The latest autism research news stories with ASF Chief Science Officer Alycia Halladay
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This week we want YOUR feedback on a new paper in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders which suggests that the reason there is so much discord in the autism community, is that people with autism are just too different, and have difficulties understanding each other’s perspective. Is this true? What do you think? Listen to the podcast and read the paper (link below) and tell us.
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Due to popular demand, this podcast is dedicated to the International Classification of Functioning, or ICF. This is a tool used to measure functioning in people with not just autism, but across individuals. As the expert guest, Soheil Mahdi, describes in this podcast, it isn’t about replacing a diagnosis of autism, but complementing the diagnosis with a description of ways the person is functioning in society, what strengths they have and how it that may identify opportunities for autistic individuals. Soheil is a fellow at the Karolinska Institute and ASF is collaborating with him on the employment policy brief. Thank you for suggesting this topic for a podcast!
Here are some other resources of interest: https://ki.se/en/kind/startpage
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In case you didn’t have time to jump on a plane and fly to the Netherlands last week for the International Society of Autism Research meeting, this week’s podcast is a short summary of just a few of the presentations. There was more of an emphasis on what has been called “real life” research questions like employment, quality of life, and relationships. As a result, some of the more basic science questions around autism are now being presented at other meetings. This is a shame. This podcast follows some of those basic science questions to the now translational opportunities that were presented at the meeting. It also highlights some newer findings that will provide help to people at all ages who need supports and services.
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Labor Day is a time to appreciate and honor all those people who work to make this world a better place. People with autism do that, but they also want to get paid and be employed just like anyone else. This Labor Day, the podcast summarizes challenges to studying employment in people with ASD, what we know, and what is being done in a collaboration between ASF, Curtin University in Australia, the Karolinska Institute and Stony Brook University in Long Island. This is the INSAR supported policy brief project that will be completed next year, but you will all be receiving a request to fill out a survey about employment in the coming weeks. In addition, what does employment mean for people with autism? A NY Times article recently highlighted the journey from childhood to adulthood and what having a job means.
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Advanced paternal age is one of the more replicated risk factors for autism – but maybe not autism as it as seen as a disorder. Recent studies by Mount Sinai School of Medicine and Kings College of London show in both animal models and in epidemiological studies that advanced age in fathers is associated with the “active but odd” phenotype and PDD NOS. In people, older (but not “old”) age in fathers led to increased IQ and social aloofness that led to higher academic achievement. Is this autism? Or just a subtype of autism where the outcomes are adaptive rather than maladaptive? There are lots of questions about the nature of autism in these findings.