Difficulty processing sound distinguishes children with autism from those with sensory processing disorder, a catch-all label for sensory abnormalities, according to a new study. The results suggest that among children with sensory problems, the exact nature of the sensory problem determines the diagnosis.
Children who are diagnosed with autism after drastically and suddenly losing cognitive abilities may actually have a distinct disorder, according to data presented yesterday at the 2015 International Meeting for Autism Research in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The new diagnosis for intellectual disability emphasizes what children with the disorder can do rather than what they cannot. Some researchers are arguing for a similar ‘ability framework’ for autism.
Late last year, a provocative article about the utility of autism as a diagnostic category caused a stir among scientists. But if we do away with the term ‘autism,’ what should replace it?
Researchers have developed a 10-minute drawing test that measures reciprocity — an important social skill that children with autism often lack.
Anxiety is one of the most common mental health conditions, as well as one of the most treatable. But when a person has autism, anxiety symptoms can be hard to see. Matthew Siegel calls for anxiety tests and treatments that are tailored to people with autism.
The U.S. government is expanding its autism monitoring program to better understand the rising prevalence of the disorder, particularly in light of controversial changes to autism’s diagnostic criteria.
Names such as autism, schizophrenia and intellectual disability are ‘umbrella’ terms that muddy the search for the true cause of an individual’s symptoms, says Eric London. He plans to come up with an alternative diagnostic scheme for developmental disabilities over the next two years.
People with autism often feel anxious, worrying about everyday events and ruminating on their fears for long periods of time, reports a study published 8 May in the journal Autism.
A small study published 3 April in Molecular Autism has found that 98 percent of mothers of children with autism have unusual responses to sensory stimuli, including light, sound and touch.