Tag: Research
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Walking just 11 minutes a day could stop 10% of early deaths, researchers find
Walking just 11 minutes a day could stop 10% of early deaths, researchers find Weekly 75 minutes of moderate-intensity activity is half the amount recommended by the NHS An 11-minute brisk walk every day could prevent one in 10 premature deaths worldwide, according to the largest ever study of its kind. This equates to 75…
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Researchers Discovered 72 Genes Linked to Autism Which can Aid in Diagnosing the Condition
A common saying among the autism community is “If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism.” This is because autism is a spectrum disorder, with a wide variety of severities and expressions of symptoms. But one study, published in late March 2016, suggests that the autism spectrum is even broader…
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Contemplation can help problem-solving and boost creativity, study claims
Contemplation can help problem-solving and boost creativity, study claims People prefer to keep busy rather than to enjoy a moment of reflection, researchers find Losing oneself in one’s thoughts or letting the mind wander is an underrated activity that is more rewarding the more it is practised, an academic study has claimed. Psychologists who studied…
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Adults with Autism Gaining More Visibility in Media, Study Finds
There has been a push in recent years to have films and television shows be better representative of the society in which we live. For people with autism, media representation has traditionally focused on children, rather than adults. However, a new analysis finds that this may be changing. Researchers at University of California Santa Cruz…
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New Study Shows Autistic Children Suffer More Severe Mental Health Deterioration amid the Pandemic
According to a Canadian-based study, lockdowns and school closures during the first year of the Covid 19 pandemic adversely affected the mental health of children and young people. These youth manifested more externalizing and internalizing behaviors in response to elevated stress level caused by disruptions to routine and access to health and educational services. Photo:…
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Brain Overgrowth Linked with Autism May Begin in Infancy
There is a portion of the brain that tends to grow larger in children with autism. While this link has been known for some time, it wasn’t clear how soon this occurs. Now, a new study has found the overgrowth may begin in infancy, meaning doctors could have a new tool for even earlier diagnosis.…
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Study Finds That Sensory Issues May Be An Earlier Sign of Autism Than Communication Issues
Children with autism tend to process sensory information differently than neurotypical children. This can mean an aversion to a particular sound or texture or an intense fixation on a preferred sensory experience. A new study finds that these differences may be detectable earlier than was thought. Researchers from the universities of Southern California and North…
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Six Strategies to Help Autistic Children Overcome Fecal Smearing
Guest post by Ava Wadaby. Toilet training is challenging for any parent but especially for parents of children with autism. These parents might have to deal with pica (children eating feces), anal poking, and fecal smearing. Fecal smearing occurs when a child smears their poop on themselves or all over their room. It is one…
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Pandemic Yields Unexpected Discovery in Autism Therapy Study
The COVID-19 pandemic has had many unexpected consequences, the majority of which are arguably negative. However, there have been some bright silver linings to the clouds hanging over our lives for the past couple of years, one of which being an unexpected discovery made by researchers after they were forced to take their autism therapy…
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Autism and Rejection-Sensitive Dysphoria: Is There a Connection?
A growing body of research suggests that a condition known as rejection-sensitive dysphoria may be linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the associated difficulties with interpersonal communication and social connection. What Is Rejection-Sensitive Dysphoria? Rejection-sensitive dysphoria (RSD) is a condition that causes an intense emotional response when the person who has it is rejected…
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Lack of Engagement During “Baby Talk” Could Point to Autism in Infants, Study Suggests
No matter what language they speak or what kind of background they come from, parents around the world all tend to talk to their babies in the same way: using a high-pitched, sing-song style speech known as “baby talk” or “motherese.” They also have a tendency to make “cute” changes to certain words, like using…
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Very Few Pediatric Providers Discuss Whether Their Patients with Autism Should Drive, Study Shows
Because autism is such a wide spectrum, it encompasses both people who love to drive and are great at it and those who will never be able to drive a car because of the way their symptoms manifest. And, of course, there is also a large number of individuals somewhere in the middle of that…
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“Profound” Autism: The New Term for Those Who Require Significant Support
Putting labels on people can often go wrong, leading to inaccuracies, generalizations, hurt feelings, and discrimination. But sometimes labels, especially when used carefully and wisely, can also be helpful descriptive terms that make all the difference in our understanding of a person’s needs. We hope that the Autism Science Foundation’s newly recognized term “profound autism”…
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FDA Grants Breakthrough Designation for Diagnostic Aid That Identifies Autism Via Hair Strands
The world is constantly looking for new ways to diagnose autism so that the condition can be caught earlier and more intervention can be given to individuals who would benefit from it. Now a new device claims to be able to aid in the diagnostic process in a very simple and non-invasive way, using the…
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New Data From the CDC Suggests That 1 in 44 U.S. Children Has Autism
The rate of autism diagnosis in the United States continues to climb. Thanks in part to better awareness and changes in diagnostic criteria, the estimated number of children in the U.S. diagnosed with autism rose from 1 in 150 in the early 2000s to 1 in 54 in 2016. Now, new figures from the Centers…
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Study Shows that Puppets Increase Engagement and Learning for Kids with ASD
Puppets are great fun for many children, but a new study shows that they may be particularly impactful for children on the autism spectrum who struggle to stay engaged with their school lessons and tend to have trouble learning in the ways their peers are capable of in the classroom. The study, conducted by researchers…
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5.7% of Parents Say Their Child with Autism Struggles with Gender Identity, Survey Finds
Recent studies have suggested that people on the autism spectrum are more apt to be impacted by gender dysphoria than their neurotypical peers. A new survey from an autism publication has found similar results. Autism Parenting Magazine recently sent out a survey to more than 160,000 of its subscribers throughout the world to see how…
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Study Finds That Missed Early Well-Child Visits Lead to Delayed Autism Diagnosis
Early diagnosis of autism is key to ensuring a good quality of life for a child on the spectrum. Research shows that there are cognitive, communication, and behavioral benefits when a child is diagnosed at a young age and can take advantage of interventions. A new study finds that if you want to ensure an…