Autism Spectrum Disorders News

WASHINGTON — Many pediatricians find it difficult to assess autism spectrum disorder risk among Latino children in families whose primary language is Spanish, according to findings presented here during the Pediatric Academic Societies Annual Meeting.

Children whose mothers used valproate during their pregnancy had a significantly increased risk for autism, according to new study results published in JAMA.

Even as the number of vaccines administered to children grows, children are not at an increased risk for developing autism, according to study findings published online.

Even as the number of vaccines administered to children grows, children are not at an increased risk for developing autism, according to study findings published online.

As part of World Autism Awareness Day, the National Institutes of Health has awarded UC Davis MIND Institute and UCLA $5.3 million in initial funding for their Autism Centers of Excellence programs.

A mother’s exposure to childhood abuse was associated with an increased risk for autism in her child, according to new data.

The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, or M-CHAT, is effective in screening for autism spectrum disorder when the two-step screening process is used, new research suggests.

Grandparent age may be associated with increased risk for autism for grandchildren and suggests autism can develop over generations, according to new research.

The prevalence of parent-reported autism spectrum disorders among children significantly increased from 2007, according to a report co-written by the CDC and the Health Resources and Services Administration. The increase of autism spectrum disorder diagnoses was greatest among boys and adolescents aged 14 to 17 years.

Researchers reported that children with autism had higher levels of toxic metals in their blood and urine vs. healthy children. The levels of those toxic metals were associated with the severity of the disorder.