Recommended Autism Screenings Occur About 50% of the Time Per AAP Guidelines
A new study published in Pediatrics reported that autism screenings recommended at 18 and 24 months per American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines take place only 54% of the time. This lower than predicted percentage rate may be due to screening gaps found in two populations: Hispanic children and children who see family practice physicians instead of pediatricians.
Could Oxytocin be the Key to Normalizing Social Behavior in Autism?
Swiss researchers have discovered that a mutation of the neuroligin-3 gene disrupts the hormone oxytocin’s signaling pathway in the brains of mice causing reduced social interactions in the rodents. When the study’s authors repaired the oxytocin system of the mice using a pharmacological treatment their social behavior normalized. This exciting new finding may point to new pharmacological treatments focusing on improved social behavior for individuals with autism.
School-Based Mindfulness Program Shows Promise for Children with ASD
Many individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are faced with an additional challenge called executive dysfunction. A properly working executive function system provides a person with the ability to plan, problem solve, use working memory, monitor impulse control, manage inhibitions, make decisions, manage time, and initiate and scrutinize actions. However, these skills are typically missing in children with autism. Without proper executive functioning skills, classroom learning becomes especially difficult.
Autism Severity Can Change During Childhood
Does the degree of severity of autistic symptoms remain static during preschool and early elementary school years? If a change in severity is experienced, could the degree of variation be influenced by initial severity levels, sex, IQ or level of adaptive functioning? These thought-provoking questions were recently posed by a new study out of the MIND Institute at UC Davis.
COVID-19 Autism Resource Round-Up
The majority of American families have been at home for weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At present time, there is no definitive end date for these orders. Signs point to individual states using a slow roll technique in order to re-open, which means a large number of autism families will continue to be at home for an indeterminate amount of time. In order to support special needs families during this challenging time, SafeMinds has assembled a comprehensive list of resources to make life at home more manageable. These resources have been broken down into different categories. Most categories include several links, giving many options to see what works best for your special needs family member.
Association Between Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Autism
Mitochondria are described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as “tiny parts of almost every cell in the body.” The CDC goes on to explain that mitochondria are the powerplants of cells, turning sugar and oxygen stored inside the body into energy, which cells need to function properly.
