Community Shares | October 21st 2024
This week’s articles: a new simulation study utilizing US-wide Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program; children with cerebral palsy (CP) have a higher risk of being diagnosed with ASD; MARAbio has raised $19 million in Series A funding to accelerate the launch of a blood test aimed at detecting maternal autoantibody-related (MAR) autism; individuals receiving Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits will see a 2.5% increase in their payments in 2025 due to an annual cost-of-living adjustment.
Pathological Demand Avoidance: Understanding Anxiety-Driven Behavior in Autism
Psychology Today article explores the controversial diagnosis of pathological demand avoidance (PDA), a behavioral profile often seen in individuals on the autism spectrum. PDA is characterized by an intense need to avoid everyday demands due to overwhelming anxiety rather than defiance.
Early Childhood Infections Associated with Higher Risk of Autism and Intellectual Disabilities
Maternal Infections During Pregnancy Show Weaker Association Due to Familial Factors: Researchers from Taiwan have recently conducted a large cohort study examining the potential influence of maternal infections during pregnancy and early childhood infections on the development of neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), tic disorders, and mental retardation (MR).
Community Shares | October 14th 2024
This week’s articles: Autism Discovery & Treatment Foundation is currently seeking adult participants for a groundbreaking clinical trial; Extraordinary Ventures is supporting the IDD community in western North Carolina, which Hurricane Helene impacted; the alarming rise in autism diagnoses among Somali Americans in Minnesota; Don’t miss the last chance to register for TACA’s National Autism Conference, held from October 18-20, 2024, at the Hilton Orange County/Costa Mesa.
New Research Uncovers Key Gut Bacteria Associated With Autism
Middle Eastern scientists have recently explored the role of the gut microbiome in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by comparing individuals with ASD, their unaffected siblings, and a control group. Their study highlights significant microbiome differences, particularly the lower abundance of Turicibacter and Bacteroidetes and a higher abundance of Catenibacterium and Tenericutes in individuals with ASD.
MIND Institute Study Finds Higher Autism Risk for Siblings of Children with ASD
A new study by the UC Davis MIND Institute and the Baby Siblings Research Consortium, published in Pediatrics, found that approximately 20% of siblings born after a child with autism are diagnosed with the disorder. This rate is seven times higher than the general population’s 2.5%.
