Clinicians are underdiagnosing autism in children from low-income families and minority groups — setting back their potential to benefit from therapy. That’s the upshot of two studies presented this week at the 2016 International Meeting for Autism Research in Baltimore. In one of the studies, resea…

Out of the incredible diversity of research presented last week at this year’s International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR) in Baltimore, a few themes emerged. One of these was the push for more accurate and inclusive diagnostic measures, with sessions geared toward expanding access to screenin…

A new tool may be more useful than the current gold standard for assessing whether an autism treatment improves social communication, suggest two studies presented Thursday at the 2016 International Meeting for Autism Research in Baltimore. Most behavioral treatments for autism aim to ease problems …

Did you know that the number of legally blind people who can read Braille keeps going down? In the '50s, more than 50% of blind users could read Braille. Now, that number is down to less than 10%. In recent years, many blind children with visual impairment are encouraged to read books with large pri…

Identical twins, who have virtually the same genetic material, show highly similar patterns of eye movements when looking at faces. Fraternal twins, who have about half their genes in common, show less similar gaze patterns. The unpublished findings suggest that social gaze behavior is largely deter…

Trying to do autism research in the Gaza Strip, one of the most politically unstable regions in the world, is an exercise in patience, perseverance — and plenty of courage. As a team of Palestinian researchers discovered, gaining access into the region isn’t even guaranteed. Just 25 miles long and 7…

“I know of nobody who is purely autistic, or purely neurotypical. Even God has some autistic moments, which is why the planets spin,” Jerry Newport, author of Your Life is Not a Label By Ron Sandison Every person experiences fear and anxiety. It’s part what makes us human. Sensory issues…

For many people living with paralysis, spinal cord injuries or other disabilities that don't allow a lot of body movement, a big frustration for them is that they are not able to physically participate with their able bodied family members. Imagine someone who is paralyzed from their neck down, want…

Executive function is a set of mental processes that help us organize, make plans, focus our attention, remember things, and juggle multiple tasks. This week, you can SAVE 15%* on any of our books on executive function in students with autism. Use use our promo code EXECFXN at check-out! Unstuck &a…

Dr. Sharon Mitchell, a mom to an adult son with autism, has worked in schools as a teacher, counselor and consultant for over 30 years. Her Master’s and Doctorate degrees focused on autism and she has shared her insights with thousands through workshops and seminars across the country. Sharon has co…

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A new set of charts shows how brain connections can change as children grow, and indicates that people with attention problems have altered patterns of brain connections1. The atlas could serve as a reference for identifying problems with attention in young children. Up to 80 percent of children wit…

We know of several assistive technology solutions that help blind people navigate out on the streets, detect objects for them, and enable them to perform daily actions through apps. These technologies are good for being self sufficient, however, what happens when that blind person is in a social sit…

Activity in the social brain circuit can distinguish a boy with autism from a typically developing boy with 76 percent accuracy, according to a new study1. This brain signature may also offer a way to track boys’ progress with behavioral treatments. The study extends a 2010 report by the same team, …