diagnosis – Page 2 – ASF Weekly Science Podcasts

August 26, 2019

Autism: Difference or Dysfunction?

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The question of whether or not autism is a difference or a true dysfunction in brain development has been debated for years. A new study from Canada demonstrates that within an autism diagnosis, there is less of a difference in symptoms in the last 5 years than there was 30 years ago. This raises a lot of questions about what autism researchers have been studying lately. It also reinvigorates the discussion of whether the heterogeneity issue in autism has become such an issue that those with a true dysfunction are not getting the services they need, because of an interpretation that autism is just a difference. The podcast includes thoughts of the community voiced on social media as well as opinions of the ASF scientific advisory board.

Article is open access here: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2747847

May 5, 2019

INSAR with a T, for “technology”

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Lots of news outlets have great summaries of things that were presented at the International Society for Autism Research. However, one area was relatively missed: technology. This week’s podcast summarizes advances in technology for people with autism, how they are being used, what they could be used for and how they will improve services and help for those on the spectrum. They range from ways to aid diagnosis, to better understanding of features and symptoms in different settings, to improved intervention.

October 8, 2018

Quality vs. Quantity in an autism diagnosis

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In the fight to ensure everyone with autism is detected and diagnosed as early as possible, community providers are sometimes pushed to the limit in what they can do. They have a huge caseload and there are long waitlists. So how accurate are autism diagnoses given by these providers with little time and little resources for training? As it turns out, they are just okay. Approximately 23% of those diagnosed by community providers were not diagnosed using standardized and validated autism tools. How can we weigh this potential over and mis-diagnosis with the potential for missing individuals with autism and depriving them of interventions and services? That’s a topic for another discussion. However, one question on the cause of autism was addressed and a theory debunked: autism is not caused by caesarean section deliveries altering the microbiome, and then leading to ASD. The microbiome may be involved, but not because of method of delivery and use of antibiotic medications.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30270970

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30273187

January 28, 2018

Improving early detection of ASD by listening to parents

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It’s well known that both parent report and observational measure are crucial to an autism diagnosis. But what about prior to a diagnosis, in the critical period of 12-18 months when symptoms may be seen but a diagnosis cannot yet be made? A research collaboration across Canada has been studying better detection and translating it to early intervention, and postdoc Lori Sacrey from University of Alberta took the lead on a multi-site study investigating the utility and contribution of a parent report measure together with an observational tool in toddlers. She found that the parent report measure provided insights which improved the ability to predict a later autism diagnosis. It is because of the collaboration across Canada that this research is possible. Also, the autism journal Autism took an unusual and bold step in ensuring that adults with autism are represented in their perspective. Hear why on this week’s podcast or read the link below:

http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1362361317748556

Here is the Sacrey publication: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29356441

October 24, 2016October 24, 2016

Autism diagnosis in adulthood

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While still rare, there are cases where an autism diagnosis is not made until adulthood. Why have these people been missed and what do they need? How did they go for so long without anyone recognizing that they needed help? A new study from the lab of Dr. Francesca Happe in the UK investigates the characteristics and features of people who were referred for a diagnosis after 18 years of age. Hear more about how they managed in this week’s podcast.

October 17, 2016October 15, 2016

Unfortunate new risk discovered for people with autism and their siblings

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In addition to risks of anxiety, ADHD, mood disorders and other psychiatric issues, people with autism (and their siblings) show increased risk of substance abuse issues. This information comes from a large scandanavian registry study that included over 26,000 individuals with ASD. On this week’s podcast I discuss what this means for people with autism and their family members.

September 26, 2016

Where are all the girls with autism? Live from the Seaver Center Conference

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Hear what you missed if you were unable to attend the Seaver Autism Conference on September 25th! Dr. David Skuse discusses “where are all the girls with autism”, summarizing evidence that some girls with high verbal IQ and autism might be missed, suggesting genes associated with high IQ may be protective against a diagnosis until adolescence. Also, ASF grantee Dr. Jennifer Foss-Feig describes how biomarkers can be used to improve personalized medicine. Finally, a summary and review of the new air pollution systematic review and meta analysis. Limited evidence does not equal none, and air pollution is a real problem. Here is a link to the paper: http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0161851. All in 12 minutes.

November 30, 2015November 30, 2015

Managing real life autism situations.

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Compared to researchers, community clinicians don’t have time for the same rigorous training on the standard autism diagnostic instrument called the ADOS, so can they still do it as well? Or does this group not have the resources they need to use it properly? Also, because psychiatric hospitals don’t see as many people with autism as they used to, a group of child psychiatrists got together and wrote guidelines for what to do if a child with autism showed up at the general inpatient ward. These are things that face families in the real word, and we thought you should hear about new science around them.

November 9, 2015

Is ADHD part of the spectrum diagnosis of ASD?

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A recent study examining some people who lost an autism diagnosis (and were possibly reclassified) reinvigorates the idea that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder may be on the autism spectrum. It shouldn’t be part of a valid ASD diagnosis, but there may be some symptoms of ASD that overlap with ADHD. Also, a new editorial emphasizes that while new discoveries are important and exciting, what happens to make them useful for people outside a research study takes a lot of work, time and money.

October 26, 2015October 26, 2015

What if it isn’t autism?

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Many times signs and symptoms of autism may be seen prior to 3 years of age, but a diagnosis is not made. It may not be autism, but what is it? Studying children at risk for developing ASD but then don’t go on to receive a diagnosis gives researchers a clue. Dr. Meghan Miller from the University of California at Davis discusses a study that follows up these kids to 9 years of age and finds out what is going on with them. Do they have autism after all? Or do they have absolutely no symptoms at all? Or is there something in between?