Everything from how to deal with wrap around services for your child with autism, to how exercise and yoga benefits those with ASD. This section contains all the blog posts and articles pertaining to medical health, treatments and services for those with autism.
A good night’s sleep is important. Without it, children can be irritable, struggle with academics, engage in more repetitive behaviours, become easily fatigued, and are more likely to suffer from unintentional injury. Over the long term, poor sleep can lead to adult obesity, anxiety in adulthood, and sleep problems throughout adulthood.
researchers now recommend a place where everything is under one umbrella, where a team of experts can wrap around the child. This can happen in a hospital setting, agency or center. The concept of wraparound services also extends into independent living for adults on the spectrum. As adults leave their parental home, they will need support for medical and dental needs, recreation, employment, nutrition, and daily living skills. How do we best meet these needs simply and under one roof?
A new study, published this May in Autism Research, suggests that medical conditions like seizures, sleep disorders and gastrointestinal problems may be connected to behavioural issues in children with autism. The medical profession has a tendency to focus on symptoms rather than investigating possible underlying causes.
Many individuals with autism enjoy using tech devices such as tablets and the iPhone, but a new study shows that their use at night can cause sleep disturbances due to reduced levels of melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that typically increases in the evening and helps induce sleepiness.
We’ve known for some time that interaction with dogs can have a positive effect on those with autism and other disabilities. Horses are now being recognized for their psychological benefits by a growing numbers of therapists who work with autistic children. Scientists have found levels of oxytocin, the hormone which promotes social interaction and increases bonding and empathy, increase when interacting with horses and dogs.
It is an overwhelming task for parents to choose the right program for their child with autism. We do our research through media, family, friends, and ask other people in the autism community what is working for them. We then enroll our child in that program only to find it isn’t working for them. So what went wrong?
Receiving an early autism diagnosis remains a concern for parents because new research shows that pediatricians are still dismissing parental concerns about autism.The study found that doctors often reassured patients that their child would grow out of it rather than refer them to a specialist or send them for developmental testing.
A new study published in JAMA Psychiatry on September 25th says there is no link between Celiac disease and the risk of autism. Many children on the autism spectrum experience gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea, constipation, food intolerances, and malabsorption of nutrients. Some follow a GF diet to try and improve health and behavior issues. For some, the diet works; for others there is no change.
Every human being ages. As we age, our needs changes. Approaching the senior years can mean changes in housing, health, and daily care. Policymakers have concentrated on these concerns for neurotypical seniors when designing social supports and models of care. What about the needs of those growing old with autism or other related disabilities? Timothy Baron, one of the first…
The Journal of American Medical Association Psychiatry has just published a study that revealed children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience a distinct chemical change in their brain that contributes to developmental delays. “Between ages three and 10, children with autism spectrum disorder exhibit distinct brain chemical changes that differ from children with developmental delays and those with typical development,”…
Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) is prevalent in those with an autism diagnosis; however, it’s never been recognized as a distinct disease. In a new study from UC San Francisco, researchers have found that children affected with SPD have quantifiable differences in brain structure, for the first time showing a biological basis for the disease that sets it apart from other…
One of the most common questions about autism is what causes it. There has been a considerable amount of research done in the field of genetics, hoping to find the cause. A new study has identified genetic risk in 50 per cent of autism cases. To read more about this new groundbreaking research, click here.
Epidemiological studies of autism prevalence does not happen often in low to middle income countries; nor is much known about how autism symptoms vary from culture to culture. A major barrier to diagnosis in countries outside of North America and Europe is the cost of assessments. “There are glaring disparities globally, and even within the U.S., in terms of where…
There have been numerous theories on what causes autism. The latest US research is now saying women who live near busy roads are twice as likely to have a child with autism. Lead scientist of this research Dr Andrea Roberts, of the Harvard School of Public Health, said: “Our findings raise concerns since, depending on the pollutant, 20% to 60% of the women in our study lived in areas where risk of autism was elevated.”
The connection between autism and gut issues have been known about for over a decade, yet we still have much to learn about this connection. Challenging behavior can be a result of severe gut issues, as was the case with Michael – a boy with autism from New York City. It wasn’t until the family met Dr. Kara Margolis. Margolis, 36, pediatric gastroenterologist at New York Presbyterian Hospital and a researcher at Columbia University Medical Center, that any cause for Michael’s self-injurious behaviors surfaced. Psychiatrists have always received the referrals for challenging behavior.