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Auburn Fire Dept. starts Autism response program

Posted on October 6, 2012 by Fredricko

AUBURN, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- Firefighters in Auburn want to know where people with Autism live, and how they can better serve them.

The Auburn Fire Department has launched an Autism database with the Lewiston/Auburn 911 Dispatch Center.

Fire Chief Frank Roma said it will give emergency responders an opportunity to serve people with Autism in the best possible way.

"More importantly, we can provide them the same level of service as anyone else would have," said Chief Roma.

According to the Executive Director of the Maine Autism Alliance, Heidi Bowden, sirens and flashing lights can trigger a sensory overload in people affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Bowden said signs of a meltdown include:

Roma said if his department knows they are responding to a home where someone has Autism, they can do things like turning off the sirens and lights, and following the guidelines set forth in a personal survey.

Participation is voluntary, and requires information about the Autistic person's address, potential triggers, favorite topics of conversation, among other personal information.

Once a person or family registers with the database, a red flag will appear in the 911 center's software to alert emergency responders.

Fire Prevention Officer David O'Connell said he came up with the idea for the database after meeting with children who have Autism and their guardians.

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Auburn Fire Dept. starts Autism response program

Autism Center receives gift from Hussman foundation

Posted on October 1, 2012 by Fredricko

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30 September 2012 By Jonathan Munshaw, News Editor One Comment

Abby Murphy/ The Towerlight

After receiving a $1.25 million gift from the John P. Hussman Foundation, the Towson University Center for Adults with Autism has constructed a life skills center inside the Towson City Center. The skills center includes a fully-functional kitchen, living room, bedroom and bathroom that students on the spectrum of autism use to gain social and life skills that are often impeded by autism. The autism center used to only exist in a 150 square-foot space, Ray Stinar administrative director for the Center for Adults with Autism said. Last year, we had a student who would not come out of his room for eight hours, because he couldnt decide what shirt to put on, Stinar said. For us, thats not that big of a deal, its something that we do every day, but for him, it was a huge task and eventually he got it, but those are the types of things that adults on the spectrum need help with. With help from the Baltimore County Government as well as the gift from the Hussman Foundation, the center was able to move into the Towson City Center and open several classrooms, including an animation lab and the life skills center. In addition to the faculty members at the center, student mentors also assist the students and adults on the spectrum. Since weve moved, weve seen a huge increase in interest to volunteer with us, Rhonda Greenhaw, director of the center for adults with autism, said. Its really exciting because we keep expanding every year. Greenhaw said that the students and adults are learning practical skills and that in the near future, some of the students with autism will also work in dining halls. We just really hope that students can learn these skills so they have something to contribute, and could hopefully turn these skills into a job, she said. The gift came out of a mutual understanding between the University and the Hussman Foundation, Greenhaw said. [The Hussman Foundation] is the largest funder of autism research, so it was a huge vote of confidence to us because they are putting their faith in our program, she said. The center has a lease in the City Center for the next 10 years, according to Greenhaw, and staff wants even more students to volunteer. Autism is really an internal experience, she said. Thats why its important to have a program like this, because it allows the adults on the spectrum to work these things out for themselves. We want them to build up these experiences, and take them outside of the center and revolutionize the community.

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Autism Center receives gift from Hussman foundation

New Autism Criteria Will Have Minor Impact: Study

Posted on October 6, 2012 by Fredricko

TUESDAY, Oct. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Parents should not worry that proposed changes to the criteria for diagnosing autism might leave their child ineligible for care, a new study indicates.

Researchers assessed the impact of the proposed changes, which were developed by an expert panel appointed by the American Psychiatric Association and are expected to take effect in May 2013.

Previous research had suggested that 45 percent or more of children who currently qualify for a diagnosis of autism would not under the new criteria. Those findings caused widespread concern among parents who depend on state-financed health services for their children, The New York Times reported.

However, this latest study concluded that only 10 percent of these children would be excluded under the new criteria.

"I know that parents worry, but I don't believe there is any substantial reason to fear that children who need to be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, and provided with vital services, will not be included in the new criteria in this updated manual," said study senior investigator Dr. Catherine Lord, director of the Center for Autism and the Developing Brain at New York-Presbyterian Hospital's Westchester campus, along with its affiliated medical schools Weill Cornell Medical College and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.

The study is the largest to date to try to determine the effects of the new diagnostic criteria for autism. It was published in the Oct. 1 issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry.

Lord and her colleagues looked at 4,453 children currently diagnosed with autism and found that 91 percent of them would still qualify for the diagnosis under the proposed new criteria. Many of the remaining 9 percent would likely qualify with additional input from their doctors, the study added.

The proposed changes are designed to better identify autism and to distinguish it from other conditions, the researchers said.

The overall issue with the current criteria is "not that a lot of people are diagnosed with autism who shouldn't be, but that there is a lot of confusion because the criteria were not very accurate," Lord, who was a member of the panel that proposed the new criteria, said in a hospital news release.

She explained that in developing the new criteria, the panel "deliberately added and organized things to try to bring in and better address the needs of people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) of all developmental levels and ages -- including girls, who were not represented as well as they should be in" the current criteria.

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New Autism Criteria Will Have Minor Impact: Study

New Autism Care Rules Require Some To Pay For Once Free Services

Posted on October 1, 2012 by Fredricko

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) Parents of children with autism are protesting new rules that took effect today in Pennsylvania, which will require parents at certain income levels to partially pay for services that used to be free.

Nicki Gratton, of Plum, is one of them. She has three children. Jeremy has cerebral palsy and Riley has pervasive developmental disorder, which is a type of autism.

Gratton told KDKA-TVs Dr. Maria Simbra that three home visits per week to help her with her childrens behavior issues have been a God-send.

The Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare used to provide these services at no charge for 48,000 children with mental and physical disabilities.

However, families earning more than $45,000 a year will now have to pay co-pays ranging from $1 to $3 per service. Items such as medical equipment, physical, occupational and speech therapy and outpatient services are exempt.

Cathy Hughes with Family Behavioral Resources, which provides services now subject to co-pays, said the change could be devastating.

Im taking calls and e-mails night and day from families that are going to pay between $400 to $700 a month and theyre going to have to make huge sacrifices, Hughes said.

She also worries about her agency and others having to lay off staff, or parents quitting their jobs so they fall under the poverty level and qualify for free services.

Welfare Secretary Gary Anderson said adding the co-pays was necessary to keep services afloat.

Were growing in the department at eight percent a year, and state revenues are only growing at two percent. In order for us to be able to sustain it for the long haul, the families need to start to pay something for their health care, said Anderson.

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New Autism Care Rules Require Some To Pay For Once Free Services

Autism on the Rise and a Young Mother's Struggle

Posted on October 1, 2012 by Fredricko

Olga Chinchilla, then 18 and pregnant, sat glued to the television screen, intrigued by a report on a developmental disorder that impairs social skills.

"I remember sitting there and had never heard about the disability before," said Chinchilla. "Little did I know that in three years my son Anakin was going to be diagnosed with autism." Initially, she said she ignored signs that her son potentially had autism a developmental disorder that is exhibited in impaired comprehension, language barriers, and repetitive behaviors because she was in shock and did not quite know what to expect. "I was the one in denial," she said. Her family's reaction did not help. "Being Hispanic, the typical thing they tell you is that 'it's okay, he's a boy. Boys develop a lot slower than girls do.'"

But there was something alarming and oddly different about Anakin's behavior. At 12 months, he could not walk or talk. There were many times when Anakin could not even look his mother directly in the eyes. He did not like it when anyone touched him and he would often slam doors and spin objects in a repetitive manner warning signs that eventually prompted Chinchilla to seek help from a pediatrician, a health center and then a psychologist.

Chinchilla, now 24, has transitioned from initial disbelief and denial of her son's diagnosis, to struggling as a single mother to find the right resources for Anakin and later advocating and educating others about the rights of families of children with developmental disabilities in the Alhambra area.

Anakin was diagnosed with autism at 22 months and later began receiving funds for ABA therapies at age four at Alhambra's East Los Angeles Regional Center (ELARC), one of 21 resource and service centers in the state of California catering to individuals with developmental disabilities.

Gloria Wong, executive director of ELARC says that 38 percent of their clients are diagnosed with autism, the second largest diagnosis at the center, after mental retardation. Nationally, autism cases have spiked in recent years. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 88 children have been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, a 23 percent increase from CDC's 2009 report. Additionally, more children are being diagnosed at an earlier age and the disability seems much more prevalent in boys than girls.

"There is really an unknown reason for that spike that continues to grow, but there have been studies in terms of what is spiking the ongoing growth in California," said Wong.

Olga Chinchilla and her son Anakin. Shortly after her son's diagnosis, Chinchilla recalls struggling to work as a full-time medical assistant while providing Anakin the special care he needed.

"I was in Rosemead at one point, and I tried two different daycares within a week," Chinchilla said. "I would get off work and get there crying....You try to make a living for your child, you go to work but the whole day, you wonder, 'how's my kid?'"

Chinchilla realized that Anakin needed more than just regular daycare service; he needed a place that catered to children with developmental disabilities. But the search for special daycares was a challenge, and as a single mother, she was not able to afford the cost many of which were well over $30,000 a year.

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Autism on the Rise and a Young Mother's Struggle

Autism and a Political Career Collide in Dad's Two Worlds

Posted on September 30, 2012 by Fredricko

Mike Lake describes his autistic son Jaden as a "3- or 4-year-old trapped in a 16-year-old body," a boy who is nonverbal.

For Jaden, abstract thinking is a challenge and his most direct communication is reaching for his father's face and crying out "bababa" when he needs to be understood.

But that "beautiful simplicity" is enough for his dad.

"I lay down with him on the bed at night and he looks at me in communication mode," said Lake, 43. "Oftentimes, I just drift into his language ... He talks along with me at the same time bababa-ing. It's the strangest thing. We are not communicating anything concrete, not the world I am living in, but for us it is a connection."

Since 2006, Lake's world has been Canada's House of Commons, where he delves into the complex political issues of the day as a member of Parliament and secretary to the minister of industry.

But at home with Jaden, he enters a different world where speech doesn't matter as much as unequivocal love.

"I didn't get elected to Parliament on the autism issue," said Lake. "But as time has gone by, it's one world. It has allowed me a platform to get out there and raise awareness.

"We decided early on to include him in every opportunity we could and not to hide the family and to use the opportunities over time to share the story of an amazing kid and what life has been like for us."

Lake, whose family also includes wife Debi and 13-year-old Jenae, lives in Edmonton, Alberta. This week, he is in New York City speaking before the fifth annual World Focus on Autism, co-hosted by Autism Speaks and Ban Soon-taek, wife of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

The world of autism is still a mystery. And while research has advanced, particularly in the area of genetics, it is still a puzzle to scientists. Some studies show autism strikes as many as 1 in 88 children, mostly boys.

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Autism and a Political Career Collide in Dad's Two Worlds

Many Children With Autism Have Other Health Problems, Study Says

Posted on September 30, 2012 by Fredricko

TUESDAY, Sept. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Many children with autism have interrelated health problems that can have a significant impact on their home and school lives, a new study finds.

Researchers looked at nearly 3,000 children with autism and found that nearly one-fourth also had chronic gastrointestinal problems such as constipation, abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea and nausea.

The children with the chronic gastrointestinal problems also had anxiety and so-called "atypical sensory responses," which are heightened reactions to light, sound or particular textures, according to the study, which was published recently in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology.

"These problems can have a very real impact on daily life. Children with anxiety may be distressed or reluctant to engage in new activities, and those with sensory problems may have trouble paying attention or participating in overstimulating environments," Micah Mazurek, assistant professor of health psychology and a clinical child psychologist at the University of Missouri, said in a university news release. "These children may also suffer uncomfortable [gastrointestinal] problems that they may not be able to communicate about to adults."

Effective management of these problems may improve autistic children's quality of life and response to treatment, she said.

"Parents need to be aware that these problems may underlie some of their children's difficulties, so if they notice any symptoms, they should talk to their doctors or therapists about treatment options," Mazurek said.

"Practitioners who work with children with [autism spectrum disorders] need to be mindful that there is a pretty high rate of these problems, so if children are treated for one issue, it may be helpful to screen for these additional symptoms," she added.

"Autism spectrum disorder" is a term for a group of developmental disorders with similar features, ranging from Asperger's syndrome at the mild end to full-blown autism. In general, it causes problems with social interaction and communication, and often is marked by obsessive and repetitive behaviors.

One in 88 children in the United States has been diagnosed with autism, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

-- Robert Preidt

FSU Autism Institute to Participate in Multi-Million Dollar Study

Posted on September 30, 2012 by Fredricko

Tallahassee, FL - September 27, 2012

The Autism Institute at the Florida State University College of Medicine is part of a new $8.3 million study to measure risk and resilience factors for autism in infants and toddlers.

The goal is to better understand developmental trajectories in children with autism and to improve early detection, intervention and outcomes. The Autism Institutes project has the potential to identify autism spectrum disorders (ASD) before an obvious disability has emerged as early as the first year of life.

The Autism Centers of Excellence (ACE) grant is one of three in the country funded by the National Institutes of Health. Florida States project is one of four within the ACE grant awarded to Emory University. Collaboratorsinclude Emory University, the Marcus Autism Center at Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta, the Emory University School of Medicine and the Emory University Yerkes National Primate Research Center.

Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal announced the grant Thursday, Sept. 27, in a ceremony at the Georgia Capitol.

Among other things, a team of researchers in Atlanta will focus on social visual engagement and social vocal engagement in infants at risk for ASD. The goal is to identify ASD infants, which is far earlier than has previously been effectively demonstrated.

The Autism Institute at Florida State will oversee the intervention study aimed at changing the way children with ASD develop. The Autism Institute already is recognized as a leader in the effects of early intervention on improved outcomes for toddlers and older children with ASD. The Autism Institute has focused on identifying ASD and providing interventions in infants as early as 18 months.

Keep in mind that the average age for diagnosis is after age 4, so 18 months is very early and 12months of age is incredibly early. Its very exciting to think about the potential, said Amy Wetherby, Distinguished Research Professor in Clinical Sciences at the FSU College of Medicine and director of the Autism Institute. Children at that age have more brain plasticity, and the hope is we can change their developmental trajectories and possibly prevent some of the symptoms, Wetherby said.

Wetherby and Juliann Woods, associate director of the Autism Institute and a professor in the Florida State College of Communication and Information, will lead a team that will teach parents how to implement techniques to improve development in their children with ASD.

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FSU Autism Institute to Participate in Multi-Million Dollar Study

Autism treatment slots open Monday for young Utah kids

Posted on September 30, 2012 by Fredricko

Starting Monday, Utah families who have young children with autism can apply for free treatment provided by a new pilot project but if too many seek help, theyll need luck to win a slot.

About 250 kids can be served through the Medicaid-funded portion of the project, which is open to children who are not covered by the low-income public health insurance plan. If more children apply than can be helped, which is likely, applications will be ranked at random, similar to a lottery, explained Utah Department of Health spokesman Tom Hudachko.

How to apply

Children between the ages of 2 and 6 who meets certain requirements can apply for autism treatment through the Medicaid-funded portion of a state pilot project.

Applicants need not be on Medicaid. To be eligible, kids must:

Be clinically diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder.

Be a U.S. citizen and Utah resident.

Have been born between April 1, 2007 and October 31, 2010.

Not have assets, such as a bank account or trust fund, in his or her name in excess of $2,000.

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Autism treatment slots open Monday for young Utah kids

Massel: More guidance, community forums needed on autism

Posted on September 30, 2012 by Fredricko

Your greatest fear, if you are the parent of an adult child with a disability, is that you will not outlive your offspring and leave them to a world where they are not protected, cared for and loved. As The Star's series on autism showed, many families struggle as their autistic young people work to make that transition.

Despite some good intentions, the state of California and insurance companies are frightening the parents of adult children with autism. In 2011, the Legislature passed SB 946, making our state one of the few that require health insurers to cover treatment for adults with autism.

Autism remains a truly confounding condition and there is much to be learned about its causes and treatment. Through applied behavior, however, we have seen great improvements in living skills, communications skills and self-care skills.

Parents were rightfully joyful when SB 946 passed. Their adult children would be covered by health insurance and they could get the treatment that could lead to independence or semi-independence. It hasn't worked out exactly that way, yet.

In August, Vista Center for Behavior Analysis held a panel discussion, featuring experts in autism and insurance, for parents of adult children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Our goal was to help parents and others understand what services are available for adults with autism and how to access these services.

Parents who formerly received treatment services for their children from California Regional Centers were now to seek treatment from the private health care sector and either be reimbursed or covered by their health insurer. Parents told us they have been given little information about what services are available and covered through private health care.

Connie Lapin, one of our panelists and a parent of an adult child with autism who has been a leading advocate for those with autism, asked, "What is going to happen to all of these kids?" She described past practices in which people with autism were overmedicated and lived in homes in which they did receive effective treatment and were subject to neglect.

Rick Rollens, an internationally known autism speaker and the parent of an adult with autism, warned of the coming and overwhelming need for adult services. Adolescents and adults with ASD are being neglected. A law with all the best intentions has created chaos. These things need to happen:

The California Department of Developmental Services must step in at the regional center level and provide information and guidance to parents; the Department of Managed Health Care must hold insurers accountable and demand that they produce within 30 days a plan to cover adults with autism; and there must be forums held across the state to inform parents.

Vista is deeply involved in this issue and will continue to seek answers, prod government officials and insurers and advocate for our patients and all adults with autism.

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Massel: More guidance, community forums needed on autism

Autism event pegged to U.N. draws story of perseverance

Posted on September 30, 2012 by Fredricko

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

New York (CNN) -- A milestone for 16-year-old Jaden Lake, who has autism, is sometimes as basic as a kiss.

He's the son of Canadian Parliament member Mike Lake, who traveled to New York this week in the shadow of the United Nations General Assembly to raise awareness about autism spectrum disorders, believed to affect roughly 1 in 88 children in the United States.

Lake and his wife, Debi, say it's often the small victories that count most when raising the eldest of their two children.

"When he was 11, I remember my wife phoning me and saying, 'Jaden just kissed me for the first time,'" Lake said.

The revelation came when Debi had been teaching their son to blow, using a straw she placed in his mouth.

"She noticed that when she pulled it out," a kissing sound sprung from his puckered lips, he said.

"She used that to teach him how to kiss."

Autism is defined as one group of developmental problems within autism spectrum disorders, which surface in early childhood and come with varying degrees of severity, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

It's not clear what causes the disorder and there is no known cure. And though its overall prevalence has been on the rise, it's also unclear whether that increase is a result of better detection or an increase in cases, or both.

CHOP seeks infants for autism study

Posted on September 30, 2012 by Fredricko

The Center for Autism Research at the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia recently received a five-year, $2.2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to continue its research into autism.

The hospital is seeking expectant parents and the parents of newborns from families with and without a history of autism to allow their children to be part of the study from age 3 months to 24 months. The hospital hopes to take images of the babies brains to detect when the changes that lead to autism begin to appear to find early signs of the disease, said Sarah Paterson, a research associate professor at CHOP.

Autism, a condition that causes several developmental problems, particularly with socialization and communication skills, is affecting more and more children, particularly boys. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it has increased 23 percent from 2006 to 2008 and now affects 1 in 88 American children. The rate in New Jersey is 1 in 49 children, mostly boys.

It is typically diagnosed around age 2 or 3, and a growing body of research shows that early intervention yields better outcomes for individuals with autism, according to information from the hospital.

In an earlier study, CHOP found that there are significant differences in brain development as early as 6 months of age, well before the appearance of behavioral or outward signs of autism.

This new study will examine babies at 3 months to see if the changes can be detected even then. The children will then be followed with scans three more times until age 24 months and will have follow-up testing until age 5.

Were interested in the very early brains of children at risk, Paterson said.

Unfortunately, recent studies have shown that 20 percent of children with autism will have a brother or sister with autism, she said.

Since this is the case, the study will evaluate infants from families with a history of the condition, as well as those from families without it, so second or later children are especially needed.

MRIs will be taken while the babies are in natural sleep, Paterson said. Parents will bring a baby to the hospital close to bedtime and get the child to sleep. Then, headphones and special padding will be placed around the childs ears so that he or she wont hear the noise of the MRI machine as it takes images of the brain.

Autism Speaks awards nearly $5 million

Posted on September 30, 2012 by Fredricko

Public release date: 28-Sep-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Jane E. Rubinstein jrubinstein@rubenstein.com 212-843-8287 Autism Speaks

New York, N.Y. (September 28, 2012) Autism Speaks, the world's leading autism science and advocacy organization, today announced the awarding of new research grants totaling nearly $5 million. "Autism Speaks is committed to continuing our research which has tremendous potential to increase our understanding of autism and addressing the needs of individuals with autism," said Autism Speaks Co-founder Bob Wright, "and we are grateful to the donors who make this research possible."

This round of grants includes studies of pre-and post-natal environmental risk factors and their interaction with autism risk genes; prenatal supplements for reducing autism risk; a web-based autism screening tool; new approaches for teaching language to nonverbal children with autism; an intervention to expand food choices in adolescents with autism who are picky eaters; a community-based parent-training program to promote social communication; acamprosate, an experimental medication for relieving social disabilities; identification of biomarkers that can predict response to autism medications; a large-scale evaluation of autism prevalence and risk factors in South Asia; and new interventions for enhancing social interaction, language and motor development.

"With each round of research grants we're seeing tremendous advances in science's ability to deliver treatments and services that transform lives," says Autism Speaks Chief Science Officer Geraldine Dawson, Ph.D. "We are lucky and thankful to partner with expert and passionate scientists in this work."

The newest Suzanne and Bob Wright Trailblazer Award was granted to Erick Mortensen, Ph.D., (Institute of Preventive Medicine at Frederiksberg Hospital, Denmark) to track the effects of pregnancy medications across generations, in children and grandchildren. Mortensen will use Denmark's national health database to identify women who took medications during pregnancy between 1969 and 1971. He will track developmental outcomes across two generations. "Studies of grandchildren are important because we now know that medications and other exposures can produce epigenetic changes that can be passed down through generations," Dr. Dawson explains. Epigenetic changes alter gene activity without changing the genetic code. The study will advance understanding of how environmental influences during pregnancy affect autism risk. Autism Speaks launched its Suzanne and Bob Wright Trailblazer Awards to support highly novel "out of the box" autism-relevant research.

This round of funding includes both two-year pilot grants to support preliminary research, often by scientists new to autism research, and three-year, full treatment grants to fund large-scale projects that build on preliminary findings as well as targeted research grants.

A full treatment grant was awarded to Craig Erickson, M.D. (Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center), who will test the effectiveness of the medicine acamprosate for treating ASD social impairment. The clinical trial will enroll 36 participants ages 5 to 17. Researchers will also examine biomarkers to better identify those likely to respond to treatment.

The second full treatment grant awarded to Aubyn Stahmer, Ph.D. (University of California, San Diego) to evaluate the effectiveness of a program focused on broad community-based dissemination of a parent-led intervention program. The "Teaching Social" curriculum helps families use daily-life techniques that improve social communication.

Pilot treatment grants were awarded to researchers to study the biology of autism, dietary, social behavior, and language interventions, including several technology applications.

Excerpt from:
Autism Speaks awards nearly $5 million

A 'World Focus on Autism'

Posted on September 30, 2012 by Fredricko

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

New York (CNN) -- A milestone for 16-year-old Jaden Lake, who has autism, is sometimes as basic as a kiss.

Lake and his wife, Debi, say it's often the small victories that count most when raising the eldest of their two children.

"When he was 11, I remember my wife phoning me and saying, 'Jaden just kissed me for the first time,'" Lake said.

The revelation came when Debi had been teaching their son to blow, using a straw she placed in his mouth.

"She noticed that when she pulled it out," a kissing sound sprung from his puckered lips, he said.

"She used that to teach him how to kiss."

Read more here:
A 'World Focus on Autism'

Girl diagnosed with autism and DiGeorge syndrome memorizes entire Coppelia ballet

Posted on September 24, 2012 by Fredricko

(CBS News) It's hard to remember an entire dance routine, but one special girl has committed the entire lead ballet role in Coppelia to memory.

Clara Bergs's parents wrote that they thought their daughter was just dancing ballet moves around the house, until they realized she had memorized an entire routine from the Coppelia ballet.

Complete coverage: Autism awareness 9 amazing autistic artists with savant syndrome Top 10 toys and gifts for children with autism

The 10-year-old is diagnosed with both autism and DiGeorge syndrome, a genetic disorder.

According to the Mayo Clinic, DiGeorge syndrome is a disorder caused by a chromosome 22 defect that leads to poor development of different body systems. The syndrome is normally associated with heart defects, poor immune system function, a cleft palate, complications related to low levels of calcium in the blood and behavioral disorders. According to a National Institute of Health study, prevalence is estimated at 14.1 affected patients per 100,000 live births.

About 1 in 88 children are diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, which are rooted in problems with behavior, communication and socialization. The rate jumps to 1 in 54 when it comes to boys.

Bergs was diagnosed with the conditions following her birth on June 24, 2002 according to her official Facebook page Clara's Happy Thumbs. She spent her first 16 months in the hospital, and thanks to multiple therapies, supplements and diets she started walking at the age of 4, talking at the age of 6 and has stayed relatively healthy.

For more videos starring Bergs, visit her YouTube channel.

The rest is here:
Girl diagnosed with autism and DiGeorge syndrome memorizes entire Coppelia ballet

Research Lacking on Drugs for Older Children With Autism, Study Finds

Posted on September 24, 2012 by Fredricko

MONDAY, Sept. 24 (HealthDay News) -- More and more children are growing up with autism, and although many treatments and interventions are now available, clinical studies on the use of medications in teens and young adults are lacking, according to new research.

"The majority of (older) individuals with autism spectrum disorders appear to be taking medications that we have very little evidence for," said the study's lead author, Dr. Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele, medical director of the Treatment and Research Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorders at the Vanderbilt Brain Institute in Nashville, Tenn.

"In the absence of sufficient evidence, parents and people with autism should find a clinician who tells you what's known and unknown about the potential benefits and risks of any medication," he said. "It should be a shared decision-making process."

Results of the study were published online on Sept. 24 in the journal Pediatrics.

Autism spectrum disorders are neurodevelopmental disorders that impair social development and communication. Autism spectrum disorders also may cause repetitive movements and even self-abusive behavior, such as head banging, according to the U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).

It is estimated that about one in 88 American children has been identified with an autism spectrum disorder

As children with autism age, some do experience significant improvements, according to NINDS, but many do not. There is no cure for autism, although there are many treatments available, including education and behavioral interventions and medications.

Medications usually are used to treat some of the symptoms associated with autism, rather than the core symptoms of the condition, according to background information in the new study. For example, the medication risperidone (brand name Risperdal) may be used to treat behavioral symptoms associated with autism, such as aggression, outbursts and irritability, said Dr. Melissa Nishawala, medical director of the Autism Spectrum Disorders Clinical and Research Program at the NYU Child Study Center in New York City.

"Medications like risperidone and aripiprazole don't address the cause of autism, but they help calm down [people with autism]," Veenstra-VanderWeele said.

For the new study, the researchers reviewed medical literature from 1980 through 2011 to find clinical trials on drugs for people with autism between the ages of 13 and 30 years old. They found eight studies with at least 20 participants. Two investigators independently assessed the quality of the studies.

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Research Lacking on Drugs for Older Children With Autism, Study Finds

New report highlights innovative approach of the Celtic Nations Autism Partnership

Posted on September 24, 2012 by Fredricko

New report highlights innovative approach of the Celtic Nations Autism Partnership

CARDIFF, Wales: A new report by autism charities demonstrated the innovative approaches to improving the lives of people with autism across the North of Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

That's the feeling of many of the charities within the Celtic Nations Autism Partnership (CNAP) and those in the Autism Alliance UK. CNAP spokesman Cathy Maclean said: "The North of Ireland, Scotland and Wales are being particularly dynamic in the way their devolved governments are helping with national autism strategies,"

Arlene Cassidy, CEO of Autism Northern Ireland, commented: "Massive social change takes time but it also takes leadership, consistency and inclusive practice. This was vital in our successful campaign for equality legislation for Autism in Northern Ireland."

Sinn Fin Health spokesperson Councillor Paul Fleming said: "Since the Welsh and Scottish Governments' introduction of an all-age autism strategy, legislation in the North of Ireland now impels all government departments to work together to deliver an all-age autism strategy and financial commitment has been promised for this. Government-funded strategies across the North of Ireland, much like in Scotland and Wales, are making real differences to the autism community and those who support them, especially the many voluntary sector organisations."

"In the future, there is the potential for the Island of Ireland to establish an all-age Autism Research Centre and work in conjunction with NUI Galway's centre for Autism and Neurodevelopment Research, to provide better outcomes for autistic individuals and their families mirroring that which has been established at Cardiff University in Wales, which could increase investment and focus into autism research in Ireland."

(Source: CNAP, July 26, 2012)

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New report highlights innovative approach of the Celtic Nations Autism Partnership

Little Evidence Supports Medical Treatment Options for Adolescents with Autism

Posted on September 24, 2012 by Fredricko

To view this release online, visit http://news.vanderbilt.edu/2012/09/little-evidence-supports-medical-treatment-options-for-adolescents-with-autism/.

Newswise Vanderbilt University researchers are reporting today that there is insufficient evidence to support the use of medical interventions in adolescents and young adults with autism.

Despite studies that show that many adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorders are being prescribed medications, there is almost no evidence to show whether these medications are helpful in this population, the researchers said.

These findings are featured in the Sept. 24 issue of Pediatrics.

We need more research to be able to understand how to treat core symptoms of autism in this population, as well as common associated symptoms such as anxiety, compulsive behaviors and agitation, said Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele, M.D., assistant professor of Psychiatry, Pediatrics and Pharmacology and Vanderbilt Kennedy Center investigator. Individuals, families and clinicians currently have to make decisions together, often in a state of desperation, without clear guidance on what might make things better and what might make things worse, and too often, people with autism spectrum disorders end up on one or more medications without a clear sense of whether the medicine is helping."

This research is part of a larger report on interventions for adolescents and young adults with autism that found there is little evidence to support findings, good or bad, for all therapies currently used.

The researchers systematically screened more than 4,500 studies and reviewed the 32 studies published from January 1980 to December 2011 on therapies for people ages 13 to 30 with autism spectrum disorders. They focused on the outcomes, including harms and adverse effects, of interventions, including medical, behavioral, educational and vocational.

Key findings:

Some evidence revealed that treatments could improve social skills and educational outcomes such as vocabulary or reading, but the studies were generally small and had limited follow-up.

Limited evidence supports the use of medical interventions in adolescents and young adults with autism. The most consistent findings were identified for the effects of antipsychotic medications on reducing problem behaviors that tend to occur with autism, such as irritability and aggression. Harms associated with medications included sedation and weight gain.

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Little Evidence Supports Medical Treatment Options for Adolescents with Autism

Little evidence supports medical treatment options for adolescents with autism, researchers say

Posted on September 24, 2012 by Fredricko

ScienceDaily (Sep. 24, 2012) Vanderbilt University researchers are reporting today that there is insufficient evidence to support the use of medical interventions in adolescents and young adults with autism.

These findings are featured in the Sept. 24 issue of Pediatrics.

"We need more research to be able to understand how to treat core symptoms of autism in this population, as well as common associated symptoms such as anxiety, compulsive behaviors and agitation," said Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele, M.D., assistant professor of Psychiatry, Pediatrics and Pharmacology and Vanderbilt Kennedy Center investigator. "Individuals, families and clinicians currently have to make decisions together, often in a state of desperation, without clear guidance on what might make things better and what might make things worse, and too often, people with autism spectrum disorders end up on one or more medications without a clear sense of whether the medicine is helping."

Key findings:

Although the prevalence of autism is on the rise, much remains to be discovered when it comes to interventions for this population, the researchers concluded.

As recently as the 1970s, autism was believed to affect just one in 2,000 children, but newly released data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that one in 88 children has an autism spectrum disorder. Boys with autism outnumber girls 5-to-1, which estimates that one in 54 boys in the United States has autism.

Additional investigators on this report include Melissa McPheeters, Ph.D., MPH, director of Vanderbilt's Evidence-Based Practice Center and senior author; Zachary Warren, Ph.D., director of the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center's Treatment and Research Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorders; Julie Lounds Taylor, Ph.D., assistant professor of Pediatrics and Special Education and lead author; Dwayne Dove, M.D., Ph.D., fellow in Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics; Nila Sathe, M.S., M.L.I.S., program manager, Institute for Medicine and Public Health; and Rebecca Jerome, M.L.I.S., MPH, assistant director, Eskind Biomedical Library.

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Little evidence supports medical treatment options for adolescents with autism, researchers say

NYU Langone Medical Center Collaborates on Groundbreaking International Initiative to Advance Autism Research

Posted on September 24, 2012 by Fredricko

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

NYU Langone Medical Center announced today the creation of a new groundbreaking collaboration in autism research. The Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE) is a database of brain scans from more than 15 leading international research institutions and academic medical centers. ABIDE was designed to advance scientific understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) by allowing researchers to share autism data within the broader scientific community. The collaboration is led by NYU Langone, coordinator of ABIDE and the single largest contributor of research to the consortium, and Kennedy Krieger Institute.

This collaboration fills an unmet need among the autism research community. By providing access to an unprecedented large-scale dataset, ABIDE has the potential to move autism research forward andthus advance our understanding of a complex disorder, said Adriana Di Martino, MD, co-founder and coordinator of ABIDE and Leon Levy assistant professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at the Child Study Center at NYU Langone Medical Center. We are honored that some of the worlds leading institutions have contributed data and truly feel this initiative will help to change the face of autism research. This is only the beginning.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in every 88 children in the U.S. is diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder by age 8. A key focus area for autism research is brain imaging to map out the pathology of disease, which can lead to important new understandings about the function and structures of the brain.

ABIDE was created to facilitate and advance autism research and is expected to contribute to increasing collaboration within the autism research community. ABIDE currently includes brain images from more than 1,000 individuals, ages 6 to 64 years old, aggregated from more than 15 leading medical and research institutions around the world.

Acquiring imaging data in children with autism can be challenging. By establishing a collaborative environment for data sharing, ABIDE helps us overcome obstacles and will undoubtedly lead to progress in understanding brain structure and function in autism, said Dr. Stewart Mostofsky, co-founder of ABIDE and Director of the Laboratory for Neurocognitive and Imaging Research at Kennedy Krieger Institute. This is a vital demonstration of how the scientific community can become more cooperative and, by working together, increase our knowledge to help improve autism diagnosis and treatment.

ABIDE represents an unparalleled resource for researchers and clinicians in the autism field, according to Glenn Saxe, MD, the Arnold Simon Professor and Chair of the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and director of the Child Study Center at NYU Langone.

The magnitude of this initiative cannot be overstated as it may potentially change the landscape of autism research, advance the discovery of diagnostic tools and treatments and most importantly, ultimately help us provide the highest level of patient care to children with this debilitating disorder, he added. We hope the ABIDE initiative will become a model for other research areas, as innovation drives the advancement of ideas.

The Child Study Center (CSC) at NYU Langone Medical Center is a recognized leader in the treatment of child psychiatric disorders through scientific practice, research, and education. The CSC offers a wide range of mental health services for children, adolescents, young adults and families and our experts specialize in the fields of child, adolescent and adult psychiatry, clinical psychology, neuropsychology, social work, pediatric neurology and education and academic achievement. The center recently moved to their new location at One Park Ave. in Manhattan and has facilities in New Jersey and on Long Island. For more information, please visit the Child Study Center website or call (212) 263-6622.

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