A new study has found that if you have an autistic child, there is a 19 percent chance your next child with also be diagnosed with autism.

This is higher than the 3 to 10 percent originally thought. (See a full Los Angeles Times story here.)

In the study, published in the journal Pediatrics, boys have a 26 percent chance of having autism if they have an older sibling with the neurobiological condition. Girls have a 9 percent chance.

The gender of the older sibling didn’t matter. But having more than one older sibling with autism further increased the chance to 32 percent.

With cases being reported more often, other researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health are also studying causes. For now, scientists don’t know what causes the disorder that affects social interactions and communications.

That study is looking at siblings to explore genetic and environmental factors that may contribute. It’s called the Early Autism Risk Longitudinal Investigation, and it began last fall.

For now, the study released today may help parents who are deciding on having more children.

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 1:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Autism
        

A large, new study of twins published in the Archives of General Psychiatry is adding more to the debate about the causes of autism. This one found that it may not be all about genes.

In an Associated Press story, researchers said that there may be more to a mother's age and conditions in the womb than previously thought.

The study found high rates of autism among identical twins, but also high rates among fraternal twins, who do not share all their genes. That means that the mother may have more of an impact -- from things such as as her stress, the medications she takes, her diet and her age.

Antidepressents may be one specific factor, though doctors do not advise women to stop taking them at this point because depression can also be a problem for the baby.

Autism, which affects a child's behavior and ability to communicate, is diagnosed in 1 out of 100 or more children.

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 11:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Autism
        

Tonight City Hall will be lit up in blue for Autism Awareness Month.

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is partnering with the Kennedy Krieger Institute, which treats brain and spine injuries and disorders, to recognize the international “Light It Up Blue” campaign launched by the advocacy group Autism Speaks.

She will join with Dr. Gary Goldstein, Kennedy Krieger President and CEO, and Dr. Oxiris Barbot, Baltimore City Health Department commissioner at 7:30 p.m. at War Memorial Plaza in front of City Hall, 100 N. Holiday St., to kick off the month.

One in 110 U.S. children has autism, which is a complex developmental disorder, according to Kennedy Krieger.

On a related note, a project housed at Kennedy Krieger will also begin the first major survey to study the experience of wandering and escaping among those with autism spectrum disorders. That tendency puts them at risk of injury, but officials say information on the issue is lacking.

The Interactive Autism Network, with support from autism advocacy groups, is undertaking the study.  The network works to accelerate the pace of autism research through an online initiative.

The results should help families, advocates and policy makers to keep those with autism safe, said Dr. Paul Law, director of the project at Kennedy Krieger. Preliminary data will be available April 20.

Officials need more participants. If you’re interested, parents or guardians can enrolled in the IAN Project. To register go to www.ianresearch.org.

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Autism
        

With autism diagnoses on the rise, services for children have increased as doctors, therapists and parents try to find effective treatment for the complex disorder.

But new research suggests that the wealth of resources targeting children with autism tends to decline after high school, begging the question: what happens to autistic children once they reach adulthood?

Nearly 40 percent of all young adults examined in a survey of 680 19- to 23-year-olds had not received medical services, mental health services, case management or therapy, according to a study published this week in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

African Americans and low-income people with autism were even less likely to access services, the researchers from Washington University in St. Louis found.

Nationwide, as many as 1 in 110 children have an autism spectrum disorder, according to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which reflect an increase from just a few years ago. The rise in diagnoses is playing out in schools across the country, where the number of students 12 to 17 years old classified as autistic in special education enrollment increased from 15,480 in 1998 to 99,803 in 2007, according to background information in the article.

While state and local health officials and educators have worked hard to meet the needs of these students, services end once they exit high school. Little attention has been paid to continuing therapy and medical services for these children, the authors write.

The study has several limitations, particularly its small sample size and that it was based on a self-reported survey. But it raises an interesting and urgent issue as a generation of autistic children grows up. The National Institutes of Health has begun to call attention to the need for more services and research for adults with autism, but more work is needed, the authors urge.

Continue reading "Resources scarce for young adults with autism" »

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Autism, Medical studies