October 03, 2021
- Close to 100 doctors and scientists issued a consensus statement last month warning of possible associations between the use of acetaminophen (Tylenol) during pregnancy and developmental problems in children. The group is advocating for clinicians and regulators to change their guidelines on acetaminophen use during pregnancy while more research is conducted to determine the full range of effects the drug could have on fetal development and children.
- Are mouth breathing, sleep problems and tongue ties related? Yes, according to a recent blog that examines the underreported problem of mouth breathing in children with autism. After suffering for years with poor sleep, the blog’s author discovered that her son had a severe tongue tie, which resulted in his mouth breathing. The author found that tongue ties can be treated through orthodontia. Her blog ends with a list of several mouth breathing resources to investigate.
- A new study shows that young adults (age 17 to 23 years) with ASD were not over represented in the criminal justice system. In fact, they were less likely to be involved in the adult justice system than their peers. For those that ended up in the system, they received similar charges, outcomes and recidivism rates as non affected individuals.
- Research from this winter reports that early autism diagnoses are not happening often enough. The study showed that 85% of early intervention agencies conduct screenings for ASD prior to age 3 but only 39% conduct ASD diagnostic assessments prior to the third birthday.
- Motor challenges are pervasive for people with autism. A recent analysis evaluated the motor abilities of 43 individuals with autism by retrospectively reviewing standardized assessments and parent-reports. The study discovered that over 97% of the subjects scored below the 16th percentile in motor ability. Most of the individuals scored well below the 5th percentile. Over 90% of the study’s cases met the criteria for Developmental Coordination Disorder.
- A new study calls for increased research into interoception and autism. Interoception is the ability to detect, discriminate and regulate internal bodily and mental processes. Interoceptive challenges for people with autism are poorly understood and under researched.
