How Parents And Caregivers Can Evaluate Research On Potential Autism Treatments

 As diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder have increased, so have the number of experimental and off-label therapies seeking to address the condition. Evaluating treatments can be daunting. Read More >

Study Bolsters Evidence That Autism Runs In Families

Siblings of children with autism are about seven times more likely than others to have the developmental disability too, new research suggests. Read More >

Doctors Get Clearer Picture On Developmental Milestones For Kids With Down Syndrome

Pediatricians have little to go on in assessing when children with Down syndrome should hit various milestones. Now, a new study is detailing benchmarks specific to those with the chromosomal disorder. Read More >

Screen Time For Kids Under 2 Can Lead To Developmental Problems, Study Says

 A new study suggests that exposing babies and toddlers under age 2 to any amount of television viewing and other forms of "screen time" could be harmful to their sensory development. Read More >

Effort To Map Down Syndrome Brain Raises Prospect Of Treatment

 With an $11 million "transformative research" grant, scientists are setting out to do what hasn't been done before: chart how Down syndrome disrupts molecular pathways and alters the brain before birth. Read More >

Drinking Diet Soda During Pregnancy Linked To Autism, Study Finds

 

A new study found a link between boys diagnosed with autism and their mothers regularly drinking diet soda or a comparable amount of the artificial sweetener aspartame while pregnant or breastfeeding. Read More >

COVID-19 During Pregnancy Tied To Increased Risk Of Neurodevelopmental Disorders

 Some babies who experience a COVID-19 infection in utero face nearly double the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders researchers say. Read More >

Genetic Testing Urged For Those With Cerebral Palsy

 New research suggests that individuals with cerebral palsy should be encouraged to undergo genetic testing much like those with other types of developmental disabilities. Read More >

Can Limiting Screen Time Improve Autism Symptoms?

 New research suggests that substantially reducing the amount of time that young kids with autism spend watching screens could lead to fewer symptoms of the developmental disorder. Read More >

Test Can Predict Autism In Kids — Using Their Hair, Study Says

 A groundbreaking new test can predict the future emergence of autism in young children and infants using a single strand of hair, researchers say, potentially lowering the average age of diagnosis. Read More >

Half Of Autism Moms Show Signs Of Depression

 Roughly half of mothers of children with autism have high levels of depressive symptoms, new research finds, a rate that's significantly greater than for mothers of typically developing children. Read More >

'COVID Babies' Aren't Talking As Much As They Should. How Much Is The Pandemic To Blame?

 Babies born during the pandemic are talking later and saying less, according to a growing body of research. And, experts say verbal delays are often the first sign of broader developmental issues. Read More >

Scientists Identify More Genes Linked To Autism

 

New research is uncovering dozens of genes associated with autism and helping to explain a broader swath of cases across the spectrum. Read More >

Drumming Improves Behavior In Young People With Autism, Study Finds

 Learning to play the drums could make a big difference for adolescents with autism, with new research finding that acquiring the skill leads to better emotional control and fewer behavior issues. Read More >

Coronavirus Infection During Pregnancy Linked To Neurodevelopmental Disorders

 Babies with prenatal exposure to COVID-19 were 86% more likely to be diagnosed with a developmental disorder in their first year compared with babies who weren't exposed, new research suggests. Read More >

Study Finds Big Differences in Autism Rates by Community

 In some U.S. communities autism prevalence is more than three times the national average, a new study suggests. Read More >

Study: Gut bacteria may not explain ASD

 Researchers suggest that changes to the gut bacteria of children with autism spectrum disorder may be caused by dietary preferences or picky eating instead of gut bacteria influencing brain development. The study, published in the journal Cell, examined the stool samples of approximately 250 children and found no link between the composition of the microbiome and a diagnosis of ASD.

Full Story: Popular Science

Kids' Medical Records May Hold Clues To Autism Screening

 

New research points to a simple way to flag children at risk for autism that has the potential to cut the rate of false positives of traditional screening in half. Read More >

Promising Autism Treatment Falls Short, Study Finds

 

A naturally occurring hormone that's been prescribed to many children with autism under the thinking that it could boost sociability does not make any difference, according to a large new study. Read More >

YouTube Bans Videos Linking Autism, Vaccines

 YouTube is cracking down on vaccine misinformation, saying that it will remove videos suggesting that vaccines cause autism, among other falsehoods. Read More >