September 22, 2024
- Australian researchers recently reviewed evidence suggesting that the rising prevalence of ASD is not only due to improved diagnostic practices but also influenced by genetic factors interacting with modern environmental exposures, particularly during pregnancy. Established risk factors for ASD include maternal infections, gestational diabetes, and obesity while emerging research explores the impacts of medications like SSRIs and antibiotics, as well as toxic environmental exposures. Suspected toxicants include phthalates, air pollutants, heavy metals such as cadmium and cesium, lead, mercury, and certain pesticides. The researcher’s findings emphasize the need for targeted public health policies to minimize prenatal risk factors, offering potential new pathways for ASD prevention.
- New research assessing noise-canceling Bluetooth earbuds (Nuheara IQbuds Boost) in children with ASD found that while the earbuds did not improve speech perception in noisy environments, they significantly enhanced auditory attention and classroom listening behaviors. Thirteen children aged 6–13 participated in the trial, and although speech perception remained poorer than typically developing peers, the earbuds helped with auditory focus. After a two-week trial, teachers reported improved communication and listening in the classroom.
- A new artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm designed to automatically identify and quantify stereotypical motor movements (SMMs) in children with ASD demonstrated 92.5% sensitivity in a recent study, offering a potential breakthrough in autism research. SMMs, including behaviors like hand-flapping, body rocking, and spinning, occur in about half of individuals with ASD and may serve as coping mechanisms for sensory overload or anxiety. The study analyzed video recordings of 241 children, with the algorithm successfully detecting more than 7,000 SMMs identified manually by experts. Although the algorithm had a specificity of 66.82%, indicating some false positives, it strongly correlated with manual observations, showing potential for replacing time-intensive annotation techniques. Despite limitations like a narrow age range (1.4-8 years) and a lack of female representation, the AI tool could pave the way for large-scale studies on the development and triggers of SMMs, improving clinical assessment and understanding of ASD’s neurophysiological aspects.
- A study by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia revealed that only one-third of adolescents with ASD and no intellectual disability acquire a driver’s license, with most doing so around age 17. Despite two-thirds of parents expressing interest in their teens learning to drive, many families struggle to determine readiness. Researchers found that drivers with autism crash at similar or lower rates than their peers. However, they face challenges when interpreting others’ actions, such as left turns or interactions with pedestrians. The team behind this study received a major grant from the Department of Defense to develop virtual assessments to help teens on the spectrum and their families make informed decisions about driving readiness. The assessments will evaluate daily task independence and test responses to virtual driving scenarios. These efforts aim to improve quality of life by empowering autistic individuals to pursue driving or alternative transportation while addressing a lack of guidance and resources available to families.
