Posts by julie

Teens With Autism Avoid Email, Social Media

Researchers from University of Missouri and Washington University have found that autistic teens tend to avoid social activities when online. The study, which targeted teens with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) ages 13 to 16, found that while they enjoyed playing computer or video games, they were less likely to use communication applications such as chat, Facebook or email. It was also found that others with intellectual disabilities were more likely to use the internet as a social tool than their autistic counterparts.

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Teens With Autism Avoid Email, Social Media

Institutions To Close Under Deal With Feds

Under the settlement announced Thursday, Virginia will make fundamental changes to its developmental disabilities system to greatly expand community living options for those currently living in state facilities and individuals at risk for institutionalization. Officials said the settlement, which came as the result of an extensive Justice Department investigation, is expected to impact over 5,000 Virginia residents with disabilities. Implementation of the deal will be overseen by an independent monitor.Under the settlement announced Thursday, Virginia will make fundamental changes to its developmental disabilities system to greatly expand community living options for those currently living in state facilities and individuals at risk for institutionalization.

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Institutions To Close Under Deal With Feds

Study Hints At Why Some Outgrow Autism Diagnosis

A new study is helping to explain why the diagnosis sticks around for some and not others.Researchers looked at parent-reported data on more than 1,300 children ages 3 to 17 with a current or previous autism diagnosis.According to the study published on monday online in the journal Pediatrics. the two groups of children apart was whether or not a child had other co-occurring psychiatric or developmental disorders in addition to autism, the researchers found.In fact, those who retained their autism diagnosis as they got older were more likely to have two or more co-occurring conditions.The other conditions affecting kids who retained an autism diagnosis often included learning disabilities, developmental delay, speech problems, anxiety and seizures.This can also be true in the opposite direction, in which a child might have been diagnosed with an ASD because of the presence of common ASD co-occurring conditions or diagnoses and then was later reclassified as not having an ASD.

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Study Hints At Why Some Outgrow Autism Diagnosis

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