Category: Autism News

The new  titled “Pocketing Money Meant for Special Needs Kids: Private Equity in Autism Services” by Cornell University’s Rosemary Batt and the Center for Economic and Policy Research’s Eileen Appelbaum is re-released today. Just days ago on June 11, private equity firm Blackstone announced the bankruptcy of its national autism services chain, the Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD).…

Soothing sensitivities: Insights from occupational therapy can ease overstimulation during health care visits. Westend61 / Getty Images The Expert: Leah Stein Duker Assistant professor, University of Southern California A trip to the dentist — replete with buzzing tools, squirting water and bright lights — can prove uncomfortable for anyone. But these experiences may be especially…

An estimated 25-30% of children with autism are considered minimally verbal. Communication delays can be directly related to the core characteristics of autism or the result of commonly co-occurring conditions like verbal apraxia. Difficulty communicating wants and needs can be distressing for both autistic individuals and their families, impacting social relationships, access to education, and…

One of the best things I ever did for myself was to put my mental health first and not be afraid to talk about it. Please teach our society that seeking support for mental health challenges doesn’t make someone ‘crazy.’ When I was a kid growing up on the autism spectrum, I saw a therapist…

Receptor ramifications: Microglia with serotonin receptors (top row) have more branches and make more contact points with synapses than do those lacking the receptors (bottom row). Mice with microglia missing receptors for the neurotransmitter serotonin since birth have social difficulties and other autism-like behaviors, a new study has found. Eliminating the receptors in adult mice…

Powerful predictions: Calculating the combined contributions of synchronous brain activity across the cortex, shown in different colors, may predict cognitive ability. A metric called a polyneuro risk score can help researchers figure out relationships between brain activity and behavior, according to a new study. Scientists could use the approach to characterize subtypes of autism and…

I know I promised I was going to follow up with a general update about how I was doing. So that’s what I’m doing today.  My ADHD brain is all over the place today and I had a horrible workout this morning. I thought I would try writing and see if that helps to…

(Photo by REMKO DE WAAL/ANP/AFP via Getty Images) OAN’s Brooke Mallory6:20 PM – Wednesday, June 28, 2023 Researchers have found that some individuals with autism and intellectual difficulties were lawfully executed in the Netherlands in recent years after claiming that they were unable to live regular lives. The instances examined included five individuals under the age…

The first time I heard the word autism was when I was five and I asked my mother a very important question: Why am I different? She took a moment to tell me about my autism, describing it as a special gift, all the while never regarding it as a disability. Of course, my mom…

This past weekend was the U.S. Adaptive Needs Judo Clinic & Championships in Riverside, California. So, for my blog this week I share this article by Tayeba Hussein. First is a photo journey of one of my high functioning autistic students who participated in this terrific event, hosted by Riverside Youth Judo Club. Children with…