After court ruling Down syndrome abortion bans gain traction

It’s a ban that even supporters acknowledge will be hard to enforce. Yet 2021 has been a breakthrough year for legislation in several states seeking to prohibit abortions based solely on a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome. Governors in Arizona and South Dakota recently signed such bills into law, and similar measures are pending in North Carolina and Texas. Most significantly, a federal appellate court said Ohio could begin to implement a 2017 law that […]

Social-cognitive neuroscience offers insights into the early course of brain development and its connections to autism spectrum disorder

Since the modern era of research on autism began in the 1980s, questions about social cognition and social brain development have been of central interest to researchers. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the first annual meeting of the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR), and it is evident in this year’s meeting that the growth of social-cognitive neuroscience over the past two decades has significantly enriched autism science. For those unfamiliar with the […]

How Autistic People Communicate Virtually

Prior to COVID-19, communication via the internet was already a regular feature of everyday interactions for most people, including those on the autism spectrum. Various studies have shown how autistic people use information and communication technology (ICT) since the early 2000s, some finding that autistic people may prefer to communicate using the internet instead of in-person. However, no systematic review has been conducted to summarize these findings. To understand what has been discovered so far, […]

COVID-19 hospitalization, death tied to intellectual disability, obesity

Intellectual disability is second only to old age as a risk factor for COVID-19 death, and obesity is linked to coronavirus-related hospitalization and death, two new studies find. Deadlier than heart, kidney, lung disease The first study, led by researchers from Jefferson Health in Philadelphia and published late last week as a commentary in the New England Journal of Medicine Catalyst, involved analyzing the medical records of 558,672 US COVID-19 patients from January 2019 to […]

Top 10 Reasons to Hire a Person with a Disability

Employing people with disabilities is more than just about doing good; it’s about doing what’s doing good for your business. Here’s why: They’re Capable & Qualified People with disabilities are just like anyone else. They have strengths, weaknesses, talents and skills. They may have qualities and skills that you value in an employee. Dependability Commonly, people with disabilities are proud to have a job. They thrive on having a purpose and a daily routine; making […]