Archive
Autism in the News – 01.26.12
Study finds early signs of autism in baby brains (FOX News)
Children who develop autism already show signs of different brain responses in their first year of life, scientists said on Thursday in a study that may in the future help doctors diagnose the disorder earlier. Read more.
9th annual Flutie Bowl (Wicked Local)
Richie La Montagne, a former U.S.B.F. Cruiser weight champion, chats with Doug Flutie (L to R) at the 9th annual Flutie Bowl on Monday, January 23. The event was held at Kings at Legacy Place to benefit the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism established by Doug Flutie and his wife Laurie to honor their son Doug, Jr. who was diagnosed with autism at the age of three. Read more.
Pounding the pavement calms runner with autism in Lake (Mount Dora, Fla.)
When Kyle Krekeler showed up at the Mount Dora Christian Home and Bible School track in July to join a local running group, trainer Vickie Steuben encountered a problem. Read more.
My son had autism. Then he didn’t. (Parenting.com)
I’m trying to hold him, but he’s squirming. The airport lounge is packed with people, and I can feel all eyes on me: the dad who cannot appease his toddler. Brandy sees me struggling, and comes up with a quick fix. She flips over the stroller. She places Jackson next to it. He begins to spin one of the wheels with his hand. He keeps spinning it. Over and over and over. He’s completely absorbed. I look at Brandy quizzically. She shrugs. Read more.
Millville autism support group Puzzle Peace Moms announces 2012 meetings (Millville, N.J.)
The only autism support group in the county announced meeting dates for 2012, held at the Mt. Pleasant Church social hall on 29 Pearl St. in Millville. Read more.
Autism Speaks’ daily blog “Autism in the News” is a mix of top news stories of the day. Autism Speaks does not vet the stories and the views contained therein do not necessarily reflect Autism Speaks beliefs or point of view.
Camp Good Times Baker Summer Camp
Blog by Beth Weiner, Camp Director of Camp Good Times in Charleston, South Carolina, which received a grant last year:
The 2011 session of Camp Good Times of Charleston, a recipient of an Autism Speaks Baker Summer Camp Scholarship Fund, was activity oriented, fun, child centered, and safe for the 130 children who attended this past June. Our camp includes not only children on the autism spectrum, but neurotypical peers who come to camp, have fun, be campers and friends with everyone.
The highlights from our 12 days include…swimming everyday, field trips to area water parks, malls and movies, a visit from a Therapy Dog group, Spray Play with the local firefighters(which was really cool!), The OT class from The Medical University of South Carolina joined our staff for a day, a “Valentines Day” party, summer solstice party for our younger campers and parents, Yo-Music, a blend of Yoga and Music, art, sports, computers, singing and dancing, piñata party, pizza and the campers favorite part of the day…SNO_CONES!
Below are some of the individual campers who benefited from the Autism Speaks Baker Summer Camp Program grant:
Four of the children who attended live in a group home. The three girls, Jen, Dee Dee, and Monique have been in a residential group home for girls with ASD for as long as I have known them. Ahmad has been a camper for many years, and has only recently been placed in a group home run by the same organization. I was fortunate to be able to offer the Baker Summer Camp Scholarship opportunity to these children, since other public funding was not available and they would not have come to camp with out it.
Two of the campers who attended through the generosity of Autism Speaks had to have their own personal assistant due to medical needs. These families were able to get financial assistance for the medically necessary aides, but there was no funding left for the camp fees. I know these families want their child to have a typical summer camp experience and the respite provided them was much needed. The Baker Summer Camp Scholarship was able to provide that.
The other campers and families also have challenges throughout the school year. I have gotten to know these families very well, all of the camp families, and the fun experience that Camp Good Times provides their child and the respite provided the families is what they value. For more info and pics…visit www.campgoodtimesofcharleston.org!
Autism in the News – 01.25.12
‘Talking things through in their head’ may aid children with autism (Fox News)
Talking to yourself in your head may not be such a bizarre pastime. It may actually be an important developmental tool. Read more.
Revision to DSM Manual Could Substantially Affect Autistic Individuals and Their Access to Services (Forbes)
The first substantial revision to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (D.S.M.) will be finalized by the end of 2012. Already, the revisions are 90 percent complete according to the task force that is revising the manual. It has been 17 years since the last big overhaul of the manual, and some are worried about how some disorders could be redefined. Read more.
Autistic teen swims his way to success at Fondy High (Wausau Daily Herald)
When Hunter Develice wanted to join the Fond du Lac High School swim team, his father was told that perhaps the family should consider Special Olympics instead. Read more.
Comprehensive $5 million autistic center to open in Howard Beach (Howard Beach, N.Y.)
A Queens group plans to transform a Howard Beach Chinese restaurant into a $5 million comprehensive center for autistic children and adults. Read more.
Women’s hockey launches 2012 Autism Awareness Project (Hamilton, N.Y.)
The Colgate women’s hockey team will kick off its second annual Autism Awareness Project during its home contest against Union on Feb. 3 at Starr Rink in Hamilton. Read more.
Autism Speaks’ daily blog “Autism in the News” is a mix of top news stories of the day. Autism Speaks does not vet the stories and the views contained therein do not necessarily reflect Autism Speaks beliefs or point of view.
Military Families: Let Congress Hear Your Voice!
On January 31, military families will get their chance to tell Congress about the special challenges they face raising children with autism. Many military parents will be in the audience.
But many more will be unable to make it to Washington for the briefing.
Autism Speaks believes their voices need to be heard as well. We are making it possible for these military families to record a brief story about their experiences and upload it to our YouTube page. We will share as many of these videos as possible with Congress, including airing portions of them during the meeting.
Visit our YouTube page to find out how you can participate!
Social Lives and Teens with Autism
This is a blog post by Lisa Goring, Autism Speaks Vice President, Family Services.
A recent research study funded by Autism Speaks reached a conclusion that probably would surprise few in our community: Teens with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often face major obstacles to social life outside the classroom. Given that one of the hallmark features of autism is impaired social interaction, it’s not hard to imagine why teens on the spectrum typically have difficulty making friends and participating in social activities, especially outside of school.
Unfortunately, social challenges are often considered the norm for kids growing up with autism. But this needs to change. The good news is that change is underway. Innovative approaches – ranging from group golf lessons to Girls Night Out – have been launched across the United States with the support of Family Services Community Grants from Autism Speaks. Their goal is to improve the socialization skills of teens and young adults with autism.
The research study was originally funded by Autism Speaks as a Pilot Grant in 2010 and then published in the November 2011 issue of PLoS One by a team led by Paul T. Shattuck, Ph.D., of Washington University, in St. Louis. The study analyzed data collected from a large number of adolescent students with autism enrolled in special education.
When compared to students with other special education needs, such as learning disabilities, mental retardation* and speech-language impairment, teens on the spectrum are significantly less likely to see friends out of school (43.3 percent), never to get called by friends (54.4 percent) and never to be invited to social activities (50.4 percent).
Empirical data such as the information from this study helps drive awareness and decision making. Based on these results, we now know with more certainty that many adolescents with ASD struggle to fit in with their peers. Backed with facts and figures, we can advocate for additional services and supports, target our research toward social skills interventions, develop better policies, and, ultimately, create more and better services and programs.
In this case, the research reaffirms the need for initiatives such as the Family Services Community Grant program that Autism Speaks created five years ago with two goals in mind: 1) to build the field of services for individuals with autism and 2) to expand the capacity to effectively serve this growing community. In addition, a Transition Tool Kit was created and launched last year to help guide the transition from adolescence to adulthood. Both cases demonstrate how Autism Speaks is providing solutions to help families address real challenges identified or documented through research.
The Community Grants [JSS1] are designed to meet needs in education, recreation and community activities, and specifically [JSS2] young adult and adult programs. Among the elements that go into a successful proposal are innovation and the ability to be replicated elsewhere.
To date, Autism Speaks has funded 193 community grants totaling almost $4.0 million across North America. A sampling of recent grant awards demonstrates how community initiatives across the country are addressing the need for social activities targeted to teens and young adults. Here are a few examples:
- Several suburban school districts outside of Philadelphia banded together to organize “Acting Antics,” a program using live theater as a way to teach social cognition skills. Student actors perform in short scenes with a partner, each assuming the persona of a particular character. The exercise requires each student to consider the character’s perspective, creating an opportunity to teach this skill in a fun and non-threatening manner. The Autism Speaks grant will be used to expand the program to other school districts.
- In Kansas City, a Girls Night Out program was established through the University of Kansas to build social competence and self-care skills for teen girls on the autism spectrum. The sessions take place in community settings such as a hair salon, coffee shop and gym. The community grant from Autism Speaks will be used to provide opportunities for girls with ASD to interact with typically developing peers during age-appropriate activities while improving social competence, friendship development, social skills and improved self-care skills.
- Golf was the theme of “Far from Par,” a summer golf program for 16 middle and high school students in Bergenfield, N.J., that set out to improve communication, social and physical skills, and help the students forge closer bonds with peers, siblings and parents. The Family Services grant enabled the program to double attendance.
- The Outdoors for All Foundation, in Seattle, was awarded a grant to expand its outdoor recreation program for children and adults living with ASD and their friends and families. The foundation was also able to design a week-long adventure camp for teens with high functioning autism as a result of their grant.
Our research funding will continue to help us target our family service grants toward specific areas of need and also allow for the development of new and more effective autism services. We will continue to make use of those research findings to develop and expand new programs is equally important to improve the quality of life of teens and young adults on the spectrum. Autism Speaks would like to thank its supporters for helping us fund our science and family services grant programs.
*Although current consensus in the field eschews us of the term “mental retardation” in favor of “intellectual disability”, the study authors used the mental retardation term “to be consistent with the special education legislative definitions of the various disability categories and the way the survey data were collected.”
Autism in the News – 01.24.12
It makes sense to redefine autism (CNN)
“Will my child still qualify for a diagnosis of autism?” This is the question on the minds of many parents with children who have autism. The short answer is: Most likely, yes. Read more.
Autistic boy beat up at the bus stop while peers watch and cheer; One posts video on Facebook (The New York Daily News)
The horrified parents of an autistic sixth grader watched video of their son being pummeled by a peer after another student posted the disturbing footage on Facebook. Read more.
Study links autism, intestinal bacteria levels (Columbia Spectator)
Researchers at Columbia may be making strides toward understanding the neurological disorder of autism–starting with, of all places, the intestine, according to a recent study. Read more.
Families Wait Patiently for Autism Insurance Coverage (Leesburg Patch)
Last spring, Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) signed into law a bill mandating that insurance companies help pay for the treatment of autistic children. Read more.
White Knuckle Parenting: Horrible Homework (Silver Spring Patch)
My youngest son started kindergarten in the fall of 2010. His two older brothers were already students at the local elementary school and before the school year ended in June of 2010, they were sent home with summer learning packets to complete over the summer. At the last PTA meeting of the year, I was the jerk parent who asked if there were packets for incoming kindergarteners. Read more.
Autism Speaks’ daily blog “Autism in the News” is a mix of top news stories of the day. Autism Speaks does not vet the stories and the views contained therein do not necessarily reflect Autism Speaks beliefs or point of view.
Healthcare, Technology and Autism converge at CES 2012
This is a guest blog post from Marc Sirkin, Autism Speaks VP Social Marketing and Online Fundraising. He recently attended CES to support the launch of a strategic partnership with Careverge.com.
CES (Consumer Electronics Show) is big, really big. Crazy big. The annual show hosts some 140,000 attendees and features some of the most incredible technology, gadgets and ideas that shape how we interact with our world. The main purpose of my attending was to support a recent partnership between Autism Speaks and Audax Health’s Careverge [link]. Starting back in October, when we held the first “Hacking Autism“ event technology has been on my mind, and as we saw on that incredible day, mobile apps and tablets are literally transforming the autism experience across the autism spectrum. It’s led me to start asking what I think is a great question: “How will new digital technologies and digital platforms transform the lives of those on the spectrum today and in the future?”
We continue to try to answer that question at IMFAR, our Core77 competition and have some exciting news to share in the days ahead about what’s next for “Hacking Autism.” I’m thrilled here to blog about a new partner, Careverge.
Careverge as you’ll see and hear in the video below is on the forefront of the “digital health” revolution. Spurred on by massive consumer pain and ever spiraling health care costs, entrepreneurs like Grant Verstandig, the Founder and CEO of Audax Health are bringing together a combination of technological ideas and experience, social networking, data analysis and gaming to create innovative and frankly, incredibly cool solutions.
I don’t know how Careverge will help you and your family but I suspect that you’ll come up with new ways to use the service. There are already more than 200 members of the “Autism Speaks” community and now it’s your turn. If you believe like I do that technology can and is making a different TODAY for all those on the autism spectrum, please register on the Autism Speaks Careverge site and and send us your feedback!
Autism and Associated Medical Conditions
Guest post by epidemiologist Laura Schieve, Ph.D., of the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In recent years, several reports have suggested that children with autism or other learning or behavioral developmental disabilities are more likely than typically developing children to have health conditions such as respiratory or gastrointestinal illnesses.
However the studies behind these reports were often small and showed inconsistent findings. Some of their methods had limitations. One of the biggest problems was that they didn’t adequately compare children with different types of developmental disabilities. Because of these limitations, many public health professionals and healthcare providers have been skeptical about whether children with autism or other behavioral developmental disabilities truly faced an elevated risk of other medical problems.
My colleagues and I wanted to help paint a clearer picture of this important public health issue. Our study, recently published in the journal Research in Developmental Disabilities, compared the medical conditions and healthcare needs of children with developmental disabilities with those of children without developmental disabilities. We also compared children with autism with those who had other developmental disabilities.
We assessed children included in the National Health Interview Surveys from 2006 to 2010. Households throughout the United States are randomly selected to participate in this annual survey. In households with children, one child is randomly selected to participate. Each child’s parent or other primary caregiver is interviewed in-person about the child’s health and development. Interviewers asked whether a doctor or other healthcare provider has ever told them the child has certain conditions including autism and several other developmental disabilities. We also ask if the child has a health condition such as asthma or has experienced other symptoms such as frequent diarrhea or colitis in the past year.
We included more than 41,000 children aged 3 to 17 years in the study. Of these, 5,469 had one or more of the following five developmental disabilities: autism, intellectual disability, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning disability or other developmental delay.
As a group, these children had higher than expected rates of all of the medical conditions we studied. More specifically, they were:
* 1.8 times more likely than children without developmental disabilities to have ever had an asthma diagnosis,
* 1.6 times more likely to have had eczema or a skin allergy during the past year,
* 1.8 times more likely to have had a food allergy during the past year,
* 2.1 times more likely to have had three or more ear infections during the past year,
* 2.2 times more likely to have had frequent severe headaches or migraines during the past year, and
* 3.5 times more likely to have had frequent diarrhea or colitis during the past year.
These increased rates of health conditions held true even for children diagnosed with ADHD or learning disability, but not diagnosed with autism or intellectual disability.
However, one finding stood out in particular when we compared the developmental disability groups to each other: Children with autism were twice as likely as children with ADHD, learning disability or other developmental delay to have had frequent diarrhea or colitis during the past year. They were seven times more likely to have experienced these gastrointestinal problems than were children without any developmental disability.
This detailed assessment demonstrates that children with autism or many other types of developmental disabilities do, in fact, face an increased risk for many common health conditions. This, in turn, provides evidence that children with developmental disabilities require increased health services and specialist services, both for their core functional deficits and for health problems beyond their core developmental disabilities.
Reference: Schieve LA, Gonzales V, Boulet SL, Visser SN, Rice CE, Van Naarden-Braun K, Boyle CA. Concurrent medical conditions and health care use and needs among children with learning and behavioral developmental disabilities, National Health Interview Survey, 2006-2010. Res Dev Disabil. 2011;33:467-76.
Read more autism research news and perspective on the science page. Explore the studies Autism Speaks is funding with our Grant Search. And thanks for making this research possible!
Autism in the News – 01.23.12
Autism: Finding a place to be “not even wrong” (Silver Spring, Md.)
My family is struggling a little right now. Jack, my autistic son, is having a hard time readjusting to the routine of school after the unstructured chaos of the holiday season. The social divide between him and his peers is widening at the same time that his autism-specific deficits are butting up against the third grade curriculum. Read more.
Living with no insurance coverage for autism (The Washington Post)
Many families in Virginia who expected insurance coverage have continued to pay out of pocket — if they can afford it — or forgo treatments they say could help their children. The General Assembly is taking another look at bills that could offer relief. Read more.
Autism awareness teaches more than just facts (Autism Support Network)
Autism awareness is everything. The difference between being unaware and awareness can be illustrated in looking at my son’s high school experiences and the journey he took toward social interaction. In reflecting on these emotionally charged years I realized something else…. there is enormous harm inherent in a school system that does not provide autism awareness to its general student population. Read more.
Fox’s ‘Touch’ stars Kiefer Sutherland as father of autistic child (Asbury Park Press)
Autism is front and center in a new TV series starring Kiefer Sutherland that will preview at 9 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25, on FOX. The series premiere of “Touch” is scheduled for Monday, March 19, in Sutherland’s old “24″ spot. I’m not sure what a preview is, unless it’s basically the pilot. Read more.
Perspective: Narrowing Autism Definition Will Cost More, Later (Common Health)
Ilyse Levine-Kanji is a school committee member in Westborough, Mass. and a former employment discrimination lawyer. Her son, Sam, has autism. As a school committee member, I recognize how costly services for autism are, and I understand the current urge to more narrowly define autism. As a parent of a child with autism, I also know that the costly supports my son Sam has received – from his school, through our insurance company, and from our own pocket – have helped him immeasurably. Read more.
Autism Speaks’ daily blog “Autism in the News” is a mix of top news stories of the day. Autism Speaks does not vet the stories and the views contained therein do not necessarily reflect Autism Speaks beliefs or point of view.
LIVE Chat with Geri Dawson, PhD & Lisa Goring Analyzing DSM-5
Chief Science Officer Geri Dawson, PhD and Family Services Vice President Lisa Goring hosted a LIVE Chat to address concerns sparked by this week’s New York Times article on proposed revisions to the medical definition of autism spectrum disorder in the DSM-5, to be published in 2013. Readers heard about its potential implications for individuals to receive an autism diagnosis and appropriate services.
|
2:56
|
|
|
2:57
|
|
|
3:00
|
|
|
3:02
|
|
|
3:03
|
|
|
3:05
|
|
|
3:06
|
|
|
3:07
|
|
|
3:09
|
|
|
3:09
|
|
|
3:10
|
|
|
3:11
|
|
|
3:12
|
|
|
3:12
|
|
|
3:15
|
|
|
3:15
|
|
|
3:16
|
|
|
3:17
|
|
|
3:18
|
|
|
3:19
|
|
|
3:21
|
|
|
3:21
|
|
|
3:22
|
|
|
3:22
|
|
|
3:24
|
|
|
3:25
|
|
|
3:28
|
|
|
3:29
|
|
|
3:29
|
|
|
3:30
|
|
|
3:31
|
|
|
3:33
|
|
|
3:34
|
|
|
3:34
|
|
|
3:36
|
|
|
3:36
|
|
|
3:42
|
|
|
3:42
|
|
|
3:43
|
|
|
3:43
|
|
|
3:44
|
|
|
3:44
|
|
|
3:48
|
|
|
3:48
|
|
|
3:48
|
|
|
3:49
|
|
|
3:49
|
|
|
3:52
|
|
|
3:53
|
|
|
3:54
|
|
|
3:55
|
|
|
3:57
|
|
|
3:57
|
|
|
3:58
|
|
|
3:59
|
|
|
4:00
|
|
|
4:01
|
|
|
4:03
|
|
|
4:04
|
|
|
4:06
|
|
|
4:07
|
|
|
4:08
|
|
|
4:09
|
|
