A camera embedded in a pair of eyeglasses can reliably gauge a child’s tendency to look another person in the eye1. A tendency to avoid looking at others’ eyes is a hallmark of autism and may appear in infancy — years before clinicians can diagnose the condition. Recordings from the new device may e…

The post Spotted around the web: Week of 17 June 2019 appeared first on Spectrum | Autism Research News. Source: Spectrum News

The decisions of many consumers are influenced by what they read in the newspaper or on the Internet and hear about on television or radio. It is our belief that access to effective treatment for the autism community is enhanced by accurate representations of autism treatment by these…

Brad and Bryan Manning were diagnosed with Stargardt disease when they were very little. Since then, they have been known as the blind brothers. Stargardt is a form of macular degeneration that causes a person to lose their central vision, keeping their peripheral vision intact.  However, t…

A new method for mining sequencing data reveals single-letter swaps in the genetic code within large duplications of DNA. The method, described 2 November in BMC Genomics, may let researchers more thoroughly assess the genetic rearrangements that contribute to autism1. Many people with autism have d…

People who carry risk factors for autism but do not have the condition tend to have fewer children — and have them later in life — than do people at lower risk, according to a new study1. The study of more than 90,000 people focuses on common genetic variants, which occur in at least 1 p…

People who have mutations in a gene called PHF21A tend to have a constellation of traits and conditions, including autism, according to a new study1. PHF21A encodes a protein that is part of a massive complex that binds to DNA. The gene’s exact function is unknown, but studies suggest it prevents ne…

Brody's mom didn't even have to explain his disorder to Snow White. She knew just what to do.Source: The Autism Site

This week, Leanne Page M.Ed, BCBA, answers a parent’s question on creating effective token economies.   This piece originally appeared on bsci21.org. “Dear Behavior BFF, I’ve tried using a token economy and it helped for a little while. But lately my son has told me that he doesn’t want to ea…

“I was exhausted, embarrassed and very overwhelmed but you showed us so much love, understanding and support."Source: The Autism Site

Four new techniques expand the repertoire of the gene-editing tool CRISPR. The improvements make it easier to check the results, expand the method’s potential targets and even ease features of diabetes or other conditions in mice. One team of researchers developed a version of CRISPR that cuts DNA o…

By Nils Skudra The ABC miniseries “The Good Doctor,” which has become an extremely popular television show of late, features the English actor Freddie Highmore as Shaun Murphy, a young medical genius with “high-functioning autism” and Savant Syndrome. In the TV Series, Shawn is hired at …

Autistic Health Care Advocacy By Ann Oldendorf, MD I am a retired urologist and a mom who will never retire. My two children are now young adults, but they continue to seek my guidance as they learn their new roles in society. My son, who is the eldest, was diagnosed with autism at age 3 in 1999. So…

There was nothing in the mail, nor even an email ping to alert Kristin Hook that she would no longer receive a paycheck. Hook is not a government employee; she’s a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Maryland, College Park. But her work on sperm evolution is funded by the National Science Found…