What is it like to raise two children who share an autism diagnosis, but who may have very different symptoms and needs?
Environmental factors and autism
Identical twins have identical genes, but sometimes only one may have autism. What affects the way our genes function?
We hear a lot about DNA, but what is this molecule, really, and what can it tell us about autism?
Watch a video of an online seminar about the environmental risk factors for autism, with epidemiologist Craig Newschaffer, PhD, of the A. J. Drexel Autism Institute.
The different subtypes of autism became a hot topic of discussion in 2017. What did autism researchers learn? Read the Autism Science Foundation's year in review.
Researchers have identified an unusual risk for a child developing autism: his mother’s diabetes. Several studies found that pregnant women with diabetes – including the temporary kind – had a higher risk of delivering a child with autism than mothers who weren't diabetic.
Science saw big advances in 2015 like new numbers on how many people have autism and how early they are diagnosed, as well major legislative changes which provide money for autism research. There were also scientific advances that moved the needle towards improvements to understanding autism and helping those who are affected.
Comedian Jerry Seinfeld stepped into a minefield when he diagnosed himself as being on the autism spectrum – "on a very drawn out scale." He complained of problems with social engagement and understanding figures of speech. Were these faint whispers of autism he described similar to the Broad Autism Phenotype?
You have a child with autism to raise, school programs to consider, and behavior to manage. Why should you care about autism research?
Parents are bombarded with stories that say autism is linked to a smorgasbord of things, from mom's age to air pollution. How do we make sense of this?