Autism News

• No Link Found Between Epidural Use and Autism Exposure to epidural analgesia during labor was not associated with subsequent diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder in a population-based cohort study.
  Medscape Medical News, April 20, 2021
• HK Scientist Develops Retinal Scan Technology to Identify Early Childhood Autism A Hong Kong scientist has developed a method to use machine learning and artificial intelligence to scan retinas of children as young as six to detect early autism or the risk of autism and hopes to develop a commercial product this year.
  Reuters Health Information, March 15, 2021
• Positive Topline Results for Novel Autism Drug An intravenous formulation of suramin led to meaningful improvement in several core symptoms of autism, including social and communication difficulties, in a phase 2 study.
  Medscape Medical News, February 09, 2021
• Journal Expresses Concern Over Study of Potential Tx for Autism The article purported to show that the drug ubiquinol could improve the ability of children with autism to communicate with their parents, communicate verbally, play games, and help other behaviors.
  Retraction Watch, January 20, 2021
• Children's Hospitals Grapple With Wave of Mental Illness The increased demand for intensive mental health care that has accompanied the pandemic has worsened issues that have long plagued the system.
  Kaiser Health News, January 07, 2021
• Online Misinformation Fuels a Fight Over Folic Acid Low folate has been linked to birth defects, but some practitioners are urging pregnant women to avoid supplements.
  Undark, January 04, 2021
• Two Genes in Prefrontal Cortex Implicated in PTSD A postmortem analysis of brain tissue from people diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder revealed that two genes in the prefrontal cortex, ELFN1 and UBA7, play key roles in the condition.
  Reuters Health Information, December 31, 2020
• Brain Stimulation May Help Improve Emotional Regulation Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) could boost the effectiveness of strategies for improving emotional regulation, according to new findings.
  Reuters Health Information, December 28, 2020
• 11-Year-Olds Could Get Vaccines Without Parental Consent in DC Black parents say the law will add to existing distrust of the government and the medical establishment.
  Medscape Medical News, December 24, 2020
• Trusted Messengers May Help Communities Overcome Vaccine Hesitancy 'With long-established partnerships we were uniquely positioned to leverage' trust built up over the years between Mayo Clinic experts and their community partners, said Minnesota doctor Mark Wieland.
  Kaiser Health News, December 17, 2020
• Youth Depression Tied to a Wide Range of Illnesses, Early Death Depression experienced early in life may carry the risk for a surprising number of illnesses and premature death later in life.
  Medscape Medical News, December 17, 2020
• Pediatricians Want Kids To Be Part of COVID Vaccine Trials Although most pediatricians believe the eventual vaccination of children will be crucial to subduing the COVID-19 virus, they're split on how fast to move toward that, says Dr James Campbell.
  Kaiser Health News, December 15, 2020
• Autism Screening Tool Shows Promise in Low-Literacy Groups A visually based screening tool for autism-spectrum disorder (ASD) works well in low-literacy groups, according to a new validation study.
  Reuters Health Information, December 10, 2020
• Pediatrician's License Suspended in Oregon Over Vaccines The Oregon Medical Board has suspended the license of Dr. Paul Thomas, citing multiple cases in which he allegedly failed to adequately vaccinate patients.
  Associated Press, December 10, 2020
• Employers Decide Whether to Report Healthcare Worker Deaths Workplace safety regulators have given employers broad discretion to decide internally whether to report worker deaths. Scores of deaths were not reported to occupational safety officials.
  Kaiser Health News, November 30, 2020
• Immunodeficiency Strongly Linked to Mental Illness, Suicidality Results of new study point to a link between antibody dysfunction and psychiatric disorders, including suicidal behavior.
  Medscape Medical News, November 23, 2020
• Newborn Hearing Test Promising for Early Detection of Autism A commonly used newborn hearing test shows promise in the early detection of autism spectrum disorder, new research shows.
  Medscape Medical News, November 17, 2020
• More Bad News for Valproate in Pregnancy A large study with a relatively long follow-up found increased risk not only for autism but also for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in kids whose moms took valproate in early pregnancy.
  Medscape Medical News, November 02, 2020
• ICNA-CNS 2020 CBD for LGS: Fewer Seizures, Increased Thrombocytopenia Risk Two recent analyses of highly purified cannabidiol (CBD) used to reduce seizures in Lennox Gastaut syndrome (LGS) have shown it is effective in reducing seizures for 3 years.
  Medscape Medical News, October 23, 2020
• The Ally in the Waiting Room The waiting room is where a patient's loved ones often are and they, sometimes more than anyone, can unlock the path to a patient's quicker recovery.
  Medscape Medical News, October 23, 2020