Tag Archives: ASD

CARD’s New School In Virginia Will Address The Critical Need Of Children with Autism

By Aenid Reyes | Published: November 3, 2011
Virginia

“Our teachers are nothing less than the best in the field. They are Board Certified Behavior Analysts and certified teachers who have had years of experience treating and teaching children with autism.” says Mary Ann Cassell, CARD VA Managing Supervisor. “With the use of applied behavior analysis (ABA), we are confident that the unique needs of each student can be met.”

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Posted in Autism Events | Also tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Can Brain Scans Discriminate Children with Autism from Children with Typical Development?

By Marlena Smith | Published: September 19, 2011

In a recent study, Dr. Lucina Uddin and colleagues found magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to accurately differentiate children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) from children with typical development based on volumes of gray matter in specific regions of the brain. While previous MRI studies have identified differences in the brain scans of children with ASD and children with typical development, there has been no real consensus regarding which distinctive neurological features can serve as reliable biological markers in the detection of ASD. This may stem from the fact that ASD is a heterogeneous disorder that likely affects the development of many areas of the brain. For this reason, Dr. Uddin and colleagues used MRI scans in an attempt to identify brain regions that together may differentiate children with ASD from children with typical development.

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Posted in Autism Research | Also tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Greater Risk of Autism and Schizophrenia in the Offspring of Older Fathers

By Marlena Smith | Published: September 13, 2011

A recent study conducted by Dr. Flatscher-Bader and colleagues may shed light on why children with older fathers face an increased risk of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). A significant body of research has revealed that offspring of older fathers are at a greater risk of developing disorders such ASD and schizophrenia; however, the underlying cause of this occurrence is not well understood. For this reason, Dr. Flatscher-Bader and colleagues used a rodent model to investigate the effects of paternal age on offspring’s genes.

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Posted in Autism Research | Also tagged , , | 20 Comments

Prenatal Exposure to Antidepressants and Autism Spectrum Disorders

By Marlena Smith | Published: July 29, 2011

Participants were identified via the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program in Northern California. A total of 298 children with ASD and 1,507 children with typical development were included in the study. Pharmacy records were used to determine maternal antidepressant usage during the year prior to delivery (i.e., the 3 months prior to conception and throughout the gestational period). Antidepressants were classified into three groups: SSRIs, dual-action antidepressants, and tri-cyclic antidepressants.

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Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Adults

By Marlena Smith | Published: May 10, 2011

According to Dr. Brugha and colleagues, these findings suggest that the increased prevalence of ASD seen today may not be the result of increased incidence of ASD, but rather under-diagnosis of ASD across previous generations. While further research is needed to replicate these findings, the results of this study offer preliminary evidence that incidence of ASD may have remained more or less stable over time and that improved screening and diagnostic practices may account for the greater rate of ASD diagnoses today.

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Posted in Autism Awareness, Autism Research | Also tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

A Review of Assessments Used to Select Content for EIBI Programs

By Marlena Smith | Published: March 1, 2011

With the current pool of available assessments, clinicians are left to run a battery of tests in order to identify target skills to include in treatment. Furthermore, to fill in the gaps, clinicians are likely to rely on clinical judgment derived from individual preference, experience, and expertise rather than a thorough assessment of the child’s development. Although extensive research has shown EIBI to be an effective treatment for ASD, research has also revealed great variability in program design and treatment effectiveness across service providers. Current clinical practices in assessment and program design likely account for much of the variability seen in the quality of EIBI services today.

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Posted in Autism Research, Autism Therapy | Also tagged , , , , | 16 Comments

Preference for Geometric Patterns Identified as a Possible Early Sign of Autism

By Marlena Smith | Published: February 25, 2011

Participants included 110 children, ages 14-42 months. Of the participants, 37 had ASD, 22 had developmental delay, and 51 had typical development. The participants’ preference for geometric patterns versus social images was measured using eye tracking technology. The participants were shown a minute long video, in which the screen was divided in two halves. One half of the screen displayed social images of children dancing and doing yoga while the other half displayed geometric patterns. Eye tracking technology measured how long each participant looked at each half of the screen.

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Posted in Autism Research | Also tagged , , , | 14 Comments

Challenging Behavior and Symptom Severity in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

By Marlena Smith | Published: January 3, 2011

In a recent study, CARD researchers Jina Jang, Dr. Dennis Dixon, Dr. Jonathan Tarbox, and Dr. Doreen Granpeesheh found a relationship between symptom severity and challenging behavior in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Children with ASD are often reported to display challenging behavior (e.g., aggression, tantrums, self-injury, stereotypy, etc.); however, research examining the prevalence of challenging behavior in this population is limited. The purpose of the current study was to explore the incidence of challenging behavior and the relationship between symptom severity and challenging behavior in children with ASD receiving early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) services.

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Posted in Autism Research | Also tagged , , | 14 Comments