In my son Charlie’s classroom, three out of the five students (including him) are Asian and, from noting attendance at community activities for special needs children, there are a lot of Asian families with special needs children in our school district. The district has gained recognition for excellent schools for all students and the Asian student population has been growing in the past few years—-Charlie is half-Chinese American and this is the first time he has been among other Asian students, and I think he’s it (though Charlie, being half-Irish American, is taller than by a head or than the other two Asian boys, though Charlie is younger than them). I was born in California (as were both of my parents); still, when Charlie was first diagnosed, an evaluator asked if w... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1219937 Sat, 09 Feb 2008 18:33:18 +0100 1219937 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1219938&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F232167780%2F It’s not the case for every family with an autistic child that I have met, but “lack of sleep” (for the child, for the parents) is a fairly frequent topic. For the past year-plus, we’ve been giving Charlie melatonin, an over-the-counter dietary supplement, to help him sleep, after a period of him falling asleep every night past midnight at the earliest (and having anot-so-great day at school afterwards). Researchers at the Vanderbilt Sleep Disorders Center have found that melatonin “shows promise” in helping some autistic children fall asleep. The Vanderbilt News Service reports: The study is the largest of its kind, looking at the medical records of 107 children with autism, ages 2-18, who had tried varying dosages of melatonin for insomnia. Twenty-fi... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1219938 Sat, 09 Feb 2008 13:20:24 +0100 1219938 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1219485&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F231960209%2F This post doesn’t have much to do with autism, but a lot to do with some of my earliest memories of life with Charlie.  While we live in New Jersey now—-my husband Jim is a native and I went to college here—Charlie’s first home was in Kirkwood, Missouri, where this happened yesterday. We didn’t live near the city center where six people died yesterday in a terrible shooting; we were in a condo/apartment complex near to Interstate 270 and a few feet from the railroad tracks. Charlie was born at the Missouri Baptist Medical Center in nearby Town and Country and he went for his earliest walks with us (in his Evenflo stroller) around Kirkwood. Jim walked him down Big Bend Boulevard to the border of Valley Park (where some dogs sent them heading off in a hurry);... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1219485 Sat, 09 Feb 2008 02:12:26 +0100 1219485 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1217995&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F231777558%2F Lynn Shane of Mississauga is taking her case to have her 8-year-old autistic son, Adam, attend school with a private therapist to the Ontario Court of Appeal next week, the Missisauga New reports. The Peel District School Board, “forbids anyone or any agency from paying for in-class help for students,” according to its procedures for special education”—-but what about if the school district cannot provide teachers or aides who can adequately and appropriately help a child to succeed in school? Over a year and a half ago, we moved into a school district that has a good program for autistic children because our previous school district simply did not have staff who were trained to truly help, and to teach, Charlie. We have not had to take such actions (not yet). Tags:... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1217995 Fri, 08 Feb 2008 18:49:43 +0100 1217995 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1216529&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F231403500%2F Autism and schizophrenia: This is a topic far beyond what one blog post can even begin to discuss, and this post is simply a note on the topic after reflecting on what Dr. Nancy Minshew said in a February 6th article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and puzzling over the as-usual excessive response by those who believe that a vaccine or mercury or something in a vaccine causes autism. Dr. Minshew, who is the Director of the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Excellence in Autism Research, was quoted in a January 31st article about the ABC comedic legal drama, Eli Stone, which aired last week. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writer Mark Roth noted that Dr. Minshew, concerned about the TV show’s suggesting that there might be a link between autism and vaccines, had decided to “tak... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1216529 Fri, 08 Feb 2008 05:42:50 +0100 1216529 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1216530&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F231247067%2F The previous post considered a physiological marker for autism that draws on research on the brain responses of adolescents with Asperger Syndrome playing an interactive game. Drs. G. Bradley Schafer of University of Nebraska and Nancy J. Mendelsohn of Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota have published an article in the January issue of Genetics in Medicine that outlines a three-tiered “practical, stepwise approach” to the genetic diagnosis of autism that will ” a specific genetic diagnosis in approximately 40 percent of patients with autism-spectrum disorders.” Medical News Today provides an overview (my emphases added): The first tier of genetic evaluation includes tests that should be performed in nearly all children with no obvious cause of aut... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1216530 Thu, 07 Feb 2008 22:58:43 +0100 1216530 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1215327&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F231116129%2F Scientists from Baylor University have identified a physiological marker that might be used to create an assessment tool for those with “higher functioning autism.” The researchers looked at the brain responses of adolescents with Asperger Syndrome when they played an interactive trust game: In the game, one person, designated the investor, chooses an amount of money to send to a second player, the trustee. The money is tripled en route, and the trustee must then decide how much to give back to the investor. When played by normal volunteers, the game unfolds in a very characteristic fashion: generous gestures are met with generous responses, while selfish ones inspire selfishness in return. ………………… According to the new findings, p... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1215327 Thu, 07 Feb 2008 17:56:26 +0100 1215327 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1215328&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F230850277%2F Something was up with the servers here yesterday (and might still be): I’ve been endlessly refreshing and reloading and thanking the tech guys who have been working and working at it. I know too well that sometimes things just take time. This is the case with so much for Charlie. Sometimes there are days when every start seems like a stop, when things (skills) get lost, when a constant sort of stasis— everything in Charlie’s words, the way he holds his body, the frown in his eyes and face—becomes the rule. On the one hand I’ve learned that I have to slow my own pace and sit down beside Charlie to listen and to wait. This is readily done when we are at home and, to a lesser extent, when we are in our most familiar public places, the grocery stores where Charl... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1215328 Thu, 07 Feb 2008 09:01:40 +0100 1215328 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1213279&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F230655713%2F That’s how much Sally Leiverman of Eden Prairie (MN) says that her sister has spent on therapies (”special education and detoxification”) for 6-year-old Ana, who has autism. Sally Leiverman is organizing a fundraiser to raise $89,130 for Ana and also for a non-profit organization that provides services for special needs children, the Eden Prairie News notes. I’ve never added up the sum total of all we’ve spent on Charlie—-things can add up and up. Is there a limit to how much you can spend, and should there be? Tags: asd, asperger, autism, autism spectrum disorder, children, eden prairie, fundraiser, Money, pdd-nos, Psychology, TreatmentShare This (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1213279 Thu, 07 Feb 2008 02:00:26 +0100 1213279 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1213280&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F230552572%2F A team of researchers from Newcastle University has created an embryo from three separate parents by using DNA from one man and two women. The researchers hope that, by using this technique, women with diseases of the mitocondria (”mini organelles that are found within individual cells”) do not pass on diseases such as fatal liver failure, stroke-like episodes, blindness, muscular dystrophy, diabetes and deafness to their children. Reports the BBC: The Newcastle team have effectively given the embryos a mitochondria transplant. We believe we could develop this technique and offer treatment in the forseeable future that will give families some hope of avoiding passing these diseases to their children They experimented on 10 severely abnormal embryos left over from traditio... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1213280 Wed, 06 Feb 2008 21:51:21 +0100 1213280 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1207488&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F230154785%2F A new study from the Journal of Pediatric Nursing called I Have Always Felt Different reports on the experiences of sixteen college students (aged 18-25) who were diagnosed with ADHD as children. The study is by Assistant Professors Robin Bartlett and Mona M. Shattell, of the School of Nursing at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and Tracie Rowe. The students (who were primarily non-Hispanic white college-enrolled women) talked about how having ADHD affected their life at home and at school, and friendships: Although participants had trouble getting along with their parents, many perceived their parents as supportive. Participants also had a degree of sympathy or understanding for how their behavior affected their parents. For example, one said, “I’m forgetful. And ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1207488 Wed, 06 Feb 2008 08:19:11 +0100 1207488 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1207489&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F229842024%2F Ego sum: That’s my Latin translation of “I Exist,” which is the name for the second phase of the National Autistic Society’s “Think Differently About Autism campaign. The NAS is launching a campaign specifically about adults with autism because: Autism is a lifelong condition and children with autism grow up to be adults with autism. Our survey of adults with autism and their carers found that most are isolated and ignored. A lack of recognition that autism affects adults, a lack of understanding of people’s needs, and a lack of suitable services means that most adults are prevented from realising their true potential. I Exist aims to transform lives by campaigning for better support and services for adults with autism. You can go here for a PDF file cont... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1207489 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 21:34:40 +0100 1207489 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1207490&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F229719918%2F On January 27, 10-year-old Brandon Parrish Johnson wandered away from his residential facility, Howell Care Centers, in Carrabus County, North Carolina; he was found in a nearby creek. State medical examiners have determined that “the cause of death was accidental drowning and said Brandon’s autism was a contributing factor,” according to WCNC (details can also be read here). State officials also stated that the facility violated federal rules governing intermediate-care facilities for people with mental retardation and have given the center a $12,000 fine, a Type “A” penalty, the most serious that can be accessed. Brandon was not the only child who had wandered away from the facility: RHA Howell officials were unavailable for comment. Center officials met... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1207490 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 17:28:23 +0100 1207490 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1207491&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F229419652%2F There is no link between the MMR vaccine and autism, according to the largest ever published study about this controversial issue. The study appears in the Archives of Disease in Childhood and was led by Gillian Baird, a pediatrician at the Newcomen Centre for Child Development. Almost 250 children aged 10 - 12 and born between July 1990 and December 1991 in the south Thames area of England were studied. 98 of the children had an autism spectrum disorder, 52 had learning difficulties, and 90 were developing normally. All the volunteers had received the MMR vaccine but not everyone had gotten both the doses needed for maximum immunity. From Reuters: The researchers took blood samples from the children and found no abnormal immune response in any of them marked by higher antibody levels or ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1207491 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 07:40:05 +0100 1207491 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1207492&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F229192506%2F Maybe it’s because, for the past several years, my husband has been writing a book about the port of New Jersey and New York and about the 1954 film On the Waterfront, which is about how broken-down boxer/longshoreman Terry Malloy finds redemption when he stands up to the corrupt union bosses who control the docks (and who have some shady, underworld connections)—–maybe it’s because we were (with apologies to Brett) living in Missouri and homesick for New Jersey when The Sopranos first aired on HBO, and the sight of Tony driving down the Turnpike through the Meadowlands, past Pizzaland, and onto his mobster McMansion made us feel very out of place living as we were in the Show-Me State—-but, I have to confess, the word “whacked” is heard occasional... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1207492 Mon, 04 Feb 2008 23:06:39 +0100 1207492 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1199996&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F229029929%2F With Super Tuesday coming up tomorrow, here are the Democrat candidates’ positions on autism: Hillary Rodham Clinton’s autism plan calls for $700 million in funding for autism research and education; here’s the details. Barack Obama talks about autism in his plan to empower Americans with Disabilities; an overview of the full plan (PDF file). I have not found (and please let me know if you have!) autism plans on the websites of the other candidates. The Daily Iowan has published a letter from the mother of an autistic child in which she talks about John McCain. Mike Huckabee attended a haircutting fundraiser for autism in New Hampshire and a search of Mitt Romney’s website turned up “no results.” Autism Bulletin also has an analysis of the candid... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1199996 Mon, 04 Feb 2008 19:57:16 +0100 1199996 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1199997&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F228792834%2F Jim took advantage of it being Superbowl Sunday—-with, it seems, some large percentage of New Jersey residents at home in front of the TV set—-and took Charlie on an eight-mile bike ride. There was almost no traffic on the road they took and, at 56 degrees, it was a positively balmy third day of February. Charlie had at first said “no bike, no bike, no” at mention of going on a bike ride and then waited in the driveway as Jim got out the bikes. Charlie has only ridden his new bike once: It’s a mountain bike, with bigger wheels and a bigger frame than his old yellow one, and, for the first block, Charlie tip-toed down the street. He kept trying to pull up one leg and then the other onto the pedals and then kept ending up back on his toes, hands tight around the... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1199997 Mon, 04 Feb 2008 09:20:05 +0100 1199997 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1198713&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F228614193%2F A new gene linked to Fragile X has been found by researchers at the Scripps Research Institute. More than sixteen years ago, scientists linked Fragile X to another gene FMR1: When FMR1 gene expression is inactivated, there is a lack of a protein known as the fragile X mental retardation protein, which is involved in the functioning of neurons. FMR4 is located in the “same chromosomal neighborhood as FMR1″ and is silenced in individuals with Fragile X, and also ” up-regulated in FXTAS (fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome), a disease that resembles Parkinson’s disease.” From today’s Science Daily: ……[Professor Claes] Wahlestedt knew the FMR1 gene locus-a specific point on a chromosome-was not well mapped. Wahlestedt and his colleagues... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1198713 Mon, 04 Feb 2008 00:26:48 +0100 1198713 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1198010&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F228515053%2F Teachers in Grundy County (Illinois) are set to strike on Monday and parents of special needs kids are worried about the impact on their children, the Herald News reports. The county’s special ed teachers are employed by a cooperative. Negotiation for a new three-year contract “hit a wall” in December over salaries and a federal negotiator has been called in. A letter has been sent home to parents stating that, “if the teachers go on strike, efforts will be made to serve special needs children, but for those children with higher needs it may be difficult to find substitutes and the children may be required to stay at home until services can be provided.” Says Angela Hebrink, whose 4-year-old autistic son has learned to talk and whose tantrums have significantl... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1198010 Sun, 03 Feb 2008 20:03:37 +0100 1198010 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1198011&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F228404901%2F “…there might be a deeper meaning to the series as a whole. This is something I touched upon on my own post for today (autism and spirituality–maybe they’ll get that angle right). wrote one commenter after watching ABC’s new legal TV drama, Eli Stone: In reading responses and commentary on the show, I’ve been struck at how often people have talked about faith—a New York Times editorial about the show is entitled Eli Stone’s Overleap of Faith—and stating that they appreciate the show because it brings other topics into the discussion about autism. While the court case that Stone successfully argues involves vaccines and “mercuritol,” a stand-in for thimerasol that is claimed to have caused a child to become autistic, it is matters o... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1198011 Sun, 03 Feb 2008 15:15:47 +0100 1198011 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1197554&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F228154918%2F A certain TV show about a certain lawyer and a certain hypothesis about what causes autism dominated autism discussions this week, for better or for worse—-when I talk about autism, I’m thinking of a very real boy, my son Charlie, and not so much about a fictional TV character. My real boy’s week was more of a struggle than has been usual. And then, this evening as we stood in the checkout line at the grocery store, a teenage clerk in the next aisle said “his tooth’s on the floor!” and sure enough, there was Charlie bending over to pick up a large molar (which he tried to put back into his mouth, on the lower right). Things have been a little more peaceful easy feeling ever since—Charlie’s been saying “pull loose tooth” for the pa... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1197554 Sun, 03 Feb 2008 03:36:58 +0100 1197554 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1196729&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F227992825%2F In musicogenic epilepsy, seizures are trigged by music; Neurophilosophy writes about Stacey Gayle, whose seizures seem to have been trigged by hearing Sean Paul’s Temperature. Rock and roll—complete with high-volume drum beats and amped-up guitars and very loud singers—-does not seem to bother Charlie too much. But he definitely tells me “all done” and “turn off” when certain high-pitched voices or instruments come on the radio and shies away from shouting, as a karate instructor was doing at an “introductory clinic for special needs kids” that we just got back from—-Charlie responded by not responding and another autistic boy put his hands over his ears. On to the swimming pool where the sound of the water will be in the air&#... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1196729 Sat, 02 Feb 2008 20:16:55 +0100 1196729 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1196731&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F227797080%2F Remote-controlled explosives were strapped to two women with Down’s syndrome and detonated in coordinated attacks on two Friday morning markets in central Baghdad yesterday, killing at least 73 people and wounding nearly 150. The first targeted shoppers at a pet market in the al-Ghazl area, killing 46 people and injuring 100. About 20 minutes later, a second bomber struck at a smaller bird market in south-eastern Baghdad, killing 27 people and wounding at least 67. This is from today’s Guardian, which also notes that explosives were hidden in the two women’s black abaya robes and were not detected by security checks. The explosives were detonated by remote control—indicating that the two women “may not have been willing attackers in what could be a new method... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1196731 Sat, 02 Feb 2008 11:23:23 +0100 1196731 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1195893&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F227479860%2F Dr. Michael Fitzpatrick, the author of MMR and Autism: What Parents Need to Know, charts the rise and fall of anti-MMR mania in a book review of Health, Risk and News: The MMR Vaccine and the Media by Tammy Boyce, a research fellow in Risk, Science, and Health Communication at Cardiff University. Dr. Boyce’s book tells the story of media coverage of the scare over the MMR vaccine in Britain after Dr. Andrew Wakefield, the primary author of the first paper suggesting an MMR-autism link (a paper that has since been retracted by journal that published it most of the paper’s authors, but not Wakefield); Dr. Fitzpatrick also offers a concise history of the controversy of the MMR and what happened after Dr. Wakefield “launched” it. Dr. Boyce’s book looks specifica... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1195893 Sat, 02 Feb 2008 01:42:34 +0100 1195893 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1194820&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F227382064%2F 11-year-old Gunnar Moody was handcuffed by school police because he would not leave a P.E. class at Bret Harte Middle School. As reported yesterday by NBC11.com, Gunnar said that he was singing while doing sit-ups and handcuffed and dragged out when he did not respond to requests to leave.    Gunnar’s parents said what happened at Bret Harte Middle School is unacceptable. ”The bottom line he’s in phys ed. And all the kids are making noise yelling, screaming and talking and he gets singled out for going ‘la-la-la?’” Michael Moody, Gunnar’s father, said. His mother, Laura Moody, asked a campus police officer if Gunnar had threatened anyone. “I specifically asked the officer, ‘did he threaten you?’ She said no. I said, &#8... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1194820 Fri, 01 Feb 2008 18:19:18 +0100 1194820 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1194821&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F227123407%2F A “group of German researchers” has announced that they have “perfected the method for inducing autism.” ??!!!?!?!??? They have also, it is parenthetically noted, figured out how to “cure” autism (this study on reversing symptoms of autism and Fragile X is cited). Cure being a fighting word in discussions about autism, I’ll note that this “autism-inducing drug” is described on io9, a science fiction blog: Need to finish that work project, and wish you had the mental intensity to do it? Just take a synapse-regulating inhibitor, induce temporary autism, and you’ll want to ignore your friends and do nothing but number-crunching for days. Autism-inducers could become as popular as Provigil among the geek set by 2020. Last night,... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1194821 Fri, 01 Feb 2008 09:14:39 +0100 1194821 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1192862&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F226913996%2F There’s a new blog in the blogosphere, Hollywood Spectrum, and its first post offers a summary of the original script of a certain TV show set to air tonight, in which lawyer Eli Stone takes on an insurance company which won’t pay for treatments for “William,” who has autism (and who is played by an autistic child). The treatment in question is not some alterna-biomedical magic supplement, but Risperidone: After a month on this antipsychotic (which has been approved to treat “irritability” in autistic children), William’s mother describes the value of the drug this way: “He actually smiled.” A child taking Risperdal probably also has a few other reactions, including a significant increase in his appetite. I know, as my son has taken R... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1192862 Fri, 01 Feb 2008 01:37:31 +0100 1192862 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1192863&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F226896311%2F Whether or not a vaccine or something in a vaccine might be linked to autism is only one controversial topic in discussions about autism causation and treatment. Other controversial treatments include electroconvulsive treatment (ECT) and facilitated communication (FC). A recent comment about ECT notes that the current issue of Psychiatric Times contains a discussion of ECT and autism (though I’ve not yet noted the article on the website; will keep checking). James T. Todd, Ph.D., of the Eastern Michigan University Department of Psychology recently commented with details about a case involving a 14-year-old non-verbal autistic girl and FC. The girl, who is from West Bloomfield (Michigan), has accused her father of raping her repeatedly while her mother did not intervene; the girl c... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1192863 Thu, 31 Jan 2008 22:34:26 +0100 1192863 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1191417&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F226686284%2F Researchers from the University of Washington’s Autism Center have found that autistic children have normal-sized heads at birth, and then have accelerated head growth when they are between six and nine months of age, “a period that precedes the onset of many behaviors that enable physicians to diagnose the developmental disorder,” today’s Science Daily reports. The researchers examined the medical records of 28 boys who had been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder between the ages of 3 and 4 at the UW Autism Center and eight boys with developmental delay. Approximately 20 percent of the autistic children were found to have macrocephaly (abnormally large head sizes). Further, “this aberrant growth” was found both is present “in children who hav... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1191417 Thu, 31 Jan 2008 18:00:01 +0100 1191417 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1191418&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F226506823%2F According to Access Hollywood, an autistic boy plays the autistic child in ABC’s comedic legal drama “Eli Stone,” scheduled to premier tonight. This is an interesting development, to have an autistic child playing an autistic child: People have often questioned and criticized the accuracy and authenticity of actors and actresses playing autistic characters, as Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man and Sigourney Weaver in Snow Cake. It is, though, all the more unfortunate that a vaccine—via a fictional substance called “mercuritol“—is said to be why William, in the child in “Eli Stone,” has autism. Will a future episode make mention of,or even show the child undergoing chelation—-in which medications are given to a child to remove heavy met... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1191418 Thu, 31 Jan 2008 12:29:05 +0100 1191418 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1190049&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F226282525%2F Jonathan Anderson is 9 years old and has Asperger Syndrome—-when his mother, Marion Anderson, blacked out while driving on the highway, he avoided a crash by grabbing the steering wheel, pulling on the handbrake, and driving the car across three lanes of rush-hour traffic at Plympton, Devon, the January 31st Daily Mail reports. Jonathan and his mother were both uninjured: “‘It was scary because I’ve never driven a car before,’” he was quoted as saying. Sounds like he knew what to do, and at the right time—bravo. Tags: accident, asd, asperger, autism, autism spectrum disorder, car, children, Family, highway, mothers, pdd-nos, Psychology, thyroidShare This (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1190049 Thu, 31 Jan 2008 03:58:24 +0100 1190049 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1188647&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F226107427%2F Autism is very real for me as it is, I think I can assume, for most of you reading this, whether you are autistic or you’re the parent, teacher, friend, grandparent, sister, brother, aunt, doctor, or otherwise know someone who has autism. Indeed, being my son’s parent has required me to think about some very real things as honestly as I can, from acknowledging that it’s best for his school programs to become more and more directed to vocational training and daily life skill—from saying that he “aggressed” a teacher—- to planning for the future by preparing a special needs trust. When you get down to it, that’s the basics of life with Charlie, a careful focus on getting through the days—with lots of stops to sit with him and enjoy the mo... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1188647 Wed, 30 Jan 2008 21:07:04 +0100 1188647 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1188649&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F226008805%2F The February 15th issue of the American Journal of Medical Genetics is devoted to children and genetics. My friend Dr. Hsien-Hsien Lei of Eye on DNA highlights articles that, in various ways, are relevant in thinking about a genetic test for autism: Waiving informed consent in newborn screening research; on the ethical implications of including children in a large biobank for genetic-epidemiologic research; on the experiences of young persons regarding predictive genetic testing for Huntington disease (HD) and familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP); and on whether genetic testing for BRCA1/2 should be permitted for minors?. What will it mean for families and relatives of autistic children to know that they might “carry” some of the genes that have so far been connected to autism... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1188649 Wed, 30 Jan 2008 17:19:54 +0100 1188649 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1187181&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F225757247%2F Researchers are “confident” that it will become “routine to diagnose autism for children just 18 months old and sometimes even younger” after a five-year study to be conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan, the University of California-Davis and the University of Washington. A total of 108 children between the ages of 12-24 months who have “symptoms of autism” will be enrolled in the study, the University of Michigan notes. The researchers in the study include Catherine Lord, University of Michigan professor of psychology, psychiatry and pediatrics, and director of the U-M Autism and Communication Disorders Center, and UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute researcher Sally J. Rogers and University of Washington Autism Center researchers: Lord is c... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1187181 Wed, 30 Jan 2008 07:22:57 +0100 1187181 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1187182&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F225525388%2F My “strategies,” or techniques, or whatever word you wish to use, for helping Charlie when he’s in tantrum mode or when I can hear and feel one building up in him, have changed over the years. I’ve “ignored” (i.e., pretended to ignore, if that is possible) tantrums. I’ve said (this was the most futile technique) “stop!”. I’ve redirected Charlie to some activity that might redirect his thoughts, such as a puzzle or building a simple Lego structure or playing the piano. Charlie being 10 going on 11 now, doing puzzles only works semi-well (how many puzzles can one do over a lifetime?). Since he is tall (basically my height), strong, with bigger feet than mine, and has at one time or other done many of the “challenging behaviors... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1187182 Tue, 29 Jan 2008 23:08:09 +0100 1187182 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1184704&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F225030272%2F This “Eli Stone” thing just keeps getting curiouser and curiouser, if not just a bit zany. “Eli Stone”ABC’s new legal drama, set to premier on January 31st, this Thursday and the American Academy of Pediatricians (AAP) has sent ABC a letter asking the network to cancel such a “reckless” show. The January 28th New York Times notes that ABC is defending the show and plans to air it as scheduled. Here are some more details from an article in USA Today: “Eli Stone” is a comedic legal drama: Stone has hallucinations featuring pop crooner George Michael, besides other “whimsical touches” (singing, dancing—-do I hear the pitter patter of the Ally McBeal baby?) Stone is diagnosed with “an inoperable brain aneurysm&#8... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1184704 Tue, 29 Jan 2008 06:34:17 +0100 1184704 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1182852&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F224791859%2F “My child does not understand about cars at all and once ran right into the street and almost got hit—-”: I’ve heard many parents of autistic children say this; in his book The Only Boy in the World: A Father Explores the Mysteries of Autism , Michael Blastland describes, in harrowing detail, his son Joe being hit by a car (and—to everyone’s relief—-walking away unhurt). How does one teach a child the dangers of traffic and cars? My own son has trouble moving objects and even when told “look both ways,” it’s not clear what he is looking at, as it takes him some time to focus. He has been practicing how to cross the street (in the circular driveway in front of his school)—-researchers in the Department of Occupational Thera... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1182852 Mon, 28 Jan 2008 20:51:21 +0100 1182852 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1182853&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F224663003%2F We don’t have a TV (thank heavens for the internet, so we could watch Barack Obama’s victory speech in South Carolina). So maybe I shouldn’t be shaking my head at ABC’s new legal drama, Eli Stone, which is set to premier January 31st. The first episode features lawyer Stone suing his former client, a Big Pharma-type company, on behalf of a mother who believes that her son became autistic from a vaccine containing the mercury-based preservative thimerasol, which is instead referred to as “mercuritol.” Being TV-less, I won’t be able to watch the courtroom drama and compare what Stone says with what the lawyers have been saying in vaccine court,the hearings for 4,800 claims filed by parents of autistic children who believe that their child’s autism was caus... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1182853 Mon, 28 Jan 2008 16:33:27 +0100 1182853 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1181820&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F224110500%2F 8-year-old David Militello has sung the “Star-Spangled Banner” at NBA games and also before a Martin Luther King, Jr., rally in Atlanta last well (here’s a video). David has Asperger Syndrome and music—singing, humming—help to “unstick” his mind: At first, his mother says he seemed perfectly normal, even said a few words, until about age 2. “He became non-verbal. And then the humming started.”The humming, for 2 years, constant humming, was followed by notes, and lines and eventually entire songs. Today, he knows hundreds by heart. And although his mind still locks-up with autism, David is convinced he knows the key. “For me, its like being stuck in certain phases. [But I get unstuck] when i sing.” My son Charlie hums a... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1181820 Mon, 28 Jan 2008 06:28:10 +0100 1181820 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1181821&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F224219150%2F A 10-year old autistic child “walked away” from his residential facility, Howell Care Centers, in Carrabus County, North Carolina, and was found “in a small branch feeding into a pond on property adjacent to the center.” He was administered CPR and died in the Intensive Care Unit of CMC-University, according to News 14. According to the president of Howell Care Centers, Sam Hedrick: “’An internal review is underway, and we are making all the required notifications of this tragic event……..Our efforts are also focused on supporting this individual’s family, and the staff at the center who have become his second family.’” How was the child able just to “walk away”? Tags: asd, asperger, autism, autism spectrum disorder, c... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1181821 Sun, 27 Jan 2008 23:12:32 +0100 1181821 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1180126&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F224143898%2F Mike McCarron, grandfather of Katie McCarron, has written an open letter to the Autism Hub. Here is an excerpt; go here to read the full text of letter. I wish to thank each of you for your words; both about Katie and about people with special needs in general. In a world where differences easily become reasons to devalue people, your words have always conveyed respect, dignity and love for those with special needs……. I have had the pleasure of meeting some of you in person, I have corresponded with some of you, and still others I know only through your words on the internet. But words are so vitally important. The words used by some are frightening, intended solely for shock value, but are very divisive in the long term. Every time an “advocate” classifies autism as a ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1180126 Sun, 27 Jan 2008 20:11:50 +0100 1180126 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1180127&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F224059458%2F Autism does change everything I wrote last Friday—-looking over the topics of last week’s posts, it seems that a little bit of everything from lipstick to sushi to communication notebooks to psychoanalysis to services for autistic adults to fictional mercury-based substances to how many girls have autism was discussed. Yes, No, Brown Noodles!On the uses of “yes” and “no” and why there’s nothing like a big bowl of shrimp chow fun. Toxic MomOnce “refrigerator mothers” were blamed for causing a child to become autistic—-now are “toxic mothers” (who’ve been using too much bismuth-containing lipstick and face make-up) the culprits? Looking Ahead: CT Pilot Program for Autistic AdultsA $1 million pilot program for autistic adults was launche... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1180127 Sun, 27 Jan 2008 16:34:39 +0100 1180127 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1179955&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F223671667%2F Researchers at the M.I.N.D. Institute at the University of California at Davis are the first to use genomic profiling of blood to note differences in autistic children, the January 25th Health News Digest reports. Their hope is that such “gene expression analyses can provide biological evidence of autism, currently diagnosed only through behavioral assessments, in some children.” “What we found were 11 specific genes with expression levels that were significantly higher in the blood of children with autism when compared to the blood of typically developing children,” said Frank Sharp, senior author of the study and professor of neurology with the M.I.N.D. Institute. “Those 11 genes are all known to be expressed by natural-killer cells, which are cells in the... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1179955 Sat, 26 Jan 2008 21:19:20 +0100 1179955 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1179701&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F223533512%2F Are you a “therapy mom”? What, perhaps you ask, is a “therapy mom”? Martha R. Herbert, M.D., Ph.D., of the Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, uses the phrase to describe mothers of autistic children in an article on WebMD (CBS News) about why psychoanalysis should be part of the treatment for autistic children. I rather doubt that my own son, who can talk a little but not well enough to explain his emotions or fears or to tell me what he did at school today, would be a good candidate for this sort of treatment. New York city psychoanalyst Susan P. Sherkow, MD, says that psychoanalysis can help parents understand the “‘meaning of what these children are trying to convey’”: Psychoanalysts see autistic children four tim... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1179701 Sat, 26 Jan 2008 15:23:48 +0100 1179701 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1179247&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F223361268%2F “Four minutes of fame” came to teenager Jason McElwain when he scored 20 points in the final four minutes of a Greece Athena High School basketball game. That was almost two years ago—-a book by “J-Mac” and Daniel Paiser is out, The Game of My Life: a True Story of Struggle, Triumph and Growing Up Autistic. After those four minutes, McElwain became a national celebrity and his famous minutes on the court played and replayed on CNN, ESPN, and local newscasts across the country. Well, last Wednesday night as Charlie and I were heading out the door for Special Olympics basketball, he ran back in to grab his ball and held onto it in the backseat of the car. He’s made one basket so far (Charlie is tall for his age, but McElwain has a few inches on him still... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1179247 Sat, 26 Jan 2008 06:58:57 +0100 1179247 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1177742&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F223144852%2F Autism Changes Everything is the title of an article in next Sunday’s Parade magazine, in which Autism Speaks cofounder Suzanne Wright. Wright describes how her grandson slipped into the “grip” of autism and how “[o]ur grief evolved into feelings of anger and, eventually, determination.” She notes that she and her husband, Bob Wright, ….simply could not fathom why so little was known about a disorder that was devastating thousands of families like ours. Where were the impassioned speeches on the floors of Congress? Why hadn’t anyone told us this could happen to our grandchild—to anyone’s child? Curious. From these sentences, you’d think that no one who was anyone had heard about autism or knew what it was when Wright’s grandson was d... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1177742 Fri, 25 Jan 2008 21:22:29 +0100 1177742 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1177743&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F223024935%2F My son Charlie, as I’ve noted more than a few times, loves sushi. So has my worry quotient gone up in light of the recent reports about high mercury levels in tuna sushi? Well, no. First, while Charlie sometimes choose a “waikiki pack” with some tuna sushi, his preference is for salmon, California rolls, shrimp, and eel. In anticipation of someone googling “eel mercury” to point out toxic levels of toxins in other types of sushi, I guess I have to say that I’m not exactly worried about mercury causing autism in Charlie seeing how he has autism, already. Photo courtesy of aloalosabine via Flickr Tags: , asd, asperger, autism, autism spectrum disorder, children, Family, fish, food, japanese, mercury, parents, pdd-nos, Psychology, sushiShare This (Sour... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1177743 Fri, 25 Jan 2008 17:00:14 +0100 1177743 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1176108&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F222580172%2F Investigators have determined that Sheila Tegtmeier, who was found dead in her Ankeny, Iowa, home on January 4th, tried to strangle her 20-year-old autistic son, Rory Jr., before taking her own life. Officials only gradually pieced together what was happening; neighbors first wondered if a criminal was in the area. KCCI news (from Des Moines) reports: Investigators said on Jan. 4, Tegtmeier called Ankeny Schools at 7:30 a.m. and said her son Rory Jr. was sick and she cancelled his bus pickup. Tegtmeier also called a siding company that was coming to work on her home and told them not to come because of a family matter. She then called her husband at his Ames office and left a message that she could not keep their 11 a.m. lunch appointment. Police said following her phone calls Tegtmeie... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1176108 Thu, 24 Jan 2008 23:58:39 +0100 1176108 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1176109&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F222526409%2F New Jersey Assemblyman Fred Scalera is sponsoring a measure (A-1908) to establish an autism awareness training course that emergency medical technicians, police and firefighters would be required to take, Politiker NJ reports. Scalera (D-Essex) is a fire chief in Nutley, in northern New Jersey; the measure would requires Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) to create an autism awareness training course and curriculum. Pprospective emergency medical technicians would be required to complete the DHSS administered course prior to receiving certification and current emergency medical technicians would be required to complete a continuing education course in “autism recognition and response techniques.” “Recognition” seems especially important to me: My son is... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1176109 Thu, 24 Jan 2008 21:59:46 +0100 1176109 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=805989&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F145257139%2F Charlie looking over at me as he sat eating watermelon and a hamburger at the table this evening, his eyes big, his face happy and all of him deeply tanned from ocean swimming and time on the beach: It’s the kind of moment that you hope you can always remember, Charlie enjoying the things he likes (and that I know he likes) and revelling in his latest new endeavor, surfing. When I see him sitting there at the table of the beach house, when I think of all the time traveling we have spent together, it is impossible for me to imagine life without Charlie. And yet I can imagine it, knowing that, in a previous generation, a child like Charlie would have been institutionalized. Like Jim’s first cousin, JP. Like Daniel Miller, the son of playwright Arthur Miller. A feature article in ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=805989 Fri, 17 Aug 2007 16:41:51 +0100 805989 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=804438&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F145132550%2F “Is anorexia the female Asperger’s?” asks Janet Treasure, Professor of Psychiatry at King’s College, London, and head of the Eating Disorders Unit at the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, in the August 17th Times Online. Noting that “we now realise is that we need to be looking at underlying neural networks in the brain – how patterns of information are processed, how this affects both behaviour and the way an individual reacts to her environment, and why this goes wrong,” she notes these similarities: A “distorted pattern of processing information”: Treasure notes that those with eating disorders find it difficult “to change self-set rules and learnt behaviour once fixed in the brain” and “see the world in close-up detail... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=804438 Fri, 17 Aug 2007 11:51:39 +0100 804438 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=803705&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F144886643%2F “He looks so smart.” People say this about Charlie again and again, and variations: “He looks so intelligent in those glasses!” (Charlie used to wear Harry Potteresque prism lenses all the time.) “He seems so smart—-but does he really understand?” I know that Charlie is smart. I also know that, when it comes to an IQ test, Charlie scores very low. Charlie’s minimal expressive language (coupled with the traces of verbal apraxia) and, while Jim and I have long presumed competence in him and feel certain that he understands everything he hears—–however long it takes him to process it—-we have become steadfastly realistic. At his IEP meeting back in June, when we talked about reading, this was in reference to teaching him words ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=803705 Thu, 16 Aug 2007 19:15:06 +0100 803705 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=803706&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F144848355%2F Does reading about the study by scientists about contagious yawning make you want to yawn or even to flat-out start yawning? Not because you are bored reading about yet another research study into the connections between empathy and autism, but because the mere mention of yawning, and “contagious yawning” at that, makes you feel tired and in need of opening up your mouth real wide, stretching your arms ride, finding a nice couch to lie down on…… Or maybe this photo of a person in mid-yawn on the ABC.net.au website will get that urge in you. Autistic children were included in the study because of the notion that autistic persons lack empathy, the ability to imagine what it is like to be in “someone else’s shoes”: Scientists have long known that one ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=803706 Thu, 16 Aug 2007 17:19:40 +0100 803706 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=802277&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F144654278%2F is a title I would much like to use for the book I’m writing (very slowly) about Charlie, autism, and education. As Jim has pointed out to me, that title—-with “Charlie” spelled the other way, “Charley”—has already been taken, by the great California writer John Steinbeck for his Travels with Charley: In Search of America, Charley being his French poodle. Travel is the theme for this month’s b5media Science and Health Channel Theme Day and travel is one my favorite metaphors to describe our life with Charlie in what I have sometimes called “Autismland,” a word meant to capture the sense of how raising an autistic child is an experience perhaps quite different from what one might have imagined. Different, and different (for me, fo... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=802277 Thu, 16 Aug 2007 05:54:49 +0100 802277 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=797117&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F143842328%2F “‘Striking good hair days and bad hair days’”: That is how Harvard neuroscientist and Massachusetts General Hospital neurologist Martha Herbert suggests that certain environmental factors might “influence an autistic child’s health and mental state” in today’s Boston Globe. Herbert and a number of others researching possible connections between the environment and autism are quoted in the article, Under Suspicion: Researchers now believe that autism can be caused by genes in combination with environmental triggers. The question is, what are those triggers?, which also refers to the MARBLES (”markers of autism risk in babies-learning early signs”) study being conducted by the University of California at Davis M.I.N.D. Institute. As... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=797117 Tue, 14 Aug 2007 01:03:06 +0100 797117 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=713196&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F130158577%2F When it comes to teaching children language, it seems that Elmo has a slight advantage over Po. “The idea that television can help teach young children their first words is a parent’s dream, but one not supported by this research,” says Marina Krcmar, associate professor of communication at Wake Forest and author about a study (see today’s Science Daily) which has found that (somehow one is not too surprised?) toddlers learn their first words better from humans than from Teletubbies. Krcmar notes that “‘We have known for years that children ages 3 and older can learn from programs like ‘Sesame Street,’” but it seems that TV watching for children under the age of 2 does not assist in building vocabulary. Might this study be seen as furth... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=713196 Tue, 03 Jul 2007 18:13:24 +0100 713196 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=710488&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F129956983%2F A July 2nd USA Today story reports on a study conducted by researchers at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore on the early detection of autism. While some children can be identified as having autism at the age of 14 months, others seems to develop normally and only present with symptoms of autism when they are older. When I read this, my first thought is, Charlie could have been diagnosed at 14 months, if not younger. Scientists know that “we can reliably diagnose autism at age 2, but only by real experts,” [lead author Rebecca] Landa says. “What’s different about this is we can show that we can stretch that down close to the first birthday, but the caveat is we can’t do it for all children.” The study involved 107 children who were considered at... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=710488 Tue, 03 Jul 2007 04:26:17 +0100 710488 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=688640&cid=t_104786_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F126846225%2F Does Media coverage perpetuate autism myths?, asks ABC News. Media coverage does perpetuate autism myths, by oversimplification (suggesting that research on the causes of autism is either “environmental” or “genetic” when both areas, along with the interrelations between the two, need to be studied); by sensationalism (reporting on miracle cures and miraculous treatments). Reporting on the next possible environmental health hazard as a potential cause of autism can distract, and do distort understanding about what autism is. And that can truly be hazardous. Share This (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=688640 Thu, 21 Jun 2007 23:12:39 +0100 688640 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=486420&cid=t_104786_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2F103054599%2F Gene Genie is coming to Genetics and Health and you can be a part of it! Send me your post about genes and/or gene-related diseases and I’ll include it in a round-up this Saturday, March 24. Be on the lookout for some magical genetic moments. This morning, Genie is wondering how spontaneous deletions and duplications of DNA, aka copy number variation, scattered throughout the genome could be involved in autism spectrum disorders. Maybe they’re the result of some other injury that led to both autism and the mutations? Maybe it’s selection bias? The people in the study with autism must differ in other ways from healthy controls. Were all known and unknown factors controlled for? Genie reserves judgment until she knows more about what the biological importance of these hundr... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=486420 Tue, 20 Mar 2007 13:38:17 +0100 486420