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The full semantic toolbox referring to autism

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Last week a publication (see below) was published as a commentary in the journal Autism Research. It states that researchers, parents, clinicians, educators and the overall community should not be limited in their use of language to describe the broad condition of autism. Some people experience impairments, deficits, and have limitations. Not only is it true, we should be talking about it. This podcast describes the motivation for the paper and the potential consequences of mandating the use terms that may not accurately reflect the diversity of experiences. While some papers have been published with the opposite sentiments, it’s important to understand both sides of this debate. We hope this paper leads to further conversation about this topic.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aur.2876

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A new ways for the environment to affect genetic expression

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You have maybe heard about how environmental exposures after conception or birth may affect genetic expression and then risk of developing autism. But what research has been done to look at preconceptional exposures, presumably exposures that affect the cells that then give rise to sperm and eggs? Turns out they are susceptible to some environmental exposure too, which could lead to a change in the way genes are expressed in the embryo, the fetus, and then the child. Want to know more? Jill Escher just published a study with scientific colleagues about this hypothesis and she explains it in this week’s podcast.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34596807/

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Feda Almaliti, 1977-2020

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The Scoop podcast

Inclusion Sucks. Or, Why My Son with Severe Autism Has Nowhere to Swim this Summer

Three Strikes… and He’s Out? What happens when the regular world has had enough of my son’s autism

https://www.ncsautism.org/blog//three-strikes-and-hes-out

Life with an autistic child can be difficult. During a pandemic it can be grueling

https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/05/22/861079758/he-s-incredibly-confused-parenting-a-child-with-autism-during-the-pandemic

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Beyond what scientists already know about environmental factors

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This week the ASF Podcast explores two ways to better understand the environmental influences in ASD diagnosis: 1. through potential cost savings of avoided cases of ASD due to reduced air pollution and 2. by studying pre-conception exposures going back as far as the grandparents exposure. These two concepts do not prove any one thing, including one environmental factor, causes ASD, however, using these approaches may improve understanding of ASD and allow for legislation that improves many health outcomes in children. Below are the two references:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32749866/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32704384/

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What is the focus this week? The unsung heroes of grandparents and clinicians

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Scientists have studied males compared to females with autism, but rarely has there been studies about what clinicians see as differences in these two groups.  Given that they provide insight on diagnosis, needs and access to services, it is kind of important to talk to them, and a study out this week in the journal Autism did just that.  You can find the full text here:

http://journals.sagepub.com/eprint/V5p3isSVAKDbdQf2jH4Q/full

Also, scientists are starting to understand the role of exposures in parents and how they affect diagnosis of autism in their children, but this week a new wrench was thrown into the wheel:  researchers in the UK found that grandparental exposures play a role in autism diagnosis too.  Luckily, this too is open access and you can read it for yourself.  It was covered in the media and we have perspective from a parent included.

https://www.nature.com/articles/srep46179

I discuss this second project with Jill Escher, founder of the Escher Fund for Autism and co-funder of the study.