November 28, 2022
- A surprising new study published in Autism Research suggests that when specific differences are accounted for, individuals with autism can outperform neurotypical individuals when it comes to accurately recognizing the emotions of others. This research involved the Reading the Mind in the Eyes test and a cartoon version of the test. Both test versions were given to adults with autism and adults without the disorder. Autistic adults did not score significantly differently on the original test compared to neurotypicals, but they outperformed neurotypical adults on the cartoon version.
- Autism Parenting Magazine recently featured an article that dives into the ABA therapy debate. The report concluded that the therapy has pros and cons and reminded parents that all children with autism are unique. The author points out that no one therapy will work for everyone. The article suggests talking with your child’s doctor and other families before deciding whether or not to do the treatment; if the decision is to go with ABA, the report advocates for taking your time to search for a high-quality ABA provider.
- According to a new pilot study involving nine children aged 18 to 40 months old with a diagnosis of autism, a program that reduced the toddler’s average screen viewing time from 5.6 hours a day to 5 minutes a day produced significant improvements in their core ASD symptoms. The study’s authors concluded that parent education and training/support to minimize screen time and increase social interaction for their young children with ASD was well tolerated by parents and children. The authors believe their promising results suggest that more research on early screen media viewing, ASD, and screen reduction intervention is needed.
- A new article featured on the news website, The Conversation, gives parents three tips for talking to kids on the spectrum about their diagnosis. First, the author recommends that parents check in with their own feelings to ensure they are in a positive frame of mind before discussing this topic with their child. The second tip suggests that parents build autism awareness into their everyday talk. Lastly, the article encourages parents to choose an appropriate time to talk to their child. The author advocates for having this conversation at times of the day when their child is calm and alert. After naptime, or during calming and wind-down routines like bath time or reading books before bed are good options.
