Author: Autism Today News.

Raheem Akingbolu Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO) has raised the bar in its support for Autism with the 2023 GTCO Autism Conference and follow-up consultations. This year’s conference is themed “Empowering Voices for Autism” to promote inclusivity and self-advocacy for persons on the Autism Spectrum.  An offshoot of the Orange Ribbon Initiative, the GTCO Autism Conference has grown to become a reference point for autism advocacy and intervention in Africa, providing support and empowerment to thousands of people with neuro developmental disorders.  For Nigeria, the conference will hold on the 24th and 25th of July at the Muson Centre,…

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kara Nash, ASDCS, RN. Kara is the founder of The Autistic Autism Consultant and works with people on the autism spectrum, as well as educating others about what it’s like to live with autism. She’s presented at regional Autism conferences, schools, churches, law enforcement agencies, as well as to therapists and medical providers. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kara below. Kara, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we…

A study from the University of California San Diego reveals that differences in brain development associated with autism begin in utero, with larger and faster-growing brain cortical organoids in autistic toddlers correlating with more severe symptoms. This research opens new avenues for understanding and potentially treating autism. Researchers at the University of California San Diego discovered that an unusually large brain could be the first sign of autism, potentially detectable as early as the first trimester. Some children with autism face severe, enduring challenges including developmental delays, social difficulties, and possibly an inability to speak. Meanwhile, others may have milder…

By Kaitlin Hoskins, News Editor When Mamta Mishra’s son Parag was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), she felt alone and unsure where to begin. She prayed daily and she did everything she knew to do. She relied on her husband for support and slowly began building a tribe of people who would be there for her and her son. That was over 20 years ago. Now, Mishra has a degree in special education and is an outspoken advocate for people with ASD. Her goal is to bring awareness to the amazing things people with ASD can do if they…

The phrase “autism treatment” can cause quite a controversy in the autism community. At one time, autism was viewed as something “wrong” with a person that needed to be cured. As more research has been done, we’ve learned much more about autism and see neurodivergence differently.  Research has provided incredible resources for parents and guardians of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). There is now a plethora of information available to help guide guardians to the correct path for their child. While therapies and medications have gone a long way in “treating” autism, we’ve learned that autism doesn’t need to…

TANZANIA: In 1911, when German Psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler coined the concept of autism to describe a symptom of the most severe cases of schizophrenia, a concept he had also created, nobody had it in mind that people with the ailment would be associated with social communication and interaction. As time went by the World Autism Organisation (abbreviated WAO) was initiated and as an international organization it was dedicated to improving the quality of life of people with autism and their families. Since then a lot has occurred and on 2nd-3rd December, Tanzania is set to host the International Conference for…

The Phoenix Elementary School District this school year consolidated its autism program onto one campus: Emerson Elementary School, which serves pre-K through eighth grade students, in Phoenix’s Coronado neighborhood near downtown.The district had a need to “create a core location” for its autism program, said Alicia Zelvis, the district’s student services director. Emerson is a “supportive and peaceful environment” for autistic students, she said, citing the campus’s garden areas. More than 50 of the school’s 311 students are part of its autism program. In the fall, Emerson is planning to add a seventh autism program classroom for kindergarteners. “It’s easier to offer…

Great strides have been made in the past few years towards embracing the inherent challenges and discoveries made about the different degrees of autism. Targeted diets, advanced educator training, multitudes of periodical resources and specialized mainstream community mentor programs are all available to lend support. However, it is technology in the classroom that has propelled so many where there has never been the same capability before. These advancements are an exciting and example of what is to come in the future, bringing autism education to a whole new level. The Right Track It’s important to know that, as a parent…

Often it is difficult to diagnose autism in children because of wide variations in the type and severity of symptoms, which we call spectrum. So there is not one test that can diagnose this neurological and development disorder in children. Also, because of overlapping symptoms with other behavioural disorders, early diagnosis within the first few years gets delayed. But now a recent study shows that it can be diagnosed with gut bacteria. What the study found It tracked gut microbiota or gut microbiome, which are microorganisms, including bacteria, fungus, virus and their genes that live in our digestive tract. Researchers…

Summary: Researchers are exploring how fever can temporarily improve autism symptoms. They aim to understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms behind this “fever effect” to develop therapies that mimic it.Their research focuses on the immune molecule IL-17a, which has shown promise in animal studies. By creating a biobank of samples from individuals with and without autism, the team hopes to translate these findings into effective treatments.Key Facts:Fever Effect: Fever can temporarily improve autism symptoms, prompting research into mimicking this effect.Immune Focus: The immune molecule IL-17a is a key factor in this improvement, as shown in animal studies.New Therapies: Researchers aim…