Year: 2023

Senate Bill 805, authored by Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D – Burbank), addresses a serious lapse in the type of autism treatment covered by insurance by expanding care options and modernizing workforce positions to provide better care for parents. The bill was signed into law by Governor Newsom. “Early intervention and individualized care are key actions necessary…

Recently, while hanging out during our autistic son Nat’s music lesson (he is a singer in a band), my husband and I were asked kindly to sit outside. The instructor—rightly so—wanted to keep the room uncrowded because of the flu and COVID season. I realized, though, that now I would no longer have firsthand knowledge…

Neuroscientists from the University of Maryland have come a step closer to understanding how disorders such as autism and schizophrenia develop in children, opening the door for potential new treatments. Inflammation in the brain during early childhood has been previously linked to autism and schizophrenia. But the mechanisms behind this link have been unclear. Now…

IPads can be the best device to assist students in all their studies and other work. For people with special needs, iPads are like a blessing as these devices can be used to perform multiple tasks.  Some mobile applications and other high-tech communication applications make it easy for students to access any information and relevant…

Homeschooling is quickly transforming into an enticing option for many parents of special needs children, especially those grappling with sensory issues. With 38% of the 2.5 million homeschooled students in the US with special needs—a rate triple that seen in conventional schools— the National Special Education Advocacy Institute unveils the growing reliance on homeschooling to…

Your browser does not support the video tag. Pause On a roll: A mouse equipped with a new VR headset travels through a simulated space. A new virtual-reality headset delivers mice a more immersive experience than do traditional setups, according to a new preprint. The device could help researchers better understand the neural pathways underpinning…

Healthcare providers used the tablet-based application developed by the Autism Center of Excellence at Duke University to screen toddlers ages 17 months to three years old during well-child visits. After identifying toddlers who are candidates for further examination for autism spectrum disorder, they can be connected with appropriate resources, WHY IT MATTERS The app, called…

Judges as gate keepers Reminiscent of the Zantac cases, where the federal judge rejected all the plaintiffs’ experts’ testimony, the federal judge in Daniels-Feasel v. Forest Pharm excluded the plaintiffs’ experts from testifying. While not as scientifically sophisticated as the Zantac opinion, the Daniels-Feasel case rested on the same legal standards set forth in the Daubert case and Rule 702 of the Federal Rules of…

Published on October 3, 2023 It’s the end of the day, and you’re exhausted. You’re ready for bed but your little one with autism can’t seem to wind down and fall asleep. And once he’s asleep it’s common for him to wake up throughout the night.  It’s become a pattern, and your sleep-deprived child is…

“Ow! Joey’s hitting me!” That phrase has been said far too often in my home. My son is considered “profound” on the autism spectrum and needs a lot of redirection. So, what do you do when your child is aggressive and hitting? Many autism advocates suggest using a social story for hitting. In simple terms,…