IAN Community E-Newsletter - September 8, 2010

Date First Published: September 8, 2010

Contents
Pregnancy, Birth, & ASD
Bullying and ASD
Back to School 2010
"Out of the Blue" Autism

Pregnancy, Birth, and ASD

Are there factors relating to pregnancy or birth that may be associated with having a child with an autism spectrum disorder? Researchers are investigating multiple possibilities, from the influence of medications to the effect of in vitro fertilization, from infections during pregnancy to the use of Pitocin during labor. Read a summary of research on these topics and learn more about IAN's upcoming Pregnancy & Birth Questionnaire here.

Bullying and ASD

Bullying is a problem for many children, but those with an autism spectrum disorder can be particularly vulnerable. What makes children with ASD "perfect targets"? On the other hand, what can contribute to a child with ASD being labeled as a bully?

Learn more.

Back to School Report 2010

It's that time again. As moms and dads scour stores for school supplies and shoes that fit children another year older, we update our IAN data on the experience of children with ASD at school. School settings, amount of inclusion, and the use of one-on-one aides are explored.

Read our report.

The Simons Simplex Collection: A Focus on "Out of the Blue" Autism

The IAN Project is partnering with the Simons Foundation, an organization which sponsors research focused on ASDs that do not seem to be inherited, but arise "out of the blue." We are helping to recruit families who have only one child with an ASD and at least one unaffected sibling to take part in the Simons Simplex Collection, a unique effort to create a bank of DNA samples and accompanying family histories. Researchers will be able to use these to study genes, and gene-environment interactions, in autism, providing insight into ASD risk factors, causes, and potential treatments. 

Learn more about this crucial effort.