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Autism spectrum disorders news

Autism spectrum disorders

Autistic people's feelings mostly misread—empathy works both ways, research reveals

The idea that autistic people lack empathy is simply short-sighted and non-autistic people may find it just as hard to put themselves in someone else's shoes, a study suggests.

Autism spectrum disorders

Simple learning test may be used to diagnose autism at just six months of age

A combined team of psychologists from the University of Milano-Bicocca and the Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Child Psychopathology Unit, both in Italy, has discovered what might be a marker for autism that could diagnose ...

Autism spectrum disorders

Autistic children could be the real winners from online games

Online gaming could be beneficial for pre-teens on the autism spectrum, with new research by the University of Adelaide indicating the popular pastime can help improve social skills and expand friendship networks.

Autism spectrum disorders

Metabolism of autism reveals developmental origins

Researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine have shed new light on the changes in metabolism that occur between birth and the presentation of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) later in childhood. ...

Neuroscience

Potential link between PTSD and autism found in mice

People on the autism spectrum are predisposed to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a new study from The Australian National University (ANU) and the University of Queensland has shown.

Autism spectrum disorders

Helping your child make friends with a child with autism

Kids are very likely to make the acquaintance of a child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at some point, whether they know it or not. An estimated 95% of children with disabilities enroll in regular schools, experts ...

Autism spectrum disorders

Understanding autism: The path to diagnosis, awareness and support

Diagnosing a person with autism spectrum disorder can be challenging. It's a medical condition that no blood test, brain scan or objective test can pinpoint. And because of each person's distinctive pattern of symptoms, it ...

Genetics

Gene linked to epilepsy and autism decoded in new study

A genetic change or variant in a gene called SCN2A is a known cause of infantile seizures, autism spectrum disorder, and intellectual disability, as well as a wide range of other moderate-to-profound impairments in mobility, ...

Autism spectrum disorders

Study reveals microbiome changes linked to autism spectrum disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by decreased social communication and repetitive behaviors, has long intrigued scientists seeking to unravel its underlying mechanisms. Researchers ...

Autism spectrum disorders

New UK report reveals autism assessment and support crisis

A report published today (Friday 2 February) by the Child of the North initiative—led by the N8 Research Partnership and former Children's Commissioner Anne Longfield's new Center for Young Lives think tank, reveals a crisis ...

Autism spectrum disorders

Clues to autism's causes may lie in the gut

Professor Alessio Fasano, a gastroenterologist at Massachusetts General Hospital in the US, has several relatives and friends raising children with autism—a neurological disorder characterized by impaired social behavior—so ...

Autism spectrum disorders

Identifying the barriers to communication in children with autism

Approximately 30% of individuals with autism do not develop speech that is sufficient for meeting the communication demands of everyday life. People with autism and little to no functional speech rely on augmentative and ...

Autism spectrum disorders

How does social attention develop in autistic children?

As they grow, children increasingly focus their attention on social elements in their environment, such as faces or social interactions. However, children with autism are often more interested in non-social stimuli, such ...