Autism

Obama Gets Knocked for Bad Science

Independent (UK)  |  Dec 27, 08 5:14 PM CST

(Newser) - He’s about to lead the free world, but Barack Obama’s a little fuzzy on science, says a group that put the president-elect—along with John McCain, Tom Cruise, Oprah, and many others—on its celebrity list of shame. Obama’s offense? Suggesting that rising autism rates could be connected to vaccines despite a lack of evidence. More »

Could Rain Trigger Autism?

USA Today  |  Nov 4, 08 9:50 AM CST

(Newser) - US counties with higher rates of rainfall also have higher rates of autism, according to a controversial new study published by the American Medical Association. Pollutants in the precipitation, longer periods spent watching television, lower levels of vitamin D, or some other environmental factor linked to rainfall may trigger autism in some children, reports USA Today .   More »

Denis Leary: Autistic Kids Are 'Just Stupid'

New York Post  |  Oct 15, 08 11:15 AM CDT

(Newser) - Denis Leary is not a sensitive man. His new book, Why We Suck , seems bound to offend people, the New York Post reports, particularly autistic people. Leary asserts that autism is booming because parents “want an explanation for why their dumb-ass kids can’t compete academically,” so they run to psychologists. “I don’t give a [bleep] what these crackerjack whack jobs tell you,” Leary writes, “yer kid is NOT autistic. He’s just stupid.” More »

Autism-Reversing Drugs Show Promise

NPR  |  Sep 24, 08 12:50 PM CDT

(Newser) - MIT scientists have discovered one of the mechanisms of Fragile X Syndrome, one cause of autism, and are developing drugs to treat it, NPR reports. The disorder, triggered by a genetic mutation, interferes with the normal links between brain cells, making those networks something like a car without a brakes. The new drugs limit acceleration, and have been successful in mice. More »

Insurers Balk at Paying for Autism Therapy

Boston Globe  |  Sep 16, 08 6:33 PM CDT

(Newser) - A national autism advocacy group is pushing insurance companies to pick up the tab for intensive new therapies now footed by local school districts, the Boston Globe reports. They say the rising number of autism cases will swamp school budgets and make it unlikely that kids will get the help they need. On the flip side, pushing insurers into the education business will “drive up costs for everyone,” says an industry rep, who adds that the therapies—which can run $100,000 a year—are still unproven. More »

New Study Finds No Vaccine Link to Autism

Washington Post  |  Sep 4, 08 6:00 AM CDT

(Newser) - A new study concludes that a childhood vaccine against measles, mumps, and rubella is not linked to autism, reports the Washington Post . Researchers studied bowel biopsies from 38 autistic children and found no link between the vaccine and the digestive problems often associated with autism. The results, which contradict the findings of an earlier study, come amid a federal investigation on the controversial topic. More »

Savage Defends Attack on Autistic 'Brats' </