The Prevalence of Physicians with Disabilities in the United States
New Survey Estimates 3.1% of Doctors Self-Identify as Having a Disability American physicians spend a good amount of their time treating and caring for individuals with disabilities. But how many of these doctors themselves have a disability? That’s a question a research letter answers this month in an issue of JAMA Network Open. This pioneering […]
“Family Navigation” Assists At-Risk Children Receive Timely ASD Diagnoses and Services
New Approach Helps Vulnerable Families Overcome Barriers to Early Intervention As reported previously in SafeMinds Shares, autism rates have been increasing among the socioeconomically disadvantaged as well as in African American and Hispanic families. Sadly, each of these groups tend to receive autism diagnoses and services later than other demographics. In order to address these […]
Mitochondrial Energy Production Linked with Autism-Like Traits
Mice Study Shows Mutation in Mitochondrial DNA Exhibits Altered Brain Activity A new study has demonstrated that defects in the mitochondria of brain cells may be the root cause of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This compelling work was produced by researchers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and published online in the Proceedings of the […]
IVIG Shows Promise for Treating Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome
Extended Dosing Provided Sustained Benefits up to 46 Weeks After Final Infusion Children who present with sudden and severe neuropsychiatric behaviors such as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), eating disorders, tics, anxiety, irritability, and problems with attention and focus are typically diagnosed with either pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS) or pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with […]
Assisted Autistic Communication Does Not Warrant Blanket Dismissal by Critics
Eye-Tracking Study Proves Genuine Communication Generated by Participant A recent study affiliated with the University of Virginia has examined the authenticity of a controversial communication practice for non-verbal individuals on the spectrum called facilitated communication or assisted autistic communication. For years, this method has come under scrutiny due its reliance upon the assistance of another […]