Little lag: Autistic children with language regression begin speaking in phrases at about the same age as those without regression. Pixel Effect / iStock Autistic children who show language regression — a loss of language skills in early childhood — do not necessarily have communication problems later on, a new study finds. In fact, in […]
NEW JERSEY — A new bill is making its way through New Jersey’s legislature which, if passed, will give families who need extra time to apply for services if their special needs children suffered learning losses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The current deadline to apply for an Individualized Education Program (IEP) to help special needs […]
Pruning: Neurons from mice lacking one copy of ASH1L (third row) do not prune away as many synapses (bottom row) as control neurons (top and second rows) after stimulation. Loss of the autism-related gene ASH1L leads to excess synapses and autism-like behaviors in mice, according to a study published today in Neuron. Increasing the activity […]
How to address the worsening teacher shortage in Louisiana, teacher salary increases and steps to recover from the pandemic-induced learning loss will be key topics during the 2022 legislature, officials said Monday. The Louisiana Federation of Teachers, the Louisiana Association of Educators, and the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry have started defining their educational […]
We lost our son (28) when a driver who was driving too fast pulled him out while cycling. To some, his death 18 months ago seems like a long time ago; not with us. We plan to be with relatives who will acknowledge and accept our grief. We will change traditions and take the holidays […]
Missing myelin: Clearing TBX1 in mice decreases the amount of myelin around axons in several areas of the white matter of the brain. Courtesy of Hiroi Nonaka Mice lacking a copy of TBX1, a gene in the autism-linked 22q11.2 chromosomal region, are producing too little myelin – the fatty insulation that surrounds neurons – and […]
I held my hands over my ears while the obstetrician turned up the volume on the ultrasound machine. After three pregnancy losses, I was convinced that we would only meet with static. “I think you will want to hear that,” said the doctor. And there was the unmistakable drumming of my son’s heart. At that […]
Losing a child is one of the most emotional experiences a parent can have. New research suggests it can literally damage the heart as well. The study found that a parent is at a greatly increased risk of a heart attack in the days following a child’s death, and the increased risk can persist for […]
My oh myelin: In a new mouse model of autism, the males have an unusually thick myelin in the cerebellum, which correlates with more intense autism-like features. Male mice exposed to atypically low levels of a placental hormone in the womb have altered brain development and anti-social behavior, according to a new study. The results […]
When my husband, who was 28 years old, suddenly died, I asked myself and everyone who listened, “How am I supposed to live without him?” It wasn’t a romantic or a dramatic question, but a practical one. I was really perplexed. How could I exist without the person who balanced me for almost half my […]
