All posts tagged: Autism

Early screen time not a cause of autism, study concludes

Early screen time not a cause of autism, study concludes

A new study published in JAMA Pediatrics investigated whether screen time in early childhood increases the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) later in life. While initial analyses suggested a positive association between early screen time and ASD, the researchers found this link disappeared after accounting for socioeconomic factors. ASD is a developmental condition that affects how a person communicates, interacts socially, and processes information. It is called a “spectrum” because it encompasses a wide range of abilities and challenges, varying greatly from person to person. Some individuals with autism may have difficulty with speech and understanding social cues, while others may excel in specific skills like memory or pattern recognition. Autism is typically diagnosed in early childhood, and while its exact causes are not fully understood, a combination of genetic and environmental factors is believed to contribute. The researchers conducted the study to explore whether behaviors like early screen time exposure could influence the development of ASD. Early childhood is a critical period for cognitive and social development, making it important to understand how …

Gut microbe imbalances may predict autism and ADHD risk years before symptoms appear

Gut microbe imbalances may predict autism and ADHD risk years before symptoms appear

Early screening for neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism is important to ensure children have the support they need to gain the essential skills for daily life. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children be screened for developmental delays, with additional screening for those who are preterm or have a low birth weight. However, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has called for more research into the effectiveness of current autism screening practices. Primarily based on milestone checklists and symptoms, autism diagnoses also currently rely on observations of behavior that often manifests after crucial developmental stages have passed. Researchers and clinicians are working to develop simple, reliable tools that could identify early signs or risk factors of a condition before symptoms are obvious. While early screening can lead to the risk of overdiagnosis, understanding a child’s developmental needs can help guide families toward resources that address those needs sooner. We are researchers who study the role the microbiome plays in a variety of conditions, such as mental illness, autoimmunity, obesity, preterm birth and others. …

Autism and ADHD: 400,000 children awaiting appointments

Autism and ADHD: 400,000 children awaiting appointments

Getting an autism or ADHD diagnosis must stop being one of the “only ways to unlock support in school”, the children’s commissioner has said after data showed around 400,000 children are waiting for their first appointment. Dame Rachel de Souza has today published never-before-seen data from the NHS, revealing the “huge waits” children face for a diagnosis and treatment for neurodevelopmental conditions. In 2022-23 and 2023-24, 19,600 children were diagnosed as autistic and 7,540 with ADHD by community health services. A further 16,300 were diagnosed with autism and 9,570 with ADHD by mental health services. de Souza demanded that the government address long waiting times and invest in increasing appointments in community and mental health services. The report also called for more staff in schools trained to identify needs, and “profiling tools” that are proven to help identify pupils with potential neurodivergence to be rolled out to all settings. The data, obtained by de Souza using her statutory powers, reveals the extent of the crisis in diagnosis and treatment of neurodevelopmental conditions. Children wait on …

How patterns of conversation could help identify early signs of autism in children

How patterns of conversation could help identify early signs of autism in children

Autistic children – and adults – often communicate differently to neurotypical people. Key characteristics of autistic speech can include less eye contact, focusing on the details rather than the overall gist of a conversation, and favouring literal meaning: autistic people may find it more challenging to guess if something is being implied rather than said directly. These differences may make some communication between autistic children and the adults in their lives difficult. But understanding them can help. My research with colleagues has explored how autistic and neurotypical children imitate their parents’ speech during a conversation. Imitation is an aspect of language and communication that starts from birth. When people talk with others, they often repeat what they say, mirror their gestures, align with their tone of voice and even their accent. This takes place as a learning process, but also to conform socially. It displays engagement, signalling to others in the conversation that they are being heard and understood. The kind of imitation we looked at, known as “resonance”, involves re-using the speech of others …

Groundbreaking AI model can predict autism in young children

Groundbreaking AI model can predict autism in young children

A groundbreaking machine learning model has emerged, capable of predicting autism in young children with limited information. Developed by researchers at Karolinska Institutet, this innovation offers a new avenue for early autism detection, a crucial step in providing appropriate support to those affected. Kristiina Tammimies, an Associate Professor at KIND, Karolinska Institutet’s Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, emphasizes the potential impact of this tool: “With an accuracy of almost 80 percent for children under the age of two, we hope that this will be a valuable tool for healthcare.” The research draws on a substantial database from the U.S. known as SPARK, containing data on approximately 30,000 individuals, both with and without autism spectrum disorders. By examining 28 distinct parameters, the team created four machine-learning models designed to identify patterns indicative of autism. These parameters were chosen specifically for their accessibility, allowing them to be gathered without extensive assessments or medical tests before a child reaches 24 months old. Among these models, the best performer was named ‘AutMedAI.’ Kristiina Tammimies, an Associate Professor at …

Helping neurodivergent people thrive requires encouragement and acceptance | Autism

Helping neurodivergent people thrive requires encouragement and acceptance | Autism

In your article (ADHD: does medication work?, 3 June) I was struck by the line about adults having more choice over lifestyles and occupations that “play to their cognitive strengths”. My own experience of school was riddled with detentions for chatting in class or being unable to control my impulsive behaviours when I couldn’t grasp or didn’t enjoy the content. I couldn’t sit down to memorise verb endings or mathematical formulas – there wasn’t enough stimulation for my liking. But when I opened a book (or what I eventually learned to call a novel) I suddenly felt myself immersed in worlds full of life and emotions and events that could keep me engaged. I could sit still reading for longer than anything else. One of my English teachers helped me to see how the words on a page opened up a world of possible interpretations, and with it a lifetime of excitement. None of my other teachers expected much of me at school. I pushed through and left to study English at the University of Birmingham. Coming up to …

‘I was terrified of the tea round’: the small changes that can help neurodivergent people thrive at work | Autism

‘I was terrified of the tea round’: the small changes that can help neurodivergent people thrive at work | Autism

To the outside world, Kat Brown was a professional success. What her colleagues didn’t know, however, was how much effort it was costing her. “I had this underlying kind of whirring voice in my head of ‘you’re not good enough, you’re not normal, you need to try five times harder than everybody else’,” says Brown, author of the ADHD memoir It’s Not A Bloody Trend. “The only way I could calm that down was with alcohol, and along with booze, coffee. It was the way I lassoed my brain into doing what I wanted.” That meant downing up to nine americanos a day, unwinding with drinks after work – and sometimes bursting into exhausted tears when she got home. Only when she was diagnosed with ADHD at 37, shortly after quitting her job in the media and going freelance, did everything begin to make sense. Some people with ADHD, she explains, find caffeine helps stabilise rather than stimulate an already whirring mind. Meanwhile her anxiety, she thinks, reflected a sense that she was different and a terror …

The truth about ADHD and autism: how many people have it, what causes it, and why are diagnoses soaring? | Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

The truth about ADHD and autism: how many people have it, what causes it, and why are diagnoses soaring? | Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

It was in the mid 90s that neurodiversity as a formal concept and a rights movement began to emerge. Aided by the internet, autistic people and those with other conditions were able to connect and began sharing their experiences: what they had in common, how their lives differed. A recurring theme was how many felt marginalised, pushed out of a society that embraced only typical ways of being in the world. The phrase “neurological diversity” cropped up in their discussions, which along with “neurodiversity” appeared in magazine articles later that decade. Neurodiversity has clear parallels with biodiversity. It champions difference and the validity of individuals. It holds that a vaguely defined majority can be described as neurotypical, with brains that operate in a broadly similar way. Others, meanwhile, are neurodivergent, with brains that are built and work somewhat differently. Neurodivergent people may be diagnosed with a range of conditions, and many co-occur in the same individual. There is no definitive list, but autism (and what was once known as Asperger’s syndrome) and attention deficit hyperactivity …

How the rise of autism and ADHD fractured Australia’s schools | Australian education

How the rise of autism and ADHD fractured Australia’s schools | Australian education

Every morning before school, Emerson Cook would ask his mum to check the weather. If it was raining she knew her then five-year-old would be anxious. “He was always worried about rain,” Alicia Cook says. “And if the weather forecast was rain, I would be anxious too … “Every day in the pit of my stomach was the worry about going to school.” At the time, Emerson’s anxiety was put down to a flood evacuation that had taken place at his small private school in Launceston, Tasmania. But what Alicia didn’t know was that Emerson’s worry was an early sign of what would later be diagnosed as having anxiety, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism. Alicia would try to coax Emerson into class but more often than not he would refuse. In an attempt to get her son the support he needed, Alicia moved to an inner-city public school in Melbourne. Here, the problem worsened. At times Emerson tried to escape to come home, climbing the school fence, and Alicia would regularly receive phone calls asking …

Autism Acceptance: A New Understanding of Neurodivergence

Autism Acceptance: A New Understanding of Neurodivergence

Source: @mcreynoldsphd / Canva April is Autism Acceptance Month. Autism, which is one type of neurodivergence, has received a lot of attention from the press and social media in the last several years. There are many people who speak and write about autism, including autistic individuals. If you are autistic or know someone who is or might be, it’s important to recognize that our understanding of autism is evolving. I hope this blog post contributes to improving awareness of the current conception of what it means to be autistic and the implications of this new knowledge. The following are some facts about autism that are often unfamiliar to people but that are important to acknowledge as we move forward in helping autistic people thrive. 1. You can be autistic your whole life and not realize it until you’re an adult. There has been a sharp increase in the number of individuals seeking an assessment to clearly determine if they are autistic in my practice. Many people would not have “met the criteria” according to previous …