Glenda DeFabio did what all students do when they get their yearbooks: She flipped through the pages to find her picture. But it wasn’t there. DeFabio’s mother then began to look for some of the other students in the school’s LLD program, a special education program for students with learning and language disabilities, but couldn’t find them. Glenda is the youngest of five, and her four siblings all graduated from Watchung Hills Regional High School […]
By Amy Norton HealthDay News More than 100 genes appear to be involved in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), according to the largest genetic study of the condition to date. The study, involving over 50 centers around the globe, identified 102 genes associated with ASD — including a few dozen that had not been recognized before. Some of the genes are also associated with intellectual disabilities and developmental delays, the researchers said. But others are unique […]
With a pandemic pressing tens of thousands of the nation’s school districts into extended closures, special education administrators across the nation are wrestling with a weighty dilemma: how to provide services to students with disabilities. Federal law mandates that individuals with disabilities have an equal opportunity to participate in everything schools provide—including online learning. But a mix of factors—lack of clarity in state laws, unclear guidance from the U.S. Department of Education, and a reluctance […]
A practical guide for health professionals to meet the needs of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a lifelong neurological disability that affects a person’s ability to communicate, understand language, and socially interact with others. The first signs of ASD usually appear as developmental delays before age three. Every person with ASD is different. However, there are some common characteristics of individuals with ASD that may occur: […]
The two conditions share many traits, but the connection has been largely overlooked until now By Lauren Gravitz Having autism can sometimes mean enduring a litany of traumatic events, starting from a young age. And for many, those events may add up to severe and persistent post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Before Gabriel could even talk, his father’s girlfriend at the time told him his mother had abandoned him. At age 3, he was sexually abused […]
