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Little things to help the autism community

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We’ve heard a lot about social robots – do they help? One or two studies are not going to answer this, but a systematic review and meta analysis will! It turns out when you combined all the data, they do help in social abilities, but not other areas. This is how technology can help those with autism, especially technology which can be adapted to address the heterogeneity across the spectrum. And what about more subtle changes in the environment like light, sound, the built environment in classrooms and the home? Are there things that can be done that should be taken into account when these things are being built or modified? Again, a review article can help decipher all of the little studies that have been published over the year. Listen to specific recommendations for builders, architects, and even you as you make your home more autism friendly.

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0269800

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/13623613221102753?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmed

https://lukerosen212.medium.com/the-supreme-courts-decision-impact-on-the-rare-genetic-disease-community-f9ac22bd1411

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How the Pandemic Affected Parents

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You have heard a lot about how the pandemic affected those with a diagnosis – and it isn’t good. Recent studies have turned their attention to stress and anxiety and depression of caregivers during the pandemic. It was higher in those parents with children of a neurodevelopmental disorder, but it was also complicated, related to the functioning of the child and of course, when the questions were asked. Some used a “pre vs. during” pandemic design and some used a case-control design. But altogether, you can learn about the variation across families and across the world on this week’s #ASFpodcast.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34591373/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34591364/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34657487/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34776249/

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Eating Disorders and Feeding Disorders in ASD

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It’s estimated that anywhere from 10%-30% of females on the spectrum also suffer from an eating disorder, and that autistic traits are high (even without a diagnosis of ASD) in those with eating disorders. There is clearly crossover in the underlying biology somehow, but while that is being determined – help for those with ASD and eating disorders is not waiting. There are many obstacles for autistic women to receive help for their eating disorders, and this podcast outlines the overlap between ASD and ED, and describes what could help women on the spectrum who experience eating disorders.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33653157/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34193255/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34264484/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33588579/

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What is happening in research around employment for people with ASD?

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This week, Melissa Scott from Curtin University, a partner in the international policy brief on employment for people with autism, discusses the first paper out of this collaboration:  a scoping review of the existing research out there on employment practices.  Surprisingly, there was one crucial element missing as a focus in all the intervention studies  –  the environment.  Dr. Scott discusses what else was learned from this scoping review, and how the findings can help people with autism not just obtain, but maintain employment, through constructive policy.   ASF is a proud partner on this policy brief, and Curtin University has been an amazing collaborator.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30073870