Tag

Autism

All articles tagged with #autism

health7 days ago•4 min saved

Play-based therapy helps Tommy Klein find his voice

Tommy Klein, diagnosed with autism at 20 months, found a new path through Golisano Children’s Hospital’s JASPER program—a play-based social-communication therapy that leverages his interests to build language and connection. Driven by persistent parental advocacy and early intervention, Tommy progressed from minimal speech to saying 'I love you,' transforming family life and expanding access to similar therapies for local families in Rochester.

via 13wham.com|

#autism #early-intervention #health

health7 days ago•6 min saved

Media Frenzy Triggers 2,000% Surge in Leucovorin Use for Autism

A UCSD study using the Epic Cosmos database found leucovorin prescriptions for children with autism rose more than 2,000% after a February 2025 TV segment and subsequent September 2025 White House promotion, despite no proven autism benefit; the FDA later approved leucovorin only for cerebral folate transport deficiency in March 2026. The study highlights how media coverage and political messaging can rapidly shift off-label prescribing before large, definitive trials exist, and it does not assess patient outcomes.

via Neuroscience News|

#autism #health #leucovorin

health8 days ago•4 min saved

Presidential Endorsements Drive Spike in Unproven Autism Drug

A UCSD study finds leucovorin prescriptions for children with autism surged over 2,000% after public statements by Trump and RFK Jr., fueled by media reports despite weak evidence of benefit for autism. The FDA has approved leucovorin only for cerebral folate deficiency, not autism, and researchers urge long-term, rigorous studies to understand outcomes for families who pursued the treatment.

via Gizmodo|

#autism #donald-trump #health

health11 days ago•37 min saved

Huge study finds no clear autism risk from antidepressant use in pregnancy

A large population-based study found no definitive link between maternal antidepressant use during pregnancy and autism in offspring after adjusting for maternal mental health, genetics, and other factors, suggesting antidepressants in pregnancy are not clearly associated with autism risk, though further research is warranted.

via Yahoo|

#antidepressants #autism #epidemiology

health12 days ago•3 min saved

Pregnancy antidepressants not tied to autism or ADHD risk, meta-analysis suggests

A large meta-analysis of over half a million pregnancies found no significant link between maternal antidepressant use during pregnancy and autism or ADHD in children after adjusting for maternal mental health and other factors; any initial signals disappeared when confounders were controlled. The findings support continuing antidepressant treatment for moderate-to-severe depression during pregnancy, though decisions should be individualized with a clinician and study limitations include missing socioeconomic and lifestyle data.

via The Guardian|

#adhd #antidepressants #autism

health12 days ago•184 min saved

Pregnant antidepressant use largely not linked to ADHD or autism after accounting for confounders

A Lancet Psychiatry meta-analysis of 37 studies with over 600,000 pregnancies found that prenatal antidepressant exposure has little to no association with ADHD or autism after adjusting for genetics and family factors; older antidepressants may show small links, but overall the findings reassure the safety of contemporary antidepressants during pregnancy, while highlighting the risks of untreated maternal depression.

via CNN|

#adhd #antidepressants #autism

science12 days ago•7 min saved

X-Chromosome Long Non-Coding RNA Emerges as a New Route to Autism Traits in Males

Researchers identify PTCHD1-AS, a long non-coding RNA on the X chromosome, as a male-specific autism-susceptibility gene. Deletions skew social interaction and repetitive behaviors without impairing learning or memory; mouse models show similar behavioral changes. Disruption affects striatal circuits, synaptic plasticity, and myelination via reduced protein kinase C activity, offering a new entry point for targeted therapeutics—though no treatments are yet in trials.

via Neuroscience News|

#autism #genetics #long-non-coding-rna

science16 days ago•5 min saved

Brief Brain Stimulation Improves Social Communication in Young Children With Autism

A BMJ-published randomized trial tested brief theta-burst magnetic stimulation in 194 children with autism (average age ~6.5), including many with intellectual disability. Over five days, real stimulation improved social communication and language vs. sham, with effects persisting at one month and few side effects. While promising and potentially convenient compared with long-term therapies, the durability of benefits is uncertain, the optimal treatment duration unknown, and access/cost could limit use; it is not a replacement for behavioral supports.

via ScienceAlert|

#autism #brain-stimulation #pediatrics

politics23 days ago•5 min saved

Autism policy turmoil under RFK Jr. prompts calls for congressional oversight and possible impeachment

A new report from the Autistic Self Advocacy Network and AAPD accuses HHS leadership under RFK Jr of fueling misinformation about vaccines and autism, citing staff cuts, reduced autism funding, FOIA office closures, and dubious claims about acetaminophen and leucovorin; it notes changes to the autism coordination committee and urges Congress to hold oversight hearings and potentially impeach officials if warranted.

via The Guardian|

#autism #congress-oversight #hhs

health24 days ago•5 min saved

Promising brain-stimulation therapy boosts autism communication in kids

In a randomized trial in China, 200 children with autism (ages 4–10) received noninvasive accelerated continuous theta burst stimulation (a-cTBS) or sham. After five days of 10 daily sessions targeting the left primary motor cortex, the a-cTBS group showed greater improvements in social communication and language on the SRS-2 immediately after treatment and at one-month follow-up. Side effects were mostly mild to moderate (restlessness, scalp discomfort). Limitations include potential baseline differences, a short follow-up, and questions about safety in developing brains, but researchers say a-cTBS could be a feasible, scalable therapy for autism, including those with intellectual disability.

via New York Post|

#autism #brain-stimulation #health

health25 days ago•8 min saved

Kennedy's Tylenol-Autism Claim Draws Scientific Pushback Over Danish Study

At a House hearing, RFK Jr. dismissed a Danish JAMA Pediatrics study finding no link between prenatal acetaminophen (Tylenol) use and autism and urged its retraction, calling the work “garbage.” Scientists say the study’s reliance on prescription data is a limitation but does not invalidate the results, and there is no evidence of fraud or industry involvement. Denmark’s prescription-based data is considered appropriate given local regulations, and broader reviews have not shown a clear causal link between prenatal acetaminophen and autism. Kennedy’s calls for retraction are viewed as politically motivated and not supported by the current scientific consensus.

via FactCheck.org|

#acetaminophen #autism #congressional-hearing

local28 days ago•33 min saved

Piano Becomes Isabella's Voice Amid Autism and Williams Syndrome

In Myrtle Beach, 12-year-old Isabella—who has autism and Williams syndrome—expresses herself through piano, a gift her mother says helps her communicate. Williams syndrome can involve cardiovascular issues, and after early pregnancy challenges and treatment at Boston Children's Hospital, Isabella is healthy and thriving, using music to share her voice.

via WPDE|

#autism #disability-awareness #local

science29 days ago•7 min saved

Sterol-Pathway Meds in Pregnancy Tied to Higher Autism Risk, Large U.S. Study Finds

A national study of 6.14 million U.S. births links prenatal exposure to sterol biosynthesis‑inhibiting medications (SBIMs)—a class including certain antidepressants, antipsychotics, beta-blockers, and statins—with increased autism risk in children. Any SBIM exposure raised ASD risk about 1.47-fold, increasing to 2.33-fold for four or more SBIMs used concurrently. SBIM exposure grew from 4.6% of pregnancies in 2014 to 16.8% in 2023. The researchers stress cautious prescribing during pregnancy, the need for safer options when possible, and further research into the mechanisms, noting many SBIMs are medically necessary.

via SciTechDaily|

#autism #cholesterol #medications

entertainment1 month ago•17 min saved

Love on the Spectrum Stars Pari Kim and Tina Zhu Xi Caruso Split, Choose to Stay Friends

Love on the Spectrum stars Tina Zhu Xi Caruso and Pari Kim have split; Kim announced on Instagram that they are now friends, and Caruso confirmed the breakup was mutual. The pair, who met on Season 3 of the Netflix reality series, say they will continue to advocate for causes like public transportation and disability rights, both together and as individuals. Their split comes after another recent breakup among the show’s cast.

via Page Six|

#autism #celebrity-breakups #entertainment

science1 month ago•38 min saved

Birth order may influence autism and allergy risk, study finds

A large preprint study of over 10 million individuals across more than five million families found firstborns are more likely to be diagnosed with neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism and ADHD, as well as allergies, while second-borns show higher rates of substance-use disorders, shingles, and gastrointestinal issues. Smaller age gaps between siblings appear protective against allergies and asthma, possibly due to increased microbial exposure, per the hygiene hypothesis. Limitations include reliance on insurance claims data and lack of uninsured populations; results have not yet undergone peer review.

via Yahoo|

#adhd #allergies #autism