Autism and faith is a topic that hasn't been studied much. It's important to understand how adults with autism experience and practice religion. Faith is a personal thing. It's about beliefs and practices that come from a religious group. For autistic adults, there are unique challenges and needs when it comes to religion. Many people think that autistic adults migh...
Special education professionals in Saudi Arabia are starting to see the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in diagnosing autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, there are still many hurdles to overcome before AI can be fully integrated into the diagnostic process. One of the biggest challenges is the lack of awareness among specialists about how AI can be us...
Nina, a 17-year-old with severe autism, is a familiar face in Newburyport, known for her outgoing personality and her service dog, Raja. She loves her daily outings with her mom, Sarah, whether it's cycling together or swimming at the YMCA. The community has welcomed Nina with open arms, but there's one place where she's not accepted: her local high school. Newburyp...
In the past, vaccines had a big problem: bacteria could grow in them and make people sick. To stop this, a preservative called thimerosal was added to vaccines in the 1930s. It worked well for a long time, and the only issues were minor reactions at the injection site. But in 1999, health officials asked vaccine makers to remove thimerosal from vaccines. Why? Becaus...
A nurse practitioner with a background in pediatrics and family medicine is set to discuss thimerosal in flu vaccines at a meeting of new CDC vaccine advisers. Lyn Redwood, former president of the anti-vaccine group Children’s Health Defense, will present on this topic, raising eyebrows among public health experts. Thimerosal, a preservative once commonly used in va...
Caregivers have a significant impact on the language development of infants, especially those at risk for autism. But does the caregiver's own traits influence how much help they can provide? This is a question that has been explored in a recent study. The study looked at how caregivers with different levels of autistic traits, known as broader autism phenotype (BA...
In recent times, there has been a push to make autism screening more accessible. One way this is happening is through remote assessments. These are done from the comfort of a child's home. This approach is particularly helpful for families who might struggle to get to a clinic. The tool used in this study is called TELE-ASD-PEDS or TAP for short. It is designed to he...
In Europe, the number of autism diagnoses has been climbing. However, this rise has not translated into better access to services for autistic individuals. Many communities are still grappling with significant hurdles. The gap between diagnosis and support is wide. Why is this happening? One reason could be the lack of awareness. Many people still do not understand ...
Working with autistic individuals requires a unique set of skills and knowledge. This is especially true for those in sports and exercise fields. A recent project aimed to create a training package for these professionals. The project involved a co-design process, which means it included input from both consumers and stakeholders. The co-design process was led by th...
A young boy, KM, has been on a challenging journey with autism and ADHD. He is now 11 years old. He was first diagnosed at the age of 7. He has tried many medications over the years. His parents are divorced and have different views on his treatment. This makes things even more complicated. KM's school had tested him a year before his diagnosis. The results sho...