Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

Children with autism and one or more genetic variants associated with their diagnosis may be less likely to receive mental health care than children with autism without a genetic diagnosis, a proof-of-concept study reveals.  In a retrospective cohort study of 415 children and youth with autism, patients with an autism-associated genomic variant were less likely…

On this week’s podcast, join me as I sit down with Brett Powell. After my conversation with Jamie Lewis Smith last week about her autism parenting experiences, Brett steps in to share the story of how he and Jamie united their families, offering his personal perspective on the journey. About Brett Powell: Brett Powell has always…

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. makes a variety of incorrect or misleading claims about vaccines, COVID-19 and other health-related topics, as we discuss in other articles in this series. But his views on vaccines rose to prominence when he began to advance the thoroughly debunked idea that they cause autism — and he is repeating his…

To the mother with her adult son at Thomas the Train: You had the oldest child here. I’m guessing he was 25. Your son was tall. He was a man. He even towered over you. I saw him immediately when you arrived. He was practically levitating he was so excited. It was like he had…

Imagine you pick your child up from school, go through her bag and find a letter from her teacher. You see the phrases flash before your eyes: “disruptive in class,” “hit a classmate,” and “damaged school property.”  Naturally, you are very concerned about your child’s behavior and wonder what you can do next. For many…

I used to get so upset when people stared at you. Angry. Defensive even. You’d be flapping your hands. Or making happy noises. Communicating nonverbally. The only way you knew how. One second you’d be on the floor and the next running only to drop to the ground, roll, laugh and pat the ground. Or…

Imagine everything you’d experience while strolling through a mall — the smells, the sights, the things to touch… Now imagine all of those feelings and sensations times, like, a hundred. For many people with autism, overstimulation is their reality. Being over- or undersensitive when processing sensory information (like sights and smells) is common for people…

Two distinct neurodevelopmental abnormalities that arise just weeks after the start of brain development have been associated with the emergence of autism spectrum disorder, according to a new study. And, researchers say, the specific abnormalities seem to be dictated by the size of the child’s brain, a finding that could help doctors and researchers to…

Dogs for Better Lives Programs Pave the Way for Children and Their Families The bond between a child and a dog is often one of the most heartwarming things to see. The special connection takes on an even greater significance when it comes to Autism Assistance Dogs and Facility Dogs. Beyond a furry friend, these…

When you have a child diagnosed with autism, it’s not about you as the parent. At least that’s what we are told. Your sole focus becomes helping your child. Getting them the help they need. Services. Supports. Therapies. Education. And so on. That’s the role of a parent. And that’s how it should be. But…