It Is True That There May Be A Link To Pesticides
A recent study published in the BMJsuggests that prenatal exposure to pesticides within 2000 meters of the mothers home does increase the risk of autism spectrum disorder, as did exposure to pesticides during infancy.
The study’s lead author, Ondine von Ehrenstein, told Time the results indicate that babies are vulnerable to certain pesticides both before and after birth. “I would hope that these findings would make some policy makers think about effective public health policy measures to protect populations who may be vulnerable and living in areas that could put them at higher risk,” she explains.
Is There A Test For Asd In Adults
Clinicians have developed different tests that can help diagnose ASD in adults. These include diagnostic tests such as ADOS 2 Module 4, ADI-R, and 3Di Adult.
However, it is not clear how reliable these tests are for adults. The reasons for this include:
- Researchers who look at the reliability of ASD tests often use a small number of study participants.
- Not many research studies on testing for adult ASD include enough participants from historically underserved groups, such as People of Color or people who are LGBTQIA+. This means the results of studies looking at ASD testing methods may not represent a true population of autistic adults.
- Many clinicians may not be familiar with the signs of ASD in adulthood. This is especially true if the patientâs symptoms are not severe or if the patient also has other conditions, for example, anxiety.
Autistic people may have of co-occurring conditions, such as anxiety or depression, than those in the general population.
Can Some Children ‘lose’ Autism Diagnosis New Evidence Says Yes
Most children with autism become adults with autism, retaining the same relationship, school, work and communication issues, but a new study says some individuals diagnosed with an autism disorder in early childhood can outgrow the disorder.
These children have a clear case of autism when they are young, but now do not meet the criteria for any autistic disorder,” explained study author Deborah Fein, a professor of psychology at the University of Connecticut who researches autism. Their social functioning is very good, they’re all functioning in mainstream education with no support.
One in 88 children is now affected by autism, which is the fastest-growing developmental disability in the U.S. Experts do not know why some children appear to outgrow the diagnosis as they age there is no cure or medical test for autism.
In the new study, published online in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry Wednesday and supported by the National Institutes of Health, Fein and her colleagues looked at 34 “optimal outcome” individuals between 8 and 21 who were previously diagnosed with an autism disorder, but are now indistinguishable from their non-autistic peers. They showed no problems with language, communication, social interaction and facial recognition,” which can be difficult for individuals with autism.
This is not a common outcome, she said. We don’t know what the percent is — it’s almost certainly under 25 percent, and it may be significantly lower than that.
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How Is Autism Normally Treated
There is no known cure for conditions on the autism spectrum. However, there have been many useful approaches and programs developed to help the child with specific difficulties which may be impacting on their quality of life or which may be in the way of their optimal development.
Some of these programs tend to focus on helping the child to develop communication, such as PECS .
Other approaches may be based on more traditional behavioural techniques designed to teach basic learning skills, such as ABA , or on implementing clarity and predictability children with autism tend to thrive on, such as TEACH .
Children with autism can be very effectively supported through people around them having an increased awareness of their condition, their support needs and their unique profile of their strengths and difficulties.
Families of children with more severe difficulties may also require some practical support or access to specialist resources to help them to support the child.
There is no best intervention for children with autism. An intervention that helps one child may not be suitable for another, so parents should always seek professional guidance.
Parents are advised to be cautious about any treatment that claims to cure autism.
From Sunny Backyard Afternoons To Rainy Mornings Stuck Inside These Indoor Outdoor Toys Are Sure To Keep Little Ones Engaged And Entertained
Tiny thrill-seekers will love this kid-powered coaster which will send them sailing across the backyard or play space. The durable set comes with a high back coaster car and 10.75 feet of track, providing endless opportunities for developing gross motor skills, balance and learning to take turns. The track is made up of three separate pieces which are easy to assemble and take apart for storage
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Early Signs Of Autism In Babies
A lifelong condition, autism spectrum disorder can be diagnosed before the child turns two. Early diagnosis can make an enormous difference in their quality of life later on.
There are certain early signs that can be observed in a newborn if your child is on the spectrum. You can detect the first signs in your infant really early in their life.
How Do Kids Get Autism
Genetics. Several different genes appear to be involved in autism spectrum disorder. For some children, autism spectrum disorder can be associated with a genetic disorder, such as Rett syndrome or fragile X syndrome. For other children, genetic changes may increase the risk of autism spectrum disorder.
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What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Autism
The onset of autism is usually apparent prior to or around three years of age.
However, for children who might have more subtle difficulties or are very able, the symptoms may be recognised only when they are older.
This is because some children are very well supported in their home and nurseries and their difficulties are not so apparent until they are expected to be more independent.
People also sometimes think that children will grow out of it, or their difficulties tend to be attributed to their personality or other issues, such as shyness or being naughty.
There are a range of early signs that parents tend to report. These include a childs avoidance of eye contact, a childs different way of communication, for example the child may not be sharing their interest or curiosity with others, although they may be able to request what they want.
Young children with autism spectrum may also have reduced non-verbal communication, and may not point or gesture. Some parents notice that their childs play may be different to that of their peers, for example lacking in creativity and imagination.
Many children with suspected autism may have difficulty in joining with other children and may prefer to play alone or with adults. Children with autism have delayed development of language, which tends to be one of the most frequent causes for concern.
However, it is also important to recognise specific strengths that children with autism often present with.
Your Partner May Be Affected By Low Sex Drive Too
Though the research is still preliminary, elevated prolactin levels in new dads are thought to induce child-care behavior, just like in moms, while reducing testosterone levels after birth.
Studies have shown that the more dads interact with their baby, the lower their testosterone levels dip, decreasing libido and causing them to focus less on wanting to have sex and more on wanting to nurture. This serves to ensure that dads invest more energy in parental care than in making a new baby, while helping them relax and enjoy their newborn.
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Early Signs Of Autism In Preschool Kids
You may notice differences in your childs behaviors and communication right before they go to school. Some of these signs may mean that your kid is at risk for autism spectrum disorder. Here are some of the signs listed by CDC:
- Speaking less than 15 words
- Seeming confused by the function of everyday items
- Not responding to their name when called
- Not walking
- Has repetitive behaviors like rocking back and forth
Most girls show symptoms in infancy or early childhood. But they may not be recognized.
Some studies suggest that certain symptoms are seen more commonly in boys than in girls. Repetitive behaviors, for instance, may appear more often in boys. They are easier to spot.
In addition, girls deal with ASD differently than boys. They may hide their symptoms or spend more energy on adapting to social norms.
They are more able to form friendships. This may cause ASD to not be determined early on.
It’s True That Kids Diagnosed With Asd Are Often Diagnosed With Other Conditions
As Spectrum reports, an ASD diagnosis is often followed by identification of other conditions. A recent study found 1 in 3 people with an ASD diagnosis are also diagnosed conditions like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder within 15 years of their ASD diagnosis.
Bottom line: It seems like every week a new study on Autism hits our news feeds, and the amount of information can be absolutely overwhelming if you have a child living with ASD.
Despite all this research, There is still a lot we don’t understand about Autism, but we do know this: Parenting a child with ASD can be hard, but it can also be so rewarding.
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Can People Really Grow Out Of Autism
A boy with autism. For the Artistic Mother’s Group: Samuel Study.
Let’s start with the headlines blaring the news about a recent autism study. They almost invariably use the phrase “grow out of autism,” even though the study itself does not use that phrase or even reference “grow” except to talk about head circumference. Instead, the authors of the report, published in The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, use the term “optimal outcomes” to describe what they detected in a group of 34 people who were diagnosed as autistic when they were under age 5.
As the study authors themselves state, this idea that autistic people might show reduced deficits to the point of losing a diagnosis is not new. In fact, first author Deborah Fein and colleagues cite studies identifying frequencies of “optimal outcomes” as high as 37% among autistic people. The lingering open questions relate to whether or not the autistic people in these studies had received the correct diagnosis in the first place. The only “novelty” of these latest results appears to be confirmation that indeed, the 34 people they identified as having an “optimal outcome” did receive an accurate diagnosis of autism in childhood. In other words, they are confirmed to have had a developmental disorder, a neurobiological condition called autism — yet, they “grew out of it.”
Treatment Can Radically Improve Symptoms
While children with autism don’t appear to just “get better” over time without intervention, most do improve over time with therapies and maturity. Some improve a great deal.
Practitioners of virtually every major autism therapy can tell stories of a child who started out with severe challenges and, over time, built significant skills. In some cases, children are described as “recovered,” or “indistinguishable from typical peers.” The reality, however, is that most children who appear to be “cured of autism” have either been cured of some physical problem which caused autism-like symptoms or learned coping techniques and behaviors that effectively mask their autism symptoms.
If a person was accurately diagnosed with autism, he will still have the same differences he had as a child. He will almost certainly need at least some support in managing the challenges of modern life. But in some cases, he may be able to “pass” as neurotypical in at least some situations.
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Conditions That Complicate Autism
Among preschoolers, kids who were diagnosed with a current diagnosis of autism were almost five times more likely to have two or more other conditions than those kids who had a previous diagnosis of autism. Learning disabilities and developmental delays were the most significant predictors of having a current autism diagnosis in 3- to 5-year-olds.
Among 6- to 11-year-olds, kids with a current autism diagnosis were significantly more likely than kids with a past diagnosis to have once had a speech problem or to be currently experiencing moderate to severe anxiety.
Among teens, kids with a current autism diagnosis were significantly more likely to also have a speech problem or mild epilepsy than kids with a past autism diagnosis.
Having a past hearing problem, on the other hand, made it significantly more likely that a child or teen would no longer be diagnosed with autism.
The symptoms of hearing impairment in young children can mimic symptoms of autism. In some cases, when the hearing problems are addressed, the behavioral and developmental problems also resolve.
Experts who were not involved in the research say itâs important for a couple of reasons.
The 5 Easy Questions That Can Help Detect Autism
A baby brings hopes for a perfect life filled with baseball games, piano recitals, and tiny voices learning to say, “Mommy,” “Daddy, and, I love you.”
Sometimes, though, those voices never come.
A child may appear to be developing normally but when it comes time for the child to speak, parents are met with silence or meaningless babble.
It might not even occur to a parent that his or her child isn’t speaking at an appropriate age level until the child spends time with peers at daycare, preschool, or even kindergarten and isn’t able to communicate.
According to the Autism Society, one in 54 children has a diagnosis of an Autism Spectrum Disorder, or ASD. About one in six children have some kind of speech delay or impairment.
Oftentimes, children aren’t diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder until age four or five, but the child may begin showing signs by the time he or she is two.
That can be scary news for a parent to receive, but it certainly doesn’t mean anything is “wrong” with the child. It only means the parents will need to adjust their plans and expectations to include early intervention.
Think about that. There could be at least two to three years between showing signs of autism and receiving a diagnosis. That’s two to three years of therapy, at an age where early intervention can make a huge difference, that’s lost forever.
Perhaps most importantly, it’s helped countless parents hear the tiny voices of their children finally say, “I love you, Mommy.”
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How Growing Out Of Autism Works: Is It Gone Completely
Autism is a developmental disorder with no cure, but studies have shown some children seem to grow out of their autism diagnosis. How is this possible?
Autism is a spectrum disorder, meaning that there are different ranges of severity. Children with mild symptoms who are diagnosed early can sometimes learn how to manage symptoms so effectively that it seems like they no longer have the disorder at all.
In these children, their autism symptoms are likely not gone completely. Rather, the child has learned how to compensate for, or mask, the symptoms of the disorder.
In some cases where it seems as if the autism has disappeared, other disorders can manifest in its place. But this doesnt mean that the child grew out of autism and into another disorder. Most often, the original condition was misdiagnosed in the first place.
Are Siblings At Greater Risk For Autism Spectrum Disorder
The truth is that genetics do play a role in autism. When one child is diagnosed with ASD, the next child to come along has about a 20% greater risk of developing autism than normal. When the first two children in a family have both been diagnosed with ASD, the third child has about a 32% greater risk of developing ASD.
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The Children Who Leave Autism Behind
Autism is usually thought to be a lifelong condition, but a small number of children lose the core symptoms and shed the diagnosis. Some researchers are beginning to explore how common this may be, and why some children outgrow autism.
by Siri Carpenter / 7 September 2015
Alex, aged 10, bounds onto his bed to pose with his Aaron Rodgers poster, grinning as proudly as if he had recruited the Green Bay Packers quarterback himself. Continuing the tour of his suburban New York bedroom, he points out his Packers-themed alarm clock, his soccer trophy, his Boy Scout trophy and then the big reveal: a homemade foam box in Packers green and gold.
Mmm, very nice, I say. Alex grins part shy, part sly as he turns it around to show me the message on the back: Jets stink.
Even though he seems to be an entirely ordinary boy, theres something unusual about Alex: He once had autism, and now he does not. There was a time when Alexs parents didnt know if he would ever speak in full sentences, let alone joke around with a stranger. His autism, they suspected, might prevent any such future.
Alexs parents began to worry about him before he was even 1 year old. He wasnt learning to sit, crawl or stand as his fraternal twin brother was. Even more striking was how much less social he was compared with his brother.