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Inherited Variations in Noncoding Sections of DNA Associated with Autism
A new study has identified an association between paternally-inherited rare structural variants in noncoding segments of genes and the development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The study, funded in part by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and published in Science, adds to a...
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NIH Study Finds Attention to Others’ Eyes Declines in 2 to 6-Month-Old Infants Later Diagnosed with Autism
Eye contact during early infancy may be a key to early identification of autism, according to a study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), part of the National Institutes of Health. Published this week in the journal Nature, the study reveals the earliest sign of developing...
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Training Peers Improves Social Outcomes for Some Kids with ASD
Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) who attend regular education classes may be more likely to improve their social skills if their typically developing peers are taught how to interact with them than if only the children with ASD are taught such skills. According to a study funded by the...
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Understanding and Treating Autism Spectrum Disorders
Not until the middle of the twentieth century was there a name for a disorder that now appears to affect an estimated one of every five hundred children, a disorder that causes disruption in families and unfulfilled lives for many children. At the same time a German scientist, Dr. Hans Asperger,...
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The Promise of Research – The National Strategic Plan for Autism Spectrum Disorders
The Combating Autism Act of 2006 mandated the reestablishment of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) to coordinate all efforts concerning Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) across the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). IACC membership includes an individual with an ASD,...
