Autism is significantly more common in boys than in girls. This skewed sex ratio has been recognized since the first cases of autism were described in the 1940s. The exact reasons for the ratio remain unclear. It could be rooted in biological differences between the sexes. Or, some experts say, it m…

Engineers at De Montfort University have found an ingenious and inexpensive way of creating prosthetics. These engineers ground regular plastic bottles down and created polyester yarns from them. They then proceeded to create sockets that join prosthetic limbs to the body. Through this project, t…

High intelligence, as measured by intelligence quotient (IQ), typically predicts good scores on tests of memory, facial recognition and other cognitive functions. This trend does not apply to children with autism, suggests a new study1. The study, published 7 October in PLoS One, shows that children…

By Austin John Jones Last time I talked about an “Over-Fascination with Certain Subjects That Everyone Else Thinks Are Dumb Or Pointless.” Another thing like that is when you do things over and over again. A lot. Getting up in the morning, taking your medication, listening to the same song over and…

Helen Wallace-Iles explains different types of empathy and dispels myths about autism and empathy. By Helen Wallace-Iles So many of the general public believe that autistic people don’t feel empathy towards others, so this post is designed to help set the record straight. First of all, what is empat…

Autism is usually identified by doctors during childhood, but a growing number of people are now being diagnosed with the condition in adulthood. A later diagnosis can be challenging because many intellectually able adults have developed ‘compensatory’ psychological strategies for coping with their …

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

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) of course affected premiums and insurance purchasing in the United States. It guaranteed people with pre-existing conditions could buy health coverage and allowed children to stay on parents’ plans until age 26. But the roughly 2,000-page bill also included a host of ot…

The Art of Autism prefers Autism Acceptance Month The month of April is Autism Awareness Month. April 2 has been designated by the United Nations as World Autism Awareness Day. This year their focus is on “assistive technologies, active participation.” Here are some suggestions for incre…

The rescue mentality, the resistance to innovation, and the self-serving “we know what’s best” is ultimately preventing people with disabilities from more individualized supports that could lead to more inclusive lives in our communities. By Dale DiLeo If you are unfamiliar with the term “ableism”,…

By Maverick L. Crawford III Maverick talks candidly about being diagnosed with an intellectual disability and autism. His is an inspirational story of rising above his abuse and homelessness to find his personal strength and triumph. I remembered how awkward I appeared to be compared to my other si…

Our autism anchors, Raphael Bernier and James Mancini, nominate candidates for the hottest topic in autism research in 2017. Runners-up include biological markers in the brain, adults with autism, genetics and its counterpart — the environment. In the end, Mancini and Bernier cede to their guest, Li…

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

Every child, every family situation and every parent is different but we can connect to autism through authentic stories like the indie film, A Boy Called Po. Inspired by one family’s journey with autism, we glimpse into the life of Po, an autistic boy and his father. In 2016, the film made its debu…