Latest Pervasive developmental disorders Stories

Connie K. Ho for redOrbit.com – Your Universe Online Researchers from deCODE Genetics, an Icelandic firm, recently discovered that a father’s age is connected to an increased risk of autism and schizophrenia. The study states that random mutations can become more prevalent with increased paternal age. According to Bloomberg Businessweek, it is the first report by scientists that quantifies the effect of the disorders. The findings were published recently in the online edition of the...

LaMarche shares her expertise on the topic of mainstreaming children with special needs into traditional classroom settings. Columbus, OH (PRWEB) August 16, 2012 Michele LaMarche, BCBA, founder and executive director of Step By Step Academy, a leading provider of integrated behavioral intervention, education, and related services designed to support the ongoing needs of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), served as a guest speaker this month for a segment on 90.3 WCPN...

Central Ohio nonprofit dedicated to treating the affects of Autism Spectrum Disorder launches new program to increase participant’s proficiency in daily living skills, such as personal care, cooking, cleaning and planning for personal wants and needs. Worthington, OH (PRWEB) August 03, 2012 Step By Step Academy, a highly regarded nonprofit autism treatment center in Columbus, Ohio, today announced the addition of its Adult Day Program to its continuum of care. The new adult day program,...

Researchers at Emory University School of Medicine have identified five rare mutations in a single gene that appear to increase the chances that a boy will develop an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Mutations in the AFF2 gene, and other genes like it on the X chromosome, may explain why autism spectrum disorders affect four times as many boys as girls. The mutations in AFF2 appeared in 2.5 percent (5 out of 202) boys with an ASD. Mutations in X chromosome genes only affect boys, who...

If scientists can find distinctive patterns of chemicals in the urine of children with autism, a diagnostic test based on biology -- so far elusive -- could be within reach. On her laptop computer one recent afternoon, University at Buffalo researcher Charmion Cruickshank calls up a mass spectrometry readout showing the breakdown of chemicals in the urine of a child with autism. She has similar information for nine other children -- four with the disorder and five without -- and she has...

Central Ohio nonprofit dedicated to treating the affects of Autism Spectrum Disorder adds independent living and social skills program for individuals ages 18 through 25. Columbus, Ohio (PRWEB) July 03, 2012 Step By Step Academy, a highly regarded nonprofit autism treatment center in Columbus, Ohio, today announced the addition of a young adult independent living and social skills program to its continuum of care offerings for individuals ages 18 through 25 who are affected by Autism...

Schizophrenia or bipolar disorder in first-degree relatives, such as parents or siblings, may be associated with increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to a report published Online First by Archives of General Psychiatry, a JAMA Network publication. Patrick F. Sullivan, M.D., F.R.A.N.Z.C.P, of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and colleagues used population registers in Sweden and Israel to examine whether a family history of schizophrenia, bipolar...

Connie K. Ho for redOrbit.com – Your Universe Online According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), roughly 1 in 88 children have been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). With these shocking statistics, more and more research has been conducted on the disorder. Two notable findings were recently announced by a group of researchers from University of North Carolina School of Medicine, the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and the University of...

Lawrence LeBlond for redOrbit.com - Your Universe Online At least three genetic mutations found in the human brain have been linked to enlarged brain size (megalencephaly) and a number of disorders, including cancer, epilepsy and autism, according to new research led by Seattle Children’s Research Institute. The mutations were found in the genes AKT3, PIK3R2 and PIK3CA. The mutations were also linked to vascular disorders and skin growth disorders, said the researchers. The study,...

The number of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has recently increased to one in 100. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Medicine demonstrates that EEG can distinguish between children with autism and neurotypical controls. Autistic children showed a reduction in short range connectivity indicating poor function of local brain networks, especially in the left hemisphere regions responsible for language. However these children had increased...