Autism News From Medical News Today

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of developmental disabilities that can cause considerable social, communication and behavioral challenges. People with ASD often have issues with social, emotional, and communication skills. They might repeat certain behaviors and might not be comfortable with change occurring in their daily activities. Many people with ASD also have different ways of learning, paying attention, or reacting to things. There is currently no cure for ASD. However, research shows that early intervention treatment services can improve a child’s development.

• Researchers explore why those with autism avoid eye contact

  Imaging studies reveal overactivation of subcortical brain structures in response to direct gaze.

• Fever in pregnancy tied to higher risk of autism

  Study of more than 95,000 children found that autism risk rose by over 300 percent if mothers had had three or more fevers after 12 weeks of pregnancy.

• Study shows active video games could improve kids' development

  Video games might not be as bad for kids as we think, with new research showing interactive games like the Nintendo Wii can help non-typically developing children improve critical motor skills.

• Exposure to heavy metals may increase risk of autism

  New research finds higher concentrations of heavy metals in the baby teeth of children with autism spectrum disorder, compared with children without.

• Old drug points to promising new direction for treatment of autism

  A trial of 10 boys with autism shows dramatic but transient results with one treatment of a century-old drug, and supports cell danger idea of the disease.

• Oxytocin administered to the nose increases emotion perception in autism

  A recent study has demonstrated that intranasal oxytocin can influence how individuals with autism perceive emotion in others.

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Latest Aspergers Syndrome News and Research

• Augmented reality improves mental abilities of children with autism

  Augmented reality is of considerable help to children with disabilities and children with special educational needs (SEN) - autism, Asperger's syndrome, ADHD, and others. So says Veska Aleksieva, an experienced educational expert, regarding the products of Duard, a European-based company specialising in augmented reality

• Vanderbilt engineers develop virtual-reality driving environment to help teenagers with ASD

  Astronauts and pilots use them. So do truck drivers and Formula One race-car drivers.

• University of Derby introduces new MOOC to provide better knowledge on autism, Asperger’s and ADHD

  A new Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) to educate anyone interested in learning more about autism, Asperger’s and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has been launched by the University of Derby.

• Children with autism can develop speech, gestures by listening to different speech sounds

  Children with autism and other similar conditions often have difficulties in several areas of communication. A new doctoral thesis in linguistics from the University of Gothenburg shows that these children can develop speech, gestures and a sense of rhythm and melody by listening to various speech sounds.

• Using antidepressants during pregnancy greatly increases autism risk

  Using antidepressants during pregnancy greatly increases the risk of autism, Professor Anick Bérard of the University of Montreal and its affiliated CHU Sainte-Justine children's hospital revealed today. Prof. Bérard, an internationally renowned expert in the fields of pharmaceutical safety during pregnancy, came to her conclusions after reviewing data covering 145,456 pregnancies.

• Study: Men and women with autism perform differently on 'Reading the Mind in the Eyes' test

  Scientists at the University of Cambridge University have published new results in the journal PLoS ONE from the largest ever study of people with autism taking the 'Reading the Mind in the Eyes' test.