The CDC recently revamped its developmental milestones checklists for the first time since they were created in 2004. The clearer benchmarks make it easier for parents and medical professionals to identify developmental delays, including those that may indicate autism. Part of the “Learn The Signs. Act Early.” program, the revisions are intended to ensure that…
With a new initiative recently introduced by the International Society on Autism Research (INSAR), autistic people and their family members can partner with autism researchers to assist with designing, conducting, and disseminating research studies. The goal is to facilitate working relationships between researchers and those who could benefit from the research being conducted. The INSAR…
The Lancet Commission on the future of care and clinical research in autism proposed and described a new model of care and treatment for autism in a report released at the beginning of December, calling for global coordination among governments, health care providers, educational programs, financial institutions, and social sectors to reform research, care, and…
In November, two female celebrities in the United Kingdom announced that they had been diagnosed with autism as adults. Their announcements and the flurry of related news that followed them has put the topic of how autism is diagnosed and how it expresses differently in females in the spotlight. Television presenter Melanie Sykes was diagnosed…
Compared to the start of school last year, there was much for children and parents to celebrate when the 2021-22 school year started, including the fact that most children could attend school in person and the availability in November of vaccines for children under 12. That good news, however, was complicated by ongoing issues related…
The employment prospects for autistic adults are grim, as a recent Politico article noted, with only about one-third of autistic adults in paid jobs for more than 15 hours a week. However, there are encouraging signs in the news that promise change. Federal Initiatives One of those, also noted in the Politico article, is…
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Office of Autism Research is seeking public input to help the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) identify priorities for the 2021-22 update of the IACC’s Strategic Plan for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) as required by the Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education and Support (CARES) Act of 2019. The…
In late August, Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center (SARRC) introduced a new version of its Think Autism mobile app. Formerly called Think Asperger’s, the app was developed for parents, educators, and medical professionals to use with children ages 8 to 13. Its main feature is the Social Challenges Screening Questionnaire, which parents and professionals…
An Autism Nature Trail, at Letchworth State Park in upstate New York, will open this fall, thanks to a group of volunteers who worked together over several years to create and build the trail. Every feature of the mile-long trail was designed with neurodiversity in mind, from the type of stone chosen for the steps…
On July 7, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the appointments of new and returning members to the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC). As described in an HHS press release, the committee helps to set priorities for federally funded autism research and services, coordinates federal activities concerning autism spectrum disorder, and…
