February 20, 2023
- According to a new population-based study, children who have both autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are more likely to develop anxiety, depression, developmental delays, learning disabilities, and other mental health conditions compared to children with only autism or only ADHD. Specifically, the research reports that children with both conditions are four times as likely to have anxiety and three times as likely to have depression.
- Australian researchers have discovered that the active compound in lion’s mane mushrooms improve brain cell growth and boosts memory. This new finding suggests that these mushrooms may have applications that could treat and protect against neurodegenerative cognitive disorders.
- A team of child and adolescent neuropsychiatrists who specialize in pediatric catatonia and neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism, have published new guidance for diagnosing and treating children who suffer from both conditions. The team of neuropsychiatrists emphasize the need for a measure to diagnose and monitor people with catatonia and their history of neurodevelopmental disorders. They believe it is especially important that this measure takes in consideration previous complex and underlying motor, medical, functional, and neurobehavioral symptoms. The team suggests that two concepts are needed to understand catatonia that relate to the baseline status of an individual. The first concept includes a personalized score at baseline, which estimates premorbid neurobehavioral and motorsymptoms. The second concept includes assessing catatonic deterioration from baseline, which estimates the current features that are due to catatonia rather than the underlying neurodevelopmental disorder.
- A new guide has been designed to assist pediatricians and other clinicians to manage challenging behaviors related to severe autism. This five-part document details how to screen for and assess these behaviors and provides guidance on evidence-based treatments. The guide also includes a toolkit for centers looking to create a program to treat severe behaviors.
- The non-profit organization, Global Voice for Autism, is now taking donations for autism families living in Turkey and Syria impacted by the 7.8 earthquake that struck the region earlier this month. The organization reports that at least 118 members of the autism community have been displaced due to this natural disaster. Reports from the region say these families are need of housing, psychological support, safe food for individuals with medical dietary restrictions, sensory supports, and communication devices.
