Screenings for ASD Sleep Issues in Children Not Robust Enough
Primary Care Providers Urged to Use Sleep Disturbance Index to Rate Severity of Sleep Problems Last year, a SafeMinds Shares article examined sleep pattern problems associated with autism. Our previous article reported that even though sleep issues are of critical importance, they are the least studied symptom on the spectrum. Now, a new brief report […]
Parental Preterm Birth and Low Birth Weight May Carry Autism Risk Factors
Yale Reports Parent’s Birth Abnormalities and Offspring’s Autism Could Be Linked New research from Yale’s School of Public Health has discovered that parents born very prematurely were nearly twice as likely to have children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared to parents who were born full term. Published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, this […]
Greater Risk of Substance Use Disorders for Adolescents with Autism
Individuals Treated with Prescription Drugs for Behaviors Have a Lower Risk for Substance Abuse A new study from Taiwan found that substance use disorder (SUD) was more prevalent in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) than in sex-and age-matched nuerotypical controls. Additionally, this research discovered that individuals with autism who abuse alcohol or illicit drugs […]
Nearly Two-Thirds of Parents Report COVID-19 Service Disruptions Worsened ASD Symptoms in Their Children
Over Three-Quarters of Parents Experienced Moderate to Extreme Stress Over Service Interruptions A survey of 3502 parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) conducted by Simons Powering Autism Research for Knowledge (SPARK) has demonstrated that most individuals on the spectrum experienced significant disruptions to their therapies and programs during last spring’s stay-at-home orders. The […]
Yale Autism Study Draws Criticism for Tormenting Toddlers
Research on Emotional Regulation Draws Ethic Concerns A new study from Yale University titled, “Attend Less, Fear More: Elevated Distress to Social Threat in Toddlers with Autism Spectrum Disorder” sparked a firestorm of criticism from thousands of people on social media. The unusual research investigated how toddlers (42 with autism and 22 neurotypical) responded to […]
Reduced Gut Mucus May Contribute to Autism
Mucus Defends Against Bad Bacteria in the Gastrointestinal Tract Bacterial imbalances of the gastrointestinal tract and other gut disorders have long been associated with autism. Although the reasons for these gastrointestinal problems have remained unclear. Now, recent research out of RMIT University in Australia suggests that changes in gut mucus may play a role in […]
