Everyone needed support during the pandemic, but families affected by autismneeded special support. This included siblings. Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital tried out an intervention around stress and anxiety reduction in siblings in 2020. Not only was it liked, it worked. It didn’t completely eliminate stress and anxiety, nothing would, but it did help siblings manage a little better. Can it work outside the pandemic? There are certainly other situations where siblings could use a little more support.
There have been more than a few podcasts lately about why intellectual abilities (or disability) are important in understanding ASD. It will probably be a theme in the end of year summary. This week, intellectual ability affects risk of dying from COVID and how anxiety is measured. Some studies show that increasing cognitive ability increases chances of having anxiety, although, because it is not always measured appropriately in those with intellectual disability, this linear relationship may not hold. However, while it is important in anxiety and COVID, it may have less to do with how pain is expressed. Podcast links below:
If you want to register for the December 9thwebinar about the COVID Vaccine:
These are extraordinary times. We all need to lean into each other and help each other out during this emergency. Today’s podcast is a list of good advice and ideas that we have pulled from various sources, as well as scientifically valid ways of alleviating extra anxiety because of the current situation. It isn’t meant to solve all your problems, but maybe it can solve part of one. The National Council on Severe Autism will also be hosting a “share and care” that hopefully will allow everyone to share what they are doing that works, and ask from others how they are handling the situation. You can register here: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5189740368572667405
These are extraordinary times. We all need to lean into each other and help each other out during this emergency. Today’s podcast is a list of good advice and ideas that we have pulled from various sources, as well as scientifically valid ways of alleviating extra anxiety because of the current situation. It isn’t meant to solve all your problems, but maybe it can solve part of one. The National Council on Severe Autism will also be hosting a “share and care” that hopefully will allow everyone to share what they are doing that works, and ask from others how they are handling the situation. You can register here: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5189740368572667405
Two studies missed last year (sorry) but are of importance to the autism community include a modified version of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to treat anxiety, which was adapted and updated for people with ASD. It also works better than traditional CBT, which is good news for the 80% of people with ASD that also suffer from anxiety. Also, in recognition of MLK day today, the CDC released information last year that shows that 1/4 of those that they counted in their prevalence numbers were missed by schools or other health care providers. Unfortunately, those who were black or hispanic were more likely to be those that were missed but still met criteria. This just shows that educators have to do better in helping those with ASD from all racial and ethnic backgrounds.
Mental health disorders are a serious problem across the lifespan in people with autism. This has been shown by over 2 decades of research and further proven by a new meta analysis and a systematic review of the last 25 years of data. What is the result of these mental health disorder co-morbidities? Many times, these mental health disorders trigger a crisis situation: the police are called, someone goes to the hospital, may end up hospitalized, and family members are traumatized. This week’s podcast summarizes the evidence and provides recommendations from scientists to help those with autism and possibly prevent crises from occurring.
There were a number of exciting advances in scientific understanding autism in 2018. These include things that we know to be true, and know to be not true. Researchers made progress in identifying subgroups of ASD, defining biological markers, and developing interventions. There were also research that demonstrates that while autism is a spectrum itself, it is also part of a bigger spectrum of neurodevelopmental disorders from anxiety to ADHD to OCD. Therefore, the approaches to these other conditions may be applicable to ASD. In addition, there may be more similarities than differences in the biological features of these conditions.
This is just a sampling of the exciting research presented on this year’s Year in Review. You can also read the full summary, complete with references, HERE.
This week’s headlines were focused on the new prevalence numbers of 1:40. They were not calculated using the same method as the 1:59 number, so should not be compared. In addition to looking at just prevalence, this survey identified a major problem for families, which is unmet mental health needs. Those with autism have higher unmet mental health needs than those with ADHD, anxiety or depression. Again, there is something unique about an autism diagnosis which poses a challenge to accessing care. In addition, a new summary paper outlined what needs to be done to better study regression in autism. The rate may be higher than you think if a new definition of regression is used.
Happy MLK day – a day when we recognize a man for his contribution in justice, tolerance, equality and service, I highlight a supreme court case which affects how those with special needs are fighting for justice and equality. Also, over the holidays, Dr. Connor Kerns from Drexel University published how a new tool to diagnose anxiety in those with autism was validated, setting the stage for its use by physicians and clinicians who don’t have a lot of experience with autism to help better understand the symptoms of their patients.
During IMFAR, a study was presented that showed that women with very high levels of folate during pregnancy showed an increased risk of having a child with autism. The media took this to mean that taking too many prenatal vitamins caused autism. ugh. This week, those findings are discussed. Also published this week is a well-designed, long awaited study which examines the theory that too little folate in the central nervous system is the culprit behind autism. Too little folate in the brain is not the culprit, and too much in the blood may be coincidental to something else causing autism. It’s important to have a balance so don’t hesitate to take a prenatal if you are trying to get pregnant.
Also, because you may be IMFAR’d out – we highlight the exciting findings that cognitive behavioral therapy for treating anxiety in people with ASD is not only effective in clinical settings, but in school settings. This has implications people with ASD in special needs classrooms who need treatments for anxiety.
