July 26, 2019 marks the 29th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a civil rights law that promotes the inclusion of people with disabilities at work, school, or other community settings. Learn what CDC is doing to include people with disabilities in public health research and health promotion activities. An estimated 61 million people are living with a disability in the United States,1 and many people will experience a disability at some time […]
By Jayne Leonard Reviewed by Timothy J. Legg, PhD, CRNP Parents and caregivers who notice particular changes or challenges in a 3-year-old may wonder if these could indicate autism. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects approximately 1 in 59 children. ASD covers a range of conditions that doctors used to believe were different, including autism and Asperger’s syndrome. Behavioral symptoms often develop in early childhood, with research suggesting that parents and caregivers tend to notice some […]
Starting prenatal vitamins even before pregnancy may cut risk Editor’s note: Watch video of Dr. Rebecca Schmidt talking about prenatal vitamins and autism risk (SACRAMENTO) —High-risk younger siblings of children with autism are less likely to be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), have significantly lower autism symptom severity, and higher cognitive scores if their mothers take maternal prenatal vitamins during their first month of pregnancy, UC Davis research has found. Rebecca Schmidt The study appearing in […]
By MaryAnn Bennett 700 hours, 11 months and 56,000 Legos went into creating the world’s largest Titanic replica. At the center of this creation was a 10-year-old boy from Iceland with a passion for Legos and a deep interest in the Titanic. Brynjar Karl Bigisson, now 15, is on the Autism spectrum. Like many children with autism, he struggled with communication and constantly needed help in school. In a recent interview, Bigisson said those struggles […]
Summary: Researchers argue the term “high functioning autism” be abandoned by the scientific community as it is misleading and may create harmful expectations of abilities for children on the autism spectrum. “High functioning autism” is not a diagnostic term. The term is based on IQ assessments rather than functional assessments. While children with ASD may exhibit normal-to-higher IQ for their age, many experience skill based, social and behavioral difficulties that impact their daily lives. Source: […]
