Autism News

About 50% of mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) had elevated levels of depressive symptoms over 18 months, while rates were much lower (6% to 13.6%) for mothers with neurotypical children in the same period, according to a new study from The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). The report, which was published

Research from Washington State University reveals an eye test has been developed which could help diagnose children with autism. Publishing their data in the Neurological Sciences Journal, Washington State University’s researchers believe the test could be a huge step forward for early diagnosis.  The process involves testing the speed at which a child’s eye dilates

Research has shown for the first time that three sub-groups of autism can be identified from measuring brain activity. Birkbeck, University of London, conducted the research which also showed that brain activity can predict how social skills develop. It is thought by those involved that this new way of predicting how social skills might naturally

Improved treatment options for irritability and novel treatments for core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are the key unmet needs for the autism community, according to GlobalData. GlobalData, a data and analytics company, conducted a survey which revealed treatment options to target irritability and aggression associated with autism, and the core symptoms of ASD,

The global Autism Parenting Summit is returning for September 2022 following three highly successful previous installments. Summit host Autism Parenting Magazine has announced that the virtual event will be back for four days on September 16th, 17th, 18th, and 19th with a stellar lineup of expert speakers.  Doctors, therapists, educators, advocates, and people on the

Research shows that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are twice as likely to be regularly, and unlawfully, excluded from school for a fixed term than their neurotypical peers. The University of Birmingham’s Autism Centre for Education and Research (ACER) in the UK looked into the causes and implications of exclusions for autistic pupils, discovering

Children with autistic siblings may be at high risk for developing socio-emotional difficulties, according to a recent study released from the Yale Child Study Center. Researchers at the center have been observing brain scans, tracking eye movement, and observing play to determine whether children with autistic siblings may be at high risk for developing socio-emotional

A new drug designed to improve the quality of life in people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is in the works. The medication, known as AB-2004, is an oral absorbent which is meant to attach itself to certain gastrointestinal (GI) metabolites in order to decrease the amount of these metabolites in the gut, and ultimately

A study has been released in the Journal of Child Development exploring the developmental patterns of sensory trajectories experienced by kids throughout their early childhood. The study was conducted in North Carolina, USA, of a birth cohort of more than 1,000 autistic children, ages ranging from infancy to those entering first grade. Parents of the

A study conducted by the Infant Brain Imaging Study (IBIS) network has found that a key structure in the brain, known as the amygdala, increases in size in babies between the ages of 6 and 12 months who later develop autism spectrum disorder (ASD). What is interesting about this study is that it may potentially

A study conducted by some of the top universities in the United Kingdom has shown similarities between the way autistic and non-autistic individuals process information.  In the largest study of its kind, the universities of Bath, Cardiff, Manchester, and King’s College London conducted research on more than a thousand people to examine the link between

There is a crisis in children’s mental health services in the United Kingdom which means neurodivergent children are waiting up to five years for an initial appointment on the National Health Service (NHS), according to figures obtained by The Observer. Evidence of this waiting time is demonstrated in the undiagnosed years of Eva Pyle. After

As you go about your week, going to work or going out on the weekends, how many fingers would it take you to count how many times you saw an autistic individual in a working environment? Every person on the spectrum is unique, just like every neurotypical person is unique, so it can be hard

The third Autism Parenting Summit, hosted by Autism Parenting Magazine, took place earlier this month (April 2022) and was a great success. The virtual Autism Parenting Summit was hosted during Autism Acceptance Month and featured a diverse array of speakers—from autism experts, therapists, doctors, and educators, to neurodivergent advocates and parents.  Over the course of

The LEGO Foundation has launched a new accelerator programme, Play for All, designed to celebrate the strengths of neurodivergent children and help ensure all young people have the right to play, learn, and thrive. Play for All is an equity free funding and fixed term mentorship program for social enterprises, ventures and organizations that support

All our hearts are going out to the people of Ukraine at the moment, but for the neurodivergent community, the current state of warfare with Russia is even more challenging. Many autistic individuals with high support needs are trapped in the Ukranian capital Kyiv or facing the situation of fleeing with little to no assistance

After two highly successful previous events, the virtual Autism Parenting Summit is returning this April in celebration of Autism Acceptance Month. Organizers at Autism Parenting Magazine have announced that the Autism Parenting Summit virtual conference will return for four full days from April 1st – 4th 2022.  Doctors, therapists, educators, advocates, and people on the

Researchers have found differences between the brains of boys and girls with autism spectrum disorder, which link to motor, language, behaviors, and visuospatial attentional systems.  Researchers have discovered that the brains of males and females on the autism spectrum function differently, and this could be the reason why their clinical symptoms often present in different

Risk of death from natural causes as well as unnatural causes is significantly increased for people on the autism spectrum, according to researchers.  A systematic review and meta-analysis published in JAMA Pediatrics claims the mortality risk is significantly increased for people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Ferrán Catalá-López, PhD, from the

A routine prenatal ultrasound in the second trimester of pregnancy can identify early signs of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to a study from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and Soroka Medical Center in Israel.  Researchers from the Azrieli National Centre for Autism and Neurodevelopment Research published their findings recently in the peer-reviewed journal Brain.

The work we do at Autism Parenting Magazine (APM) to support families all over the world simply wouldn’t be possible without the help and dedication of our valued contributors. Every year, we’re privileged to have many autism experts offering their time and services to the magazine as writers and, in 2021, for the first time,

One in 44 (2.3%) eight-year-old children in the USA have autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to an analysis of 2018 data newly published in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) Surveillance Summaries. This figure is higher than the previous estimate published in March 2020, which found a prevalence of 1 in 54 (1.9%) eight-year-old

Strides are being taken in autism terminology as the term “profound autism” has been officially recognized by The Autism Science Foundation (ASF) for the first time. The new Lancet Commission report has formally recognized the need for, and endorsed the use of, the term “profound autism” for the first time in a peer-reviewed medical journal.

Dive into the story of Tal Anderson—an autistic woman who did not let her ASD diagnosis stop her from making her dream of acting a reality. Tal Anderson made her debut as Sid on Netflix’s hit show Atypical in 2019, a comedy-drama series about a teenager’s life with asperger’s. This was a perfect role for

Did you know people on the autism spectrum are much more likely to identify as LGBTQ? Research conducted by the Autism Research Centre at the University of Cambridge in the UK has revealed that autstic individuals are three to nine times more likely to be “homosexual”, “asexual” or “other.”  The above responses were given in

The free Autism Parenting Summit is scheduled for 20th and 21st April 2021. Parents can book a spot by visiting the official website. Autism Parenting Magazine is hosting a free, virtual Autism Parenting Summit which will play host to some of the world’s leading autism experts.  Doctors, therapists, educators, parents, and people on the spectrum

Emma Mander from Great Minds Together discusses the UK’s ground-breaking NHS Autism Peer Education Programme. Autistic people are statistically more likely to experience mental health problems than the general population, with a worrying 80% of autistic adults expected to endure mental health issues during their lives, a figure that isn’t helped by the lack of