Traveler with autism allegedly refused to be accommodated by the airline crew.

By Janelle Griffith A man says crew members on a SkyWest Airlines flight refused to allow his brother with autism to sit near a family member Friday and walked off the plane, forcing all 75 passengers to deplane and board another flight three hours later. Now, the crew, including the pilots, have been grounded while the airline investigates the incident. Ayomide Isola, 23, was on SkyWest flight 3596 from Detroit to Houston with his mother, […]

The Hair Cutting Experience and Strategies to Help Your Kids Survive

By Hina Mahmood, M.OT – Registered Occupational Therapist As an occupational therapist one of my main priorities is to support and collaborate with parents so they can help their children more fully participate in daily living activities. A common issue often discussed with parents is the difficulties with hair brushing and hair cuts. For so many us, brushing our hair or getting a hair cut is routine and can be an uneventful and often relaxing […]

ALS: ‘Unique’ cells could open up new avenues for therapy

By Maria Cohut Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that leads to the death of nerve cells that control movement, leaving people unable to move and, eventually, to breathe. ALS is fatal and, so far, incurable. Can new findings bring hope for novel therapies? ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, affects approximately 30,000 people in the United States alone. Still, its causes remain largely unknown. There is currently no cure, […]

Later-born siblings of children with autism or ADHD are at elevated risk for both disorders

(SACRAMENTO) — Later-born siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at elevated risk for both disorders, a new study led by Meghan Miller, assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and at the UC Davis MIND Institute, has concluded. The findings appear today in JAMA Pediatrics. The study suggests that families who already have a child diagnosed with ASD or ADHD may wish to monitor younger […]

What is stimming?

By Lori Smith BSN MSN CRNP Reviewed by Timothy J. Legg, PhD, CRNP Repetitive body movements or repetitive movement of objects is referred to as self-stimulatory behavior, abbreviated to stimming. Stimming can occur in people with autism and other developmental disabilities. Some people will stim when nervous, employing behaviors such as pacing, biting their nails, hair twirling, or tapping their feet or fingers. In this article, we will examine why stimming occurs and the different […]