Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

NEWS ABOUT: autism

Stories 1 - 20 |  Next >>

Switch to grid view »

Despairing Mom, Caregiver Killed Autistic Boy: Cops

Pair charged with murder after surviving apparent suicide attempt

(Newser) - Months after recording a plea for help, the mother of a severely autistic 14-year-old boy and a close family friend who helped care for the boy around the clock stabbed the teen to death before taking pills in an apparent suicide attempt and lying down beside him, police in Illinois... More »

Placenta May Hold Autism Clues

Study suggests folds and creases point to higher risk

(Newser) - A new study suggests that doctors can gauge a newborn's chances of developing autism by looking at the baby's placenta, reports USA Today and the New York Times . The more unusual folds and creases it has, the greater the risk. The study looked at 217 placentas from a... More »

Folic Acid May Cut Autism Spectrum Risk

Norway researchers review 85K children

(Newser) - Taking folic acid around the time of conception could significantly reduce the number of babies with an autism spectrum disorder, a study suggests. In a review of 85,000 children born in Norway between 1999 and 2009, researchers found that moms who didn't take a folic acid supplement were... More »

My Son Is the Next Adam Lanza

Liza Long: 'These boys—and their mothers—need help'

(Newser) - Liza Long's little boy is a high-IQ math whiz who likes Greek mythology and Einsteinian physics. But when she tells the 13-year-old to change his pants, he can fly into a murderous rage: “You’re a stupid bitch," cries the boy—let's call him Michael. "... More »

How the New DSM Took My Syndrome Away

Man mourns demise of Asperger's to 'autism spectrum disorder'

(Newser) - Joshua Muggleton isn't just at peace with his Asperger's syndrome, it's become a part of his identity, a source of pride. "When I meet a fellow Aspie, I feel a sense of fraternity," he writes in the Guardian . "This person, unlike the other 99%... More »

Autism Linked to Fever, Flu in Pregnant Women

Pregnant woman who suffered from either were at higher risk

(Newser) - A new study finds a link between illness during pregnancy and autism, but experts are already urging caution when interpreting the results. Danish researchers found that expecting mothers who suffered from the flu were twice as likely to have a child who developed an autism spectrum disorder, while those who... More »

British Hacker Won't Be Sent to US for Trial

Gary McKinnon accused of 'biggest military computer hack of all time'

(Newser) - After fighting extradition for seven years, the British man accused of the "biggest military computer hack of all time" will not be sent to the US to stand trial, Reuters reports. Britain's interior minister, Theresa May, withdrew the extradition order after finding that Gary McKinnon , who suffers from... More »

Autism Linked to Dad's Age: Study

Finding might explain increase in cases

(Newser) - The older a man is when he conceives a child, the more likely that child is to develop autism or schizophrenia, a study released today concluded. The finding lends credence to the theory that the recent surge in autism diagnoses is caused in part by the trend toward having children... More »

Bus Driver Catches Autistic Girl Who Fell 3 Stories

They're both fine in New York City

(AP) - A New York City bus driver is being hailed as a hero for saving a 7-year-old girl who fell three stories from an air conditioning unit outside a Brooklyn building. "I just prayed that I'd catch her," Stephen St. Bernard recalled after rescuing the child yesterday. He... More »

Autistic Brains Ruined in Freezer Meltdown

Harvard-affiliated hospital freezer suffers inexplicable failure

(Newser) - A freezer failure has severely damaged one third of the world's largest collection of autistic brains, leaving researchers baffled and upset, the Boston Globe reports. The meltdown occurred at Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital, where the fridge thermostat malfunctioned and two alarms failed to go off when the temperature rose from... More »

Culprit for Epidemics of Autism, Obesity: Fungicide?

New study suggests chemicals' effects linger for generations

(Newser) - Can the recent increase in autism, obesity, and anxiety disorders be traced back to chemical exposure? That's what a new study involving pregnant rats suggests, AFP reports. Pregnant rats who were exposed to the common fungicide vinclozolin had descendants who, three generations later, weighed more, were less sociable, and... More »

Smoking While Pregnant May Raise Autism Risk

Study sees link with some forms of the disorder

(Newser) - If any expectant mom needed yet more evidence that smoking is a bad idea, here it is: Doing so during pregnancy raises the risk of having a child with Asperger's or another kind of autism, a new study suggests. Researchers analyzed data from about 630,000 kids born in... More »

'American Diet' Linked to Autism

Highly processed, sweetened foods particularly bad: expert

(Newser) - The typical American diet may be to blame for more than just the obesity epidemic: A new study also links it to the autism epidemic. Unhealthy diets make it more difficult for the body to eliminate toxic chemicals, thus increasing the risk of autism and other problems, explains one expert.... More »

Mom Sues School Over Shocking of Autistic Son

Judge Rotenberg Center shocked boy 31 times that day

(Newser) - A deeply disturbing video of an autistic teen being restrained and shocked at a facility in Massachusetts was played in a Boston-area courtroom yesterday. The teen's mother is suing three workers at the Judge Rotenberg Center and the center itself, alleging that they tortured her son and left him... More »

Obese? Chance of Birthing Autistic Kid Jumps 67%

Inflammation, high blood sugar during pregnancy could be a factor

(Newser) - The shocking new autism research just keeps coming: A mother's obesity while pregnant may greatly boost the odds of having a child with autism, a study out today suggests. Compared to normal-weight study participants, those who were obese while pregnant were 67% more likely to have autistic kids and... More »

Autism Tied to Gene Mutations for First Time

'It's a turning point,' says one scientist

(Newser) - Big autism news: A number of gene mutations linked to the disease have been uncovered for the first time, announced a number of scientists in three papers published yesterday. The sobering detail: These particular mutations are super rare, and are responsible for only a very small number of autism cases.... More »

1 in 88 Kids Have Autism

CDC estimate is double what it was a decade ago

(Newser) - The CDC released new autism estimates today, and the numbers are pretty scary: About 1 in 88 kids have autism, according to the report. That's up 25% from the CDC's 2006 analysis, and twice the reach officials said it had a decade ago, reports Reuters . The AP adds... More »

Asperger Syndrome? Nope, Just a Nerdy Teenager

Because of current definition, Benjamin Nugent got a bogus diagnosis

(Newser) - Psychologists may soon narrow the definition of autism , which could reduce the number of people diagnosed with the disorder and related ones such as Asperger Syndrome. The move is controversial, but if you're looking for a compelling reason in favor, see Benjamin Nugent's essay in the New York ... More »

No More Epidemic? Autism Definition May Change

Proposed revisions would exclude many now considered autistic: NYT

(Newser) - The New York Times has what sounds like a bombshell story on autism: The American Psychiatric Association is poised to narrow the definition of the disorder so far fewer people would be considered autistic. The kicker quote from the Yale author of an analysis on the subject: "The proposed... More »

Autistic Boy Missing 5 Days Is Found Alive

Robbie Wood is discovered in 'good shape' in quarry

(Newser) - A quarry worker in Virginia made an incredible find today: He discovered 8-year-old Robbie Wood curled up in a fetal position in a creek bed, reports the Richmond Times-Dispatch . The severely autistic boy hadn't been seen since Sunday when he got separated from his family at a park. The... More »

Stories 1 - 20 |  Next >>
NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS
Other Sites We Like:   24/7 Wall St.   |   BuzzFeed   |   Cracked   |   World History Project   |   POPSUGAR Tech   |   Business Insider   |   HuffPost Entertainment   |   NewsOne