Posts Tagged 'autism and Asperger’s treatment'

Mothers Of Autistic Kids Benefit From Peer-Led Support Groups

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The benefits of group therapy and women’s group sessions are widely known. They help people feel supported and less alone with their problems. Now, new research from Vanderbilt University indicates that peer-led support groups that target the wellbeing of mothers with developmentally disabled children can reduce maternal stress, depression and anxiety.

The mental health of these mothers is critically important since parents of children with autism and other developmental issues experience higher levels of stress, anxiety and depression than mothers ...

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Autistic Children Have Extra Brain Synapses

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Scientists and doctors are continuously studying autism in order to improve the quality of autism and Asperger’s treatment. Columbia University Medical Center recently reported that children and teens with autism have a surplus of synapses in their brains, and the excess is due to a slowing of a normal brain “pruning” process during development. Synapses are the points where neurons connect and communicate with each other, the extra synapses likely have a profound effect on how the brain functions.

A ...

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Why Children With ADHD Sometimes Make Poor Choices

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Children with ADHD certainly aren’t bad children. Still, students with ADHD often make poorer decisions than their classmates. Recent research shows that different learning and decision-making mechanisms are responsible for these behaviors—in other words, it’s simply how their brains are wired. ADHD children who receive behavioral therapy from a child psychiatrist often have the advantage due to learning coping skills.

Everyone makes hundreds of different choices every day, many of them with minimal impact. But for someone with ADHD, it ...

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Autistic Children Are More Likely To Suffer From GI Problems

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The characteristics of autism are mostly behavioral: resistance to being touched, little to no eye contact, issues with social skills and minimal acknowledgement of others. But a new study has confirmed what most parents of autistic children already know: children on the autism spectrum disorder are four times more likely to suffer from gastrointestinal issues than children who are not on the spectrum. The study was done to increase awareness among medical providers and to further the development of Continue Reading →

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Help Your Children Maximize Their Mental Health For The School Year

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As summer vacations across the country come to a close, it’s time for families to prepare for another school year. This typically involves getting school supplies and buying new clothes, but adjustments to their schedules are also in order. In addition to the optimism and excitement your kids will express, they may also feel stress, anxiety and irritation.

Luckily, there are some things you can do to improve the mental health of your children as they prepare for a new school ...

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Scientific Studies Increasingly Back Behavioral Therapy For Autism

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Recent years have shown a dramatic increase in scientific evidence backing the effectiveness of behavioral therapy for children affected by autism, according to the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality. The sooner autistic children begin autism and Asperger’s treatment, the better their odds are for achieving independence later in life.

Amy Weitlauf, a clinical psychologist with the Vanderbilt University Kennedy Center, said there is increasing evidence that early intensive behavioral interventions can be very effective for young children on ...

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Children With Autism And SPD Show Differences in Brain Wiring

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Since over 90% of children with autism also have issues with sensory processing, Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) can be difficult to pinpoint. But researchers have found that children with SPD have decreased structural brain connections in specific sensory regions that are different than those found in autism. Identifying these differences could help with the development of autism and Asperger’s treatment.

The research was published in the journal PLOS ONE and is the first study to compare structural connectivity in the ...

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Autistic Children At Increased Risk For Drowning

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Swimming is a favorite summer activity of almost all children, and it’s a popular way to beat the heat. But water safety concerns are particularly heightened for families of children with autism. Drowning is a leading cause of death for children on the autism spectrum. But there’s no need to keep your autistic child out of the pool. Ask your ...

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Autistic People Are At Increased Risk For Substance Abuse

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The more we learn about the autism spectrum disorder, the more beneficial autism and Asperger’s treatment will be. It has always been believed that people on the autism spectrum are at a low risk for substance abuse. Since they tend to be more reserved and socially withdrawn, they are more likely to avoid substances in the first place, in theory. But new research from the Washington University School of Medicine has found the opposite to be true: in a ...

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Pesticide Exposure During Pregnancy Linked To Autism Risk

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While there have been many theories over the years, the direct causes of autism are unknown. Finding a cause will not only help with prevention, but with furthering autism and Asperger’s treatment. The latest research indicates that children whose mothers are exposed to agricultural pesticides during pregnancy could be at increased risk for autism spectrum disorders, or ASD.

Researchers at the University of California, Davis, looked at the medical records of 970 participants. They discovered that pregnant women who lived ...

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