Top 10 Autism News for the Week That Was: 3rd August, 2015

The last week has been an eventful one in the world of autism. The felicitation of teenagers, an Indian golfer winning the gold at golf, the invention of a new assessment which will reduce the time of diagnosis of autism in children, and more autism news have left us feeling heartened and encouraged. Read the latest autism news for the week that was: 27th July to 2nd August 2015. And do let us know what you think of them.

Student researcher joins research in Texas to help his brother with autism

Dylan Ritter, a student researcher from the University of Mississippi, has joined a study being conducted by Texas A&M Associate Professor and Department of Veterinary Pathobiology researcher Dr. Scott Dindot. He has done so to help his 17-year old brother, Travis, who was diagnosed with autism when he was around one-and-a-half years old. Dylan’s intent is to do something that can not only make his brother’s life better but also help other individuals and children affected with autism.

Why autistic individuals think that work places are weird

According to the National Autistic Society, only 15 percent people on the autism spectrum are employed full time. Gradually, it is being acknowledged that autism can bring some useful skills – focus, attention to detail, logical reasoning, better understanding of patterns and more – to the table. A small number of companies are actively seeking these skills from autistic individuals and are prepared to understand and accommodate social and sensory difficulties of autism. This will improve the scenario of employment for autistic individuals in times to come.

New rapid screening test is handy for diagnosis of autism in young children

Dr. Roula N. Choueiri, a doctor from the University of Massachusetts Medical School, has invented The Rapid Intervention Screening Test for Autism in Toddlers, which is useful at a time when resources for early diagnosis of autism in children are scarce. This test can be used to assess at-risk children with autism between 12-36 months in early intervention and pediatric settings. This assessment comprises of a series of play-interactive tests which can be administered and scored in under 10 minutes.

Academically brilliant autistic teenagers felicitated in the city of Mumbai

14 teenagers affected with autism received awards for their academic achievements from a government official on Sunday, 2nd August, 2015. These 14 boys and girls passed their Class X and XII exams without letting the condition cramp their lives or brilliance. In the academic year 2014-15, children of families that are a part of the Forum for Autism have passed SSC, ICSE, CBSE, NIOS and HSC boards with flying colors, some having scored as high as 91%, and some having received admission in reputed colleges on the basis of merit.

Indian golfer Ranveer Singh wins gold in Special Olympics World Games

14-year-old Ranveer Singh has created history by becoming the first Indian to win a gold medal at the Special Olympics World Games held in Los Angeles. The parents of this autistic child are elated and have sent out an encouraging message to all parents of special children: “Just don’t give up. Special children are self sustaining.” Ranveer is a keen cook, pianist and loves calculating dates and numbers, apart from playing golf. His achievements in the sport have even got him mentioned in the Limca Book of World Records.

Myth debunked: Children with autism can interpret body language easily

Candida Peterson, a member of the University of Queensland, Australia, has challenged the common notion that children with autism find it difficult to read emotions. This notion is probably associated with studies which focus on people’s ability to read emotions from the face and eyes. Autistic individuals don’t make eye contact or look at the face, but can read body language from a distance as well. Her team conducted an interesting test which substantiated her theory. They now want to test how good children with autism are at reading body language cues in real life interactions.

Increase in autism cases is partly due to changing diagnosis, says news release

In the US, the number of students enrolling in special education programs have increased more than three-fold between 2000 and 2010. This, according to a paper published by the American Journal of Medical Genetics, partly can be attributed to the reclassification of individuals who previously would have been diagnosed with other intellectual disabilities. They also found that the increase in children diagnosed with autism was offset by a nearly equal decrease in students diagnosed with other intellectual disabilities that co occur with autism. The paper reported the analysis of 11 years of special-education enrollment data of about 6.2 million children each year.

Photographer with autism clicks stellar photos of abandoned buildings

This is not a news, but an example of the vast skills that autistic individuals possess. Ray Gustman, 25, has always been enamored by abandoned, empty, forgotten and dilapidated things. Coupled with his love for photography, he has developed a skill which he could not imagine he would possess as a teenager struggling with autism. Check out his clicked photos and the thinking that drives his photography and makes it unique.

At this school in West London, autistic children look forward to lunch time

“Children with autism can have a difficult relationship with food”, says Jude Ragan, head teacher of an autism school at Queensmill in West London. “They have such high levels of stress that their poor digestive systems are always in turmoil.” However at their school, children with autism who barely ate two or three chickpeas now look forward enthusiastically to lunch time. The main reason for this is Lucio, a well-trained chef who makes them smile. This is not just the story of the arrival of a trained chef, but also about the significance of the role good food can play in the lives of autistic individuals – a community that needs it most.

New police training on autism just might ‘save someone’s life’

There have been a few reports about unfortunate incidents between the police and autistic individuals. The more cops know about mental illness, the better their response at the scene of a mental breakdown. That’s why a new state law in Pennsylvania ensures that officers will get training on recognizing and de-escalating a mental health crisis. “This law is probably going to save someone’s life”, says the executive director of Autism Connection of PA. “And it will help officers do their jobs more safely. They don’t want to make a mistake.” We hope such laws are implemented in India soon also.

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