Autism News

Online magazine The Edge - the World Question Center asked over 120 scientists, futurists, and other interesting minds "What do you believe, even though you can't prove it?" Here is what Simon Baron-Cohen, of the Autism Research Centre, had to say.

Read on...

NewsTimesLocal reports:

Sit and talk with Larry Baker, and you notice how bright and articulate he is. He has an incredible memory, and can tell you about many experiences he had as a very young child. He might interrupt you a bit, but he will apologize afterward.

Larry has Asperger's Syndrome, a condition that disrupts a person's understanding of the world in subtle but disabling ways. It took years for specialists to accurately diagnose...

US News and World Report has an article about the mystery of Autism:

eurologists and parents desperately want to unlock the mystery of autism, a brain disorder that strikes as many as 5 of every 1,000 children and causes difficulty in communication, socialization, and learning. Numerous theories have been offered to explain the baffling disease, including genetic causes, environmental factors, and an attack on the brain by an immune system...

We are pleased to announce a couple of updates to our site! First, I'd like to announce the new "Testimonials" section of the website. Second, I'd like to point everyone's attention to a forum thread about Archmage's proposal for the Government of Wrongplanet.net. You need to be a registered member to read information in the members only forum. Thanks everyone!

Science Daily Reports:

Most children with autism show developmental differences early in life, usually involving their ability to communicate. But new University of Michigan research examines the 20 to 40 percent of youngsters who appear to develop communication skills, then regress.

The Telegraph carries this AP story:

One of two girls accused of making a cake tainted with bleach and other substances and serving it to classmates cannot blame her actions on an autism-related condition, a school committee has ruled.

The girl's - both 13 - face charges including aggravated assault for allegedly baking a cornbread cake made with bleach, glue, Tabasco sauce and other substances that was given to students at East Cobb Middle...

The New York Times has an article describing the problems with diagnosing psychiatric disorders. For instance, the diagnosis of Asperger's syndrome, a variant of autism, was pulled from a collection of disorders previously labeled Pervasive Personality Disorder Not Otherwise Specified.

Much is at stake in whether a condition is elevated to the status of a full-fledged diagnosis. Because no laboratory tests or other objective criteria exist...

Doctor Group Opposes Mandatory Mental Health Tests:

Under new law being considered, the federal government would require that every child in America undergo psychological screening and receive recommended treatment, including drug therapies.

Next week the Senate re-convenes to consider an omnibus appropriations bill that includes funding for grants to implement mandatory universal mental health screening for almost 60 million children,...

Yahoo News Reports:

D-cycloserine, a drug that has shown to reduce symptoms in schizophrenics, appears to significantly improve social and communication skills in children with autism, according to the results of a small pilot study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

Medical News Today reports::

Autism could be caused by an immune system reaction which causes the brain to swell, say researchers at John Hopkins University School of Medicine, USA. If this is so, we may one day be able to create a test for autism, and perhaps even develop treatment to prevent it.

Unfortunately, we cannot diagnose autism until it has already developed in the person - the earliest diagnosis takes place in the second year of...