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Help for symptoms of anxiety in autism and understanding very early signs of autism in girls

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About 40% of individuals with autism experience symptoms of anxiety. Despite this, clinicians still treat anxiety in autism the same way they treat anxiety in people without autism because there has not been enough research.  However, this week a new study was published which reviews and summarizes almost a dozen studies on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in autism, showing that it is effective when given in group and individual sessions.  Also, I talk to Dr. Clare Harrop from UCLA about why it isn’t enough to study people with autism at just younger ages or at older ages, and what types of research is needed.

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Targeting environmental chemicals in neurodevelopmental disorders

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This week a group of experts met to build consensus around the effects of environmental chemicals on the developing brain. Autism was part of this discussion. And a new large-scale study shows that c-sections do not cause autism, it is something else related to c-sections.

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Who isn’t at risk for having a child with autism?

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The largest study on parental age and autism reveals more age groups at risk for having a child with autism.  So what does this say about a single unitary “cause” for autism?  And is this type of finding specific to ASD or is ASD now a condition that is affected by parental age?  Also, vocational rehabilitation programs that are effective for both men and women with autism.