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Parental Age Ups Rate of New Mutations Passed to Children
Men and women both transmit an increasing number of new mutations to their children as they age, according to a study published recently in Nature (Jónsson H. et al., 2017). The finding is based on an analysis of whole genomes from nearly 5,000 people. The increase in these ‘de novo’ mutations...
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Research Steps in Establishing Music Therapy as an Effective Treatment for Children on the Spectrum
Music engages people. Autism advocates have recognized for years that engaging in music making can bring positive benefits to children with autism. The established profession of music therapy, which began in 1950 and currently has over 6,500 board certified music therapists throughout the United...
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Autism Science Foundation Announces Expansion of the Autism Sisters Project – 3 New Grants Awarded to Search for the Female Protective Effect
The Autism Science Foundation (ASF), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to catalyzing innovative autism research, announced the launch of three new multi-year research grants to expand the Autism Sisters Project at the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) and the Broad Institute in...
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What Kind of Research Can Guide the Growth of ASD Services?
Most of my 25-year career in ASD has centered on providing services. Throughout that time, I have tried to draw straight lines from research findings to practice, and show how science benefits children with ASD. On the way, I learned is that not all research is equally relevant to service...
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Three Expert Tips for Realizing Your Wellness Goals
When we don’t feel well, it seeps into every aspect of our lives. Lethargy, a poor attitude, inertia, and even maladaptive coping mechanisms can be common signs that we aren’t operating optimally. Although social skills and career skills hog much of the limelight as important areas of function...
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Prevalence, Assessment, and Treatment of Psychiatric Comorbidities in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders Living in Residential Care – A Literature Review
Despite the existence of severe and challenging behavioral presentations for many children with autism spectrum disorders living in residential and inpatient settings, children with complex ASD continue to be underrepresented in the literature (Siegel, et al. 2015) and there is a marked lack of...
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Addressing the Needs of Under-Resourced Families of Children with Autism
The Autism Intervention Network on Behavioral Health (AIR-B) is a network of researchers whose goal is to improve access to evidenced-based treatments for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in under-resourced communities. The AIR-B network consists of two related studies: Mind the Gap...
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Parent and Adolescent Outcomes Following Participation in the PEERS© Program
As youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) navigate the complex social world of adolescence, they frequently have difficulty forming and maintaining friendships. Past research indicates that adolescents with ASD report lower quality friendships than their typically-developing peers (Bauminger...
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Researchers Link Increased Infant Brain Fluid to Autism
MRIs show a brain anomaly in nearly 70 percent of babies at high risk of developing the condition who go on to be diagnosed, laying the groundwork for a predictive aid for pediatricians and the search for a potential treatment. A national research network led by UNC School of Medicine’s Joseph...
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Summary of a Systematic Literature Review of Research on Sexuality, Sex Education and Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Individuals diagnosed with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), currently estimated to occur in one in every 68 births (CDC, 2014), exhibit varying degrees of intellectual ability and social delay. Like other aspects of the diagnosis, typified and challenged by heterogeneity, sexuality is a variable...
