New Research on Earlier Intervention in Autism : A Q&A with Dr. Lisa Shulmanby THE DOCTOR'S TABLET EDITORS on SEPTEMBER 18, 2014
Last week, findings from a small but notable University of California–Davis study showed that intervening earlier than usual with infants who show signs of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can help prevent them from developing the disorder by the time they reach age 3 or 4. For perspective, we spoke with Einstein’s Dr. Lisa Shulman, a neurodevelopmental pediatrician and featured contributor to this blog. She explains how the study’s findings mirror what she sees in clinical practice at Einstein’s Children’s Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center and offers takeaways for clinicians and parents. - What are some of the earliest signs that an infant may have ASD? The symptoms that give rise to concern about ASD in infants (6 months or older) include:
For complete article See more at:
0 Comments
The latest advise from Temple Grandin
10/4/2014
Temple presses the importance of manners (from shaking hands to saying “please” and “thank you”) and developing a strong work ethic. She was taught these basic skills as a child, and she’s witnessed a decline in those niceties for people on the milder end of the spectrum. “So-called normal kids — they pick this up,” she says, “but autistic kids have got to be taught, and that’s not being done enough.” Read more ... Watch the video to hear more from Temple! By Richard McManus
Posted Sep. 28, 2014 @ 1:00 pm HINGHAMs summer turns to fall, some students and parents have pounding headaches and worried demeanors all out of proportion to that change. The SAT's and ACT's are coming, and high school juniors and seniors and their anxious parents are going into overdrive worrying about these very important tests. I know because our schedule is filled with students cramming for these two tests. On the one hand, there are very few weeks left to feel confident and prepared to take them. On the other hand, students can do much now that will help them to prepare, and to feel considerably better about the challenge they face.
autism and excess synapses
9/28/2014
THURSDAY, Aug. 21, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers report that children with autism appear to have excess synapses -- cellular connections -- in their brains compared with typical children.
The scientists also believe it might be possible to reduce the number of extra synapses through drug treatment. Synapses are the points in the brain where brain cells (neurons) connect and communicate with each other. Having excess synapses may have a major impact on how the brain functions, theorized neuroscientists at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City. The extra synapses in the brains of autistic children are due to a slowdown in the normal brain "pruning" process during development, the researchers believe. "It's the first time that anyone has looked for, and seen, a lack of pruning during development of children with autism, although lower numbers of synapses in some brain areas have been detected in brains from older patients and in mice with autistic-like behaviors," study senior investigator, David Sulzer, a professor of neurobiology, said in a Columbia news release. His team also found that rapamycin, an immunosuppressant that helps prevent rejection in organ transplants and coats some coronary stents, can restore normal synaptic pruning and improve autistic-like behaviors in mice. The effect was seen even when the drug was given to the mice after they developed those behaviors. The drug causes side effects that might prevent its use in people with autism, the researchers said. However, "the fact that we can see changes in behavior suggests that autism may still be treatable after a child is diagnosed, if we can find a better drug," Sulzer added. For the study, he and his colleagues examined 26 brains of youngsters with autism -- 13 aged 2 to 9, and 13 aged 13 to 20. All of the children had died from causes other than autism. Their brains were compared to 22 autopsied brains of children without autism. The researchers measured "synapse density" in a small section of tissue in each brain. By late childhood, synapse density fell by about half in the brains of children without autism, but fell only 16 percent in the brains of those with autism. The researchers also found clues about what causes the pruning defect in the brains of children with autism, according to the study, which was published online Aug. 21 in the journal Neuron. SOURCE: Columbia University Medical Center, news release, Aug. 21, 2014 |
Research & ToolsWe post articles on the latest research, education tools and state/federal law changes. Archives
September 2016
Categories |