Causes of autism have not been definitely identified yet. However, there are several major factors contributing to the disorder. Among these factors the three leading ones are: genetic factors, environmental factors, and a combination of both. Research has never been so focused on the topic given the growing number of individuals diagnosed with autism. So

Stanford Children’s Health and Children’s Health Council are offering a free program for recently diagnosed autism patients with Bay Area treatment resources. Find the details here. Parents of children with autism who enjoy a strong and stable marital relationship get the best possible outcome regarding their kids developmental progress. The day-to-day life of a family

The scientific reason behind encouraging early diagnosis of autism, and hence early intervention, is the fact that the brain development in early childhood years is fast and able to acquire new skills. It has been scientifically proven that late diagnosis results in unchanged IQ, however therapy is very important to hone social communication skills. Refer

A UMass pediatrician in Boston, U.S. has developed a new test to diagnose autism in children as young as 18 months. It is a game-like test that takes only 10 minutes. Eye contact, social skills, and communication skills are some of the factors to be tested. It is never enough to emphasize the importance of

Dr. Karen Parker: “Autistic children who had the lowest levels of the  hormone vasopressin (similar to oxytocin) in their blood also had the greatest social impairment.” This research was  published July 22, 2015 in PLOS ONE. This finding gives hope that treating low levels of vasopressin in kids with autism, may improve social impairment and

Tip Autistic behavior doesn’t always mean the child has ASD. Parents, adoptive parents, and educators, make sure to have your child evaluated and assessed at a young age. Don’t mistake poor social skills and communication abilities for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP) published a

When we try to describe the signs of autism we always have to remember that no two children with autism are the same. Traits of autism are numerous, and children on the autism spectrum don’t have to meet all the criteria. Additionally, other neuro developmental or intellectual disorders or may overlap with autism, like ADHD,

This checklist does not diagnose autism, it rather evaluate the risk for autism. Afterwards if parents are continuously concerned about their child’s behavior, they should seek help for and evaluation with a developmental pediatrician, or a psychiatric, or a psychologist, or a behaviorist. Read below and make sure to scroll all the way down to

There are so many ways to define autism, but a simple one would be : “atypical brain wiring”. For more definitions of autism read chapter one here. From the Harvard Review of Psychiatry: Some studies using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) techniques, started to uncover what might be a cause for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The

To diagnose autism no lab work, devices, nor equipment are needed. The only thing that is requested from parents and licensed professionals to do is to fill out some questionnaires. Filling out papers is based on observing the child’s behavior in different settings, like interacting with family members, strangers, at home, new places, with toys