Parents have to place a tremendous amount of trust in whomever they select as their child’s pediatrician. Researchers found that parents of kids with autism often don’t trust their pediatricians, and, that some pediatricians doubt their own knowledge about treating autism. A new study validates what previous studies have found. It also backs up what many parents of children who have autism feel about their pediatricians. There is a certain amount of distrust happening. The research involved interviews with 20 parents who had children between the ages of three to five. The children had an autism spectrum disorder. It also … Continue reading →

There are many different forms of technology that can be used to help children who have autism. Some can be used to help a child who is on the autism spectrum to communicate with others. Some can be used to detect signs of autism in children. Others help parents learn more about their child. Right now, there are many public schools that are using iPads with students who have autism. The touch screen makes it very easy for kids to use it. Teachers can load it with apps like iPrompt which uses pictures and icons to help a child who … Continue reading →

The latest round of cuts to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders includes the removal of Asperger Syndrome, (as well as some other disorders). Comments about this change will be accumulated until June 15, 2012. It is expected that the DSM-5 will be published in May of 2013. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, (or DSM) is a huge catalog of symptoms that can be used by doctors and by psychiatrists around the world to properly diagnose a person with a mental illness. The DSM is not set in stone. Instead, it is designed to have … Continue reading →

ABC has a news program called “What Would You Do?”. A new episode examines how patrons in a diner react when a teenager who has autism becomes disruptive. It is an example of what families that have a child who has autism often face from other patrons when the family dines out. “What Would You Do?” is hosted by John Quinones. It appears on ABC. This news program goes into public places and sets scenes for the general public to react to. The purpose is to see how people typically react to a particular situation. Actors are sent in to … Continue reading →

A study that was recently published in the journal “Pediatrics” suggest that mothers who are obese are more likely to have a child with autism, or with another type of developmental problem. Moms who have diabetes have the same risk. The implication is that obesity and diabetes are affecting early brain development. There has been a lot of research done in an attempt to discover the causes of autism. I’ve lost track of the wide variety of things that are said to be the cause of autism, or that are found to increase the risk of it. Perhaps, one day, … Continue reading →

Last year, it was revealed that there would be many changes to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as it goes from the fourth edition to the fifth edition. Many are concerned about how these changes will affect children who have autism. Here are some of the reasons why these changes are necessary. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM, is the book that psychiatrists use to determine a diagnosis of a specific mental disorder. It has been announced that there will be changes made to many of the definitions of a variety of disorders … Continue reading →

Some new federal data shows that there has been an increase in the number of children who have been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. These new figures were released on March 30, 2012. There have been some questions about how the original data that was used in this research was collected. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have released new figures that appear to say that autism is on the rise. Their data shows that, in 2008, 1 out of 88 kids in the United States had autism, or an autism spectrum disorder. In 2006, the number was 1 … Continue reading →

A brand new study confirms the findings of a preliminary study that was released in 2011. The new study shows that the income of a family that includes a child who has autism is significantly less than the income of families who don’t. This is due to a number of factors. In 2011, there was a preliminary study that used data that came from a survey done by the United States government’s Medical Expenditures Panel. Researchers looked at information about families that included children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), about families who had children with other types of chronic health … Continue reading →

A firefighter who is the father of a son who has autism is teaching other firefighters about how to identify someone who has autism. He is also teaching them how to best help a person who has autism in an emergency situation. He points out that people with autism may react in unexpected ways. Many children learn about fire safety while they are at school. They participate in fire drills, and learn about why it is important to make sure that everyone leaves the building quickly, and in an orderly fashion. For many kids, this is the first time that … Continue reading →

It seems to me that there is a constant stream of news articles regarding studies that have found the cause of autism. I’ve heard so many different ideas about the cause of autism that I am having trouble figuring out which one is correct. This week, there are two more studies that may, or may not, have found the cause of autism. Right now, it seems that the only thing that is known for certain is that immunizations do not cause autism. There have been a plethora of other studies that pin the cause of autism on a wide variety … Continue reading →