July 26, 2021
- A new webinar series on epilepsy and autism has just been released. The series was produced through a joint effort between the Cleveland Clinic and the Autism Research Institute (ARI). These webcasts have been approved for CME credit.
- A jury awarded $125 million to a former Walmart employee with Down Syndrome after she was fired in 2015 for having trouble adjusting to changes made to her longtime work schedule. The jury ultimately decided that Walmart failed to provide the woman with appropriate disability accommodations. She was awarded $150,000 in compensatory damages and $125 million in punitive damages.
- Guardianships and conservatorships are facing more public scrutiny ever since Brittany Spears’ legal case to end her 13-years-long conservatorship drew media attention. A letter written earlier this month by Senators Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass, and Bob Casey, D-Pa to the Department of Health and Human Services is seeking more information about the practice. And just last week, a new bipartisan bill was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives aiming to protect individuals in legal guardianships.
- More evidence points to altered mitochondrial function for people with autism. New research shows that on the whole, individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders exhibit differences in energy metabolism, which may point to an etiological role in these conditions.
- The Child Mind Institute shares advice for parents of children with ADHD who will be attending college for the first time this fall. The organization suggests that parents remain involved in their child’s academic career. They also advocate for getting access to their child’s academic records, helping them set up support services, and talking about alcohol and money issues.
