Posted on September 20, 2023

SAN ANTONIO, Sept. 20, 2023 – A new published study led by researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) has found an association between autism diagnosis in boys and daily consumption of either diet soda or a comparable amount of aspartame by their mothers during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

In this case-control study, boys who had been diagnosed with autism were more than three times as likely as neurotypically developing boys to have been born to mothers who reported consuming one or more servings per day of diet soda, or comparable amounts of the leading artificial sweetener aspartame, during pregnancy or breastfeeding. No statistically significant association was found in female offspring.

Drinking Diet Sodas and Aspartame-Sweetened Beverages Daily During Pregnancy Linked to Autism in Male Offspring full article

By Jacqueline Howard and Deidre McPhillips, CNN
Updated 11:36 AM EDT, Tue September 5, 2023

Most families of children with autism may face long wait times to diagnose their child with the disorder, and once a diagnosis is made, it sometimes may not be definitive.

But now, two studies released Tuesday suggest that a recently developed eye-tracking tool could help clinicians diagnose children as young as 16 months with autism – and with more certainty.

Kids’ developmental disability diagnoses became more common during pandemic, but autism rates held steady, CDC report says
“This is not a tool to replace expert clinicians,” said Warren Jones, director of research at the Marcus Autism Center at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Nien Distinguished Chair in Autism at Emory University School of Medicine, who was an author on both studies.

Eye-Tracking Tool May Help Diagnose Autism More Quickly and Accurately, New Studies Suggest full article

by Shaun Heasley | January 26, 2023

New research suggests that autism prevalence rose as much as 500% in recent decades, but it still may be underdiagnosed.

In an analysis of data on 8-year-olds in the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area between 2000 and 2016, researchers found that the number of children with autism and intellectual disability doubled over the time period. Among those without intellectual disability, however, the increase was fivefold.

Still, the study published online Thursday in the journal Pediatrics finds that disparities in diagnosis persist and many kids may remain overlooked. Children from affluent areas were 80% more likely than those from underserved areas to be flagged as having autism with no intellectual disability while Black children in this category were 30% less likely to be identified as compared to white kids.

Study: Even With Fivefold Increase, Autism Likely Undercounted full article

by Shaun Heasley | November 4, 2022

Pet ownership leads to better mental health outcomes in adults with autism, new research suggests, and the gains exist no matter what type of companion animal an individual has.

In a study of 735 adults, 326 of whom had autism, researchers found that pets helped people with the developmental disorder better manage their mood and socialize.

“We looked at loneliness, social isolation, social anxiety, social support and overall satisfaction with life,” said Liam Cross of Edge Hill University in England who worked on the study published recently in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. “Pet ownership led to a higher quality of life, less anxiety and a wide range of other benefits.”

Pet Ownership Brings ‘Huge Benefits’ To Adults With Autism, Study Finds full article

Ottawa, Ontario, Feb. 27, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE)

The movement to assist Canadians living with autism, intellectual and development disabilities, and their families gained ground today when the government of Canada announced an investment of $20 million over 5 years as part of the 2018-2019 federal budget.

The funding will be used to develop two new initiatives to support the needs of Canadians experiencing autism spectrum disorder and their families. This will include $10.9 million towards the creation of an Autism-Intellectual Disability National Resource and Exchange Network (AIDE) which will provide credible and evidence-based resources for individuals and families living with autism and intellectual disabilities. Led jointly by Pacific Autism Family Network and Miriam Foundation, AIDE is the first of its kind in Canada, and will be available in a curated online library, reducing regional disparities and offering equitable access across the country.

Pacific Autism Family Network and Miriam Foundation Receive Federal Funding to Help Canadians Impacted by Autism full article

Jun 12, 2017

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disabilities in which communication can be hindered in social interactions both verbal and non-verbal. There is a wide spectrum within the effects autism has on a person including intellectual disabilities, physical and mental health issues such as seizures, ADD or ADHD, anxiety and phobias.

robotsWhen placed in a social setting with those without autism, people who do not understand autism may jump to the conclusion that this person is socially awkward, lacks emotion, doesn’t understand humor, or the other nuances of communication learned through time. Social settings can include everything from small talk at the register, expressing empathy to someone’s problems, workplace dynamics, meeting new people, and countless other interactions.

Social Robots Improving the Lives of People with Autism full article