Two weeks ago, Spectrum covered the International Society for Autism Research conference, which was held virtually for obvious reasons. There was a solid showing of null results in the meeting’s mammoth abstract book — 874 pages — and I hope some of them make their way to peer review, publication an…

According to WHO, there are 285 million people worldwide that are visually impaired and 90% of this population lives in poverty. It goes without saying that visually impaired people face challenges on a daily basis. However, it is also refreshing to see makers and individuals out there building solu…

The girl's IEP stated that she was supposed to have adult supervision in the restroom. The post Family Sues After Photo of Autistic Child Was Taken in School Bathroom and Posted on Social Media appeared first on The Autism Site News. Source: The Autism Site

Interview by Jenny BristolIllustration by Rebecca Burgess Abby Brooke is an autistic woman living in Kenya who walks long distances, often hundreds or thousands of kilometers, to raise awareness and acceptance of autism. She also works hard to educate families on what it means to be autistic, all…

Autistic boys and men show notable differences in brain development, according to magnetic resonance imaging scans taken over a 16-year period. The results, published in NeuroImage in April, build on an eight-year study of some of the same people and add two more time points to the previous three. “…

"You can't just take a family pet--somebody's animal--and dump him like that, and then just think that that's okay." The post Disgruntled Neighbor Steals Family’s Dog & Dumps Him In Another State appeared first on The Autism Site News. Source: The Autism Site

"When Father Jim sings Ben's favorite song, 'God Bless America,' it is amazing to see the smile spread across Ben's face." The post Virtual Concerts Help Young Man with Autism Stay Connected While Unable to Go to Church appeared first on The Autism Site News. Source: The Autism Site

Researchers have defined a change in score of about 4.5 points on a popular autism rating scale as a mark of meaningful improvement — a measure that could help scientists gauge the effectiveness of autism treatments in clinical trials. A lack of robust tools or consensus on what signifies a clinical…

A humorous look at autism. By Englebert Lau 1.) Repetitive habits that only make sense to you Girl: “That’s weird.” Guy: “What’s weird?” Girl: “You always eat food in the same order. Steak, then potatoes, then vegetables.” Guy: “That makes perfect sense. You have to eat steak when it’s warm. P…

This device could help keep thousands of people safe when they wander off. The post GPS SmartSoles Designed to Help Track People with Alzheimer’s or Autism Who Tend to Wander appeared first on The Autism Site News. Source: The Autism Site

An autism-linked mutation could make the brain grow unusually big by prompting cells to express a “don’t eat me” signal, according to a new study. Immune cells called microglia prune unhealthy or unneeded brain cells by consuming them. But lab-grown brain cells with a deletion in the chromosomal reg…

The Alzheimer’s Association’s Minnesota-North Dakota Chapter and Edgewood Healthcare will present a series of virtual programs designed to shed light on Alzheimer’s disease and dementia beginning in May and continuing through July 2021. The “Six Million Reasons” educational series is open to all and…

From time to time, you’ll see videos of people in silly costumes running a marathon, whether it’s someone... The post Man in Heavy Bear Suit Walks 500 Miles to Raise Money for Autism Foundation appeared first on The Autism Site News. Source: The Autism Site

An Attitude of Gratitude By Becca Lori Hector Of all the things that come out of my mouth while teaching, the one that makes me roll my eyes at myself the most is when I talk about having an ‘attitude of gratitude’. It’s cute. It’s rhymes. It’s memorable, but it’s also lost all its power from …