Autism and Eating Disorders Linked
University College London’s new longitudinal study has discovered that autism traits appear first in children followed by eating disorder behaviors later in adolescence. The research team determined the order of these conditions by using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children.
Racial Disparity Seen in ASD Prevalence Among Preschoolers in Swedish Immigrant Population
The Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders recently published a study out of Sweden that examines the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in preschool children among the country’s migrant population. The estimated ASD prevalence for this cohort was, at a minimum, 3.5 times more than the non-immigrant Swedish population.
Multiple Studies Show Autism Rates Surging Worldwide
Three large epidemiological studies released this spring show a continuing trend, autism rates are increasing, not just in the United States, but across the globe. Regrettably, researchers and scientists still do not understand why.
Autoantibodies and Autism, Is There a Connection?
Although there are still no definitive answers for what causes autism spectrum disorder (ASD), there is a good deal of research that points to an interaction between genetics and environmental factors as a possible mechanism for causation. Over the past two decades, associations between immune system abnormalities and autism have been linked. A new systematic review from Harvard Medical School, among other institutions, examines this intricate relationship.
Interview with Dr. Walter Zahorodny
SafeMinds recently had the privilege of speaking with Dr. Walter Zahorodny, Principal Investigator of the New Jersey Autism Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network about his latest research, which assisted in calculating the newest CDC autism rate. As highly publicized last March, 1 in 54 or almost two percent of American eight-year-olds now hold an autism diagnosis. To shed more light on this situation, Dr. Zahorodny shared his incredibly important viewpoints surrounding the ever-increasing autism crisis with SafeMinds. To learn more, watch our newest video.
Considering the Biology of Suicide in Autism
In our last SafeMinds Shares, we highlighted a review of the psychiatric conditions that frequently co-occur with an autism diagnosis. One of these conditions is suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The James Kirk Bernard Foundation, founded by parents with an autistic son and a typical son who died from suicide, has written an extensive overview of the commonalities between autism and suicide biology and life situations, which may explain why people with autism are a high-risk group for suicidal thoughts and behaviors. With April 30 marking the last day of Autism Awareness Month and May 1 the start of Mental Health Awareness Month, SafeMinds Shares brings this important topic to our readers.
