The discovery of a stronger genetic cause for cerebral palsy than previously thought has led researchers to call for an end to unnecessary caesareans and arbitrary litigation against obstetric staff. In an authoritative review published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, members of the Australian Cerebral Palsy Research Group, based at the University of Adelaide’s Robinson Research Institute, argue that up to 45% of cerebral palsy cases can have genetic causes. This builds […]
Petitioning Texas State House, Texas State Senate, Greg Abbott Change the laws that discriminate against the autistic and mentally disabled. Petition by Syleta Harkins Portland, Oregon 51,491 (as of 6/8/15) Supporters Sign Syleta’s petition Caregivers left my autistic sister, Rebekah, in a hot van for over five hours. When they finally found her, she was unconscious and clinging to life. A month later, she was dead. My family wants justice for Rebekah’s wrongful death. In […]
University of Miami study of zebrafish reveals how dysfunction of SHANK3 or SYNGAP1 genes play a role in the development of autism spectrum disorder Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurological condition that affects approximately two percent of people around the world. Although several genes have been linked to multiple concurring conditions of ASD, the process that explains how specific genetic variants lead to behaviors characteristic of the disorder remains elusive. Now, researchers are utilizing […]
Toronto, Ontario, Canada—Lurasidone has been proven effective in patients with autism spectrum disorder. This outcome of a retrospective chart review of the drug in seven patients from a developmental disability clinic was presented at the 168th Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association from May 16 – 19. Aadhar Patil, MD, of St. Lukes/Roosevelt Hospital, New York, explained that his group’s report is the first on the use of lurasidone, a second-generation orally administered atypical […]
Some children with autism should undergo ongoing screenings for apraxia, a rare neurological speech disorder, because the two conditions often go hand-in-hand, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers. Over the course of a three-year study, 64 percent of children initially diagnosed with autism were found to also have apraxia. The study also showed that the commonly used Checklist for Autism Spectrum Disorder (CASD) accurately diagnoses autism in children with apraxia. “Children with apraxia […]
