January 29, 2024
- A recent research article has reported a steady growth in Autism Spectrum Disorder prevalence in Israel from 2017 to 2021, persisting even during the COVID-19 epidemic, which posed challenges to health services access in 2020 and 2021. Notably, the overall prevalence of ASD in children aged 1–17 years nearly doubled during this period. The most striking observation is the fourfold increase in ASD prevalence among 2–3-year-old children, emphasizing a pronounced trend toward early ASD diagnosis. In 2021, ASD prevalence reached 1% among 2–3-year-olds and almost 2% among 4–5-year-olds. As these diagnosed children age, the study predicts that ASD prevalence in older children and adolescents in Israel may reach at least 2% within a decade, which will necessitate an expansion of healthcare, educational, and social services to support this growing population.
- A British analysis has critically evaluated the claim that individuals with autism live 16 years less on average, a statistic frequently cited in the mainstream press. This study challenged the assertion and discovered that the apparent estimate of years of life lost for men and women diagnosed with autism but without intellectual disability (ID) is approximately six years. For women with both diagnosed autism and ID, the difference is around 15 years, and for men, it is seven years. However, the study acknowledges the wide confidence intervals due to the dataset’s small proportion of people with an autism diagnosis, mainly as many are young, resulting in a limited number of deaths.
- A new study has conducted a population-derived prospective birth cohort to investigate the association between cord blood lipid profiles and subsequent ADHD and ASD symptoms in children at 2 years old. The analysis discovered that a lipid module primarily composed of acylcarnitines in cord blood was strongly correlated with ADHD and ASD symptoms. Moreover, other lipid modules, including phosphoglycerolipids and triglycerides, also showed associations with ADHD and ASD, although these were attenuated after adjustment for the acylcarnitine module. The study also highlighted the functional relevance of the lipid module Cyan-AC, indicating that long-chain acylcarnitines might play a crucial role in neurodevelopmental outcomes.
- Don’t miss out on TACA’s one-day special $25 registration fee on February 2 for their month-long Take Action Virtual Conference coming this April. The conference includes over 20 lectures from experts in the field of autism who will share insights and tips on topics relating to child development and well-being. The price increases to $35 on February 3, 2024.
