Joshua Margolis is a clay sculptor who loves to make monsters and robots out of clay. And recently he’s become a children’s book author featuring “Melvin” his sad(ish) robot. He wanted to think more deeply about one of his creations and what he was trying to convey with his work. That was when he st…

Laura and Anna Callwood decided to be farmers when they were 8 years old. Then at age 10, they were diagnosed with autism.Source: The Autism Site

A lot of advancement has been made recently in the field of Brain Computer Interfaces (BCI) where electrodes implanted in a person’s brain can track “thoughts” and send them to a device (like a computer) to either communicate with others or to perform actions. Typically, these impl…

A collection of rare genetic variants associated with autism and schizophrenia also increase a person’s odds of having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to the largest study to explore this link1. Researchers identified eight copy number variants (CNVs) — duplications or del…

Ten tips that can help parents, teachers and caregivers By Samantha Craft Thinking about three autistics, my middle son (age 17), my adult partner, and myself, the following things assist us: 1.Having things out in the open When items are out in the open and I can see them and know there is ‘enoug…

Art of Autism board member Tom Iland will test his knowledge on Wheel of Fortune this Tuesday. Tom has been hooked on the show for 30 years since he was a toddler. “It was quite a shock when Tom put down his Legos, stood in front of the TV and solved the Wheel of Fortune bonus round puzzle, &#…

This week, Different Roads is proud to share some tips from Nancy Hammill and Understood on the dos and don’ts of fidgets, both in the classroom and at home! Fidgets, like squeeze balls and key chains, are self-regulation tools that promote movement and tactile input. They can be great for ki…

Many children with autism have a lot of anxiety as well as extreme sensitivities to light and sound. A new study suggests that fear of the unknown drives both of these features, and hints that helping children who have autism cope with uncertainty could ease some of their symptoms1. The findings sup…

The post Spotted around the web: Week of 24 September 2018 appeared first on Spectrum | Autism Research News. Source: Spectrum News

I have studied autism for almost 50 years now. My focus on the condition was not planned. Rather, it was a product of being in the presence of extraordinary researchers, clinicians and trainees who challenged me to keep evolving as our understanding of autism evolved. The most important factor in my…

I was not part of her inner circle but she was in my heart and I got to thank her a month ago and tell her I loved her. —she was genuine, a true teacher to so many. And giving. By Kimberly Gerry-Tucker The following is an excerpt from my book, with some changes. *** I was taming a steaming pot of w…

“Attention energizes and intention transforms… Whatever you put your attention on will grow stronger in your life. Whatever you take your attention away from will wither, disintegrate and disappear,” Deepak Chopra By Kimberly Gerry-Tucker We are probably all aware of what we wish our futures t…

How many cell types exist in the brain? Two new mouse studies bring scientists a step closer to the answer1,2. The exact number is still elusive, but the studies define hundreds of cell types, including dozens that were previously unknown. The work “provides a real blueprint for the diversity of cel…

Biomedical research costs money. To understand the causes of a health condition or to develop treatments for it, scientists conduct experiments that require expensive reagents and equipment. Research institutions often do not have enough money to fund their staff’s projects, so the scientists apply …