Author: Autism Today News.

When autistic children transition into early adulthood, they lose access to many of the services and benefits provided by pediatric practices. From the age of 18 onward, these individuals and their families must navigate a healthcare system that is not fully prepared to serve their unique needs — and even less equipped to address the challenges of aging autistic adults. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 1 out of 45 adults in the U.S. — or about 5.4 million people aged 18 or older — has autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This data was released in…

He had beaten more than 19,000 applicants for a place at medical school, yet Khurram Sadiq was now bunking off his hospital shifts. The 19-year-old felt inexplicably anxious around strangers on the wards and was hiding from his own patients.During lectures he couldn’t focus on what he was being taught. He deemed himself “a goof, a dunce” in contrast to his peers. Sadiq couldn’t motivate himself to revise for his exams and instead found himself panic reading textbooks in the final days. He passed his undergraduate pre-medical exams by the skin of his teeth.That was 30 years ago. In the decades…

Register for free to listen to this article Thank you. Listen to this article using the player above. ✖ Want to listen to this article for FREE? Complete the form below to unlock access to ALL audio articles. Dungeons and Dragons is a hugely popular roleplaying game enjoyed by millions of people all over the world, both in person and online, every day.However, new research has found it could be particularly beneficial for people with autism, giving them a safe space to engage in social interactions away from some of the challenges they face in their daily lives.The study, published in…

INDIANAPOLIS — This week Chuck E. Cheese restaurants announced plans to continue their tradition of hosting sensory sensitivity hours and days at their restaurants nationwide. The annual events are held in line with World Autism Month in April. On April 2, select Chuck E. Cheese restaurants will open two hours early, from 9 – 11 a.m., for a time dedicated for children with autism and sensory needs. Specifically, the locations at 5501 E 82nd St, Indianapolis, IN 46250 and 8804 South US 31, Indianapolis, IN 46227 will hold these events. The month culminates on April 30 with all 460 Chuck…

Paul Walsh, CEO of the Autism Society. The Autism Society is continuing to advocate to make respite care more broadly available to families who need it. Executive Director Paul Walsh says families who require respite care have a lot of paperwork to go through when the process should be far less onerous. “They have to set up as an employer, they have to find the person, they have to do the interviews. It’s a very intense process. And then, you can’t be guaranteed that the person is going to stay.” Walsh says what the Autism Society has been pushing for…

The Malinauskas Labor Government today launched South Australia’s first State Autism Strategy which sets out a five-year roadmap for government to help improve the lives of Autistic people of all ages and their families. The SA Autism Strategy 2024-2029 was launched by Premier Peter Malinauskas at Adelaide Zoo this morning and signals another significant milestone in the State Government’s journey to becoming a world leader in autism inclusion.The launch fulfills an election commitment by the Malinauskas Labor Government to develop the State’s first Autism Strategy – a Strategy where the voices, goals and aspirations of South Australia’s Autistic and autism…

Donald Trump’s wife and former First Lady of the United States, Melania Trump, in her upcoming book revealed that her son was subjected to bullying amid autism rumours. This development follows comedian Rosie O’Donnell’s remark that Barron Trump, Melania and Donald Trump’s only son, “may have autism”.Addressing the speculations linked to autism, that adversely impacted the then 10-year-old boy, Melania Trump wrote, “Barron’s experience of being bullied both online and in real life following the incident is a clear indication of the irreparable damage caused,” the New York Times reported citing excerpt from her book.Lashing out at Donald Trump’s staunch…

A virus common in newborn babies may increase their risk of developing autism, a study suggests. By examining medical records of nearly 3million infants, researchers found those born with cytomegalovirus (CMV) were two-and-a-half times more likely to be diagnosed with autism in their lives than children without CMV. This seemingly harmless cold-like bug affects roughly one in every 200 babies, and is the most common infection present at birth in the US.Yet doctors don’t currently screen for the common virus, which is passed from pregnant women to their fetus in the womb. The above graphic shows statistics on the proportion of newborns who…

These comments are available as a PDF here. The Autistic Self Advocacy Network appreciates the opportunity to submit comments for the April 17, 2024, IACC meeting. In our last comments to the IACC, ASAN provided feedback on the Report to Congress, the Summary of Research, and the 2023 Strategic Plan and laid out a vision for future research priorities for the IACC to consider. Our comment will focus on the recently-published  2019-2020 IACC Autism Research Portfolio Analysis Report and the GAO Report titled Autism Research and Support Services: Federal Interagency Coordination and Monitoring Efforts Could Be Further Strengthened. ASAN urges…

Autism Alliance of Michigan (AAoM) was founded with the vision that people with autism will lead lives that meet their greatest potential. AAoM leads efforts to raise expectations and expand opportunities for people touched by autism across the lifespan. The conference will include four break-out sessions offering a choice among 15 different topics.The Autism Alliance of Michigan (AAoM) will host its first “Navigating Autism Today Conference” of the year on Friday, March 8 at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi. Presented by the Children’s Foundation, the conference begins with registration and breakfast.   The biannual conference’s mission is to provide…