When we first met Rafi, then a 9-year-old boy, at our clinic a decade ago, he and his family faced multiple daunting challenges. Rafi had been diagnosed with autism at age 2 but had received no behavioral therapies. Rafi was nonverbal, not toilet-trained and needed help eating, dressing and bathing. He watched videos obsessively, and […]
Most of us get slightly anxious about going to the general practitioner. What if it turns out that nothing’s wrong? Or perhaps there’s something seriously wrong? Despite these minor concerns, most of us are happy to book an appointment, turn up at the practice and talk to a doctor about our health problem. But what […]
A small study suggests that baby teeth may afford a way to explore environmental risk factors for autism. The study analyzed baby teeth from 13 sets of twins in which at least one of the twins has autism, and 19 sets of neurotypical twins. The researchers found that the children with autism have less zinc […]
For a pregnant woman, the factors that can raise autism risk in her unborn child may seem to abound. Studies suggest that getting the flu, having a fever or gaining too much weight while pregnant can all boost the odds of having a child with autism. Certain medications may also raise the risk. For instance, pregnant women who take the epilepsy drug valproate are […]
In 1985, a team of researchers in Sweden set out on an ambitious investigation to better understand the nature and course of anorexia nervosa, an eating disorder characterized by disturbances in the experience of the body and dangerous weight loss. The scientists screened the total population of 15-year olds in Göteborg and surrounding regions, and […]
At six months of age, Case 6 was a happy baby. She locked eyes with people and smiled back, reacted when her name was called, and enjoyed playing ‘peek-a-boo’. By twelve months, she babbled and knew three words. Six months later, she hadn’t learned any new words. She didn’t point at things to ask for […]
The latest study to show that autistic children tend to be overweight suggests that the risk is greatest for those at the severe end of the spectrum1. Autistic children are about 1.6 times as likely as their typical peers to be overweight or obese, the study shows. And autistic children with severe traits have 1.7 […]
Teenagers with autism or other psychiatric disorders are far less likely to exercise or play team sports than are their typical peers, reports a Norwegian study published 22 January in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health. This is an important issue because these adolescents with autism may set themselves up for mental and physical health problems and […]
Children with autism often receive lots of specialized care: Some complete as many as 40 hours per week of applied behavioral analysis (ABA), the most common behavioral treatment for autism. Others may also see a speech or occupational therapist. But for many children, chances are that exercise is not part of the prescribed routine, says Meghann Lloyd, associate […]
For many years, my colleagues and I have been studying a single-gene condition called tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) that is strongly associated with autism and developmental challenges. We found in earlier studies that we could identify predictors of autism in the first year of life, motivating the first randomized clinical trial of early intervention for these infants. However, we […]
The World Health Organization rolled out its 11th edition of disease classifications, the “International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems,” on 18 June, adding conditions such as ‘gaming disorder’ to the roster. The codes associated with conditions in the manual are “the bedrock for health statistics,” the organization says, because “any injury or disease we […]
Researchers let out a collective sigh of relief this week when U.S. congressional leaders settled on a 2017 budget that includes a $2 billion boost for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The deal sidestepped a government shutdown and reversed a proposed $1.2 billion cut to the NIH budget. But as The Washington Post reports, the battle for funds isn’t […]
