New report highlights innovative approach of the Celtic Nations Autism Partnership

CARDIFF, Wales: A new report by autism charities demonstrated the innovative approaches to improving the lives of people with autism across the North of Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

That's the feeling of many of the charities within the Celtic Nations Autism Partnership (CNAP) and those in the Autism Alliance UK. CNAP spokesman Cathy Maclean said: "The North of Ireland, Scotland and Wales are being particularly dynamic in the way their devolved governments are helping with national autism strategies,"

Arlene Cassidy, CEO of Autism Northern Ireland, commented: "Massive social change takes time but it also takes leadership, consistency and inclusive practice. This was vital in our successful campaign for equality legislation for Autism in Northern Ireland."

Sinn Fin Health spokesperson Councillor Paul Fleming said: "Since the Welsh and Scottish Governments' introduction of an all-age autism strategy, legislation in the North of Ireland now impels all government departments to work together to deliver an all-age autism strategy and financial commitment has been promised for this. Government-funded strategies across the North of Ireland, much like in Scotland and Wales, are making real differences to the autism community and those who support them, especially the many voluntary sector organisations."

"In the future, there is the potential for the Island of Ireland to establish an all-age Autism Research Centre and work in conjunction with NUI Galway's centre for Autism and Neurodevelopment Research, to provide better outcomes for autistic individuals and their families mirroring that which has been established at Cardiff University in Wales, which could increase investment and focus into autism research in Ireland."

(Source: CNAP, July 26, 2012)

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New report highlights innovative approach of the Celtic Nations Autism Partnership

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MONDAY, Sept. 24 (HealthDay News) -- More and more children are growing up with autism, and although many treatments and interventions are now available, clinical studies on the use of medications in teens and young adults are lacking, according to new research.

"The majority of (older) individuals with autism spectrum disorders appear to be taking medications that we have very little evidence for," said the study's lead author, Dr. Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele, medical director of the Treatment and Research Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorders at the Vanderbilt Brain Institute in Nashville, Tenn.

"In the absence of sufficient evidence, parents and people with autism should find a clinician who tells you what's known and unknown about the potential benefits and risks of any medication," he said. "It should be a shared decision-making process."

Results of the study were published online on Sept. 24 in the journal Pediatrics.

Autism spectrum disorders are neurodevelopmental disorders that impair social development and communication. Autism spectrum disorders also may cause repetitive movements and even self-abusive behavior, such as head banging, according to the U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).

It is estimated that about one in 88 American children has been identified with an autism spectrum disorder

As children with autism age, some do experience significant improvements, according to NINDS, but many do not. There is no cure for autism, although there are many treatments available, including education and behavioral interventions and medications.

Medications usually are used to treat some of the symptoms associated with autism, rather than the core symptoms of the condition, according to background information in the new study. For example, the medication risperidone (brand name Risperdal) may be used to treat behavioral symptoms associated with autism, such as aggression, outbursts and irritability, said Dr. Melissa Nishawala, medical director of the Autism Spectrum Disorders Clinical and Research Program at the NYU Child Study Center in New York City.

"Medications like risperidone and aripiprazole don't address the cause of autism, but they help calm down [people with autism]," Veenstra-VanderWeele said.

For the new study, the researchers reviewed medical literature from 1980 through 2011 to find clinical trials on drugs for people with autism between the ages of 13 and 30 years old. They found eight studies with at least 20 participants. Two investigators independently assessed the quality of the studies.

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Research Lacking on Drugs for Older Children With Autism, Study Finds

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(CBS News) It's hard to remember an entire dance routine, but one special girl has committed the entire lead ballet role in Coppelia to memory.

Clara Bergs's parents wrote that they thought their daughter was just dancing ballet moves around the house, until they realized she had memorized an entire routine from the Coppelia ballet.

Complete coverage: Autism awareness 9 amazing autistic artists with savant syndrome Top 10 toys and gifts for children with autism

The 10-year-old is diagnosed with both autism and DiGeorge syndrome, a genetic disorder.

According to the Mayo Clinic, DiGeorge syndrome is a disorder caused by a chromosome 22 defect that leads to poor development of different body systems. The syndrome is normally associated with heart defects, poor immune system function, a cleft palate, complications related to low levels of calcium in the blood and behavioral disorders. According to a National Institute of Health study, prevalence is estimated at 14.1 affected patients per 100,000 live births.

About 1 in 88 children are diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, which are rooted in problems with behavior, communication and socialization. The rate jumps to 1 in 54 when it comes to boys.

Bergs was diagnosed with the conditions following her birth on June 24, 2002 according to her official Facebook page Clara's Happy Thumbs. She spent her first 16 months in the hospital, and thanks to multiple therapies, supplements and diets she started walking at the age of 4, talking at the age of 6 and has stayed relatively healthy.

For more videos starring Bergs, visit her YouTube channel.

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Girl diagnosed with autism and DiGeorge syndrome memorizes entire Coppelia ballet

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ScienceDaily (Sep. 24, 2012) Vanderbilt University researchers are reporting today that there is insufficient evidence to support the use of medical interventions in adolescents and young adults with autism.

Despite studies that show that many adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorders are being prescribed medications, there is almost no evidence to show whether these medications are helpful in this population, the researchers said.

These findings are featured in the Sept. 24 issue of Pediatrics.

"We need more research to be able to understand how to treat core symptoms of autism in this population, as well as common associated symptoms such as anxiety, compulsive behaviors and agitation," said Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele, M.D., assistant professor of Psychiatry, Pediatrics and Pharmacology and Vanderbilt Kennedy Center investigator. "Individuals, families and clinicians currently have to make decisions together, often in a state of desperation, without clear guidance on what might make things better and what might make things worse, and too often, people with autism spectrum disorders end up on one or more medications without a clear sense of whether the medicine is helping."

This research is part of a larger report on interventions for adolescents and young adults with autism that found there is little evidence to support findings, good or bad, for all therapies currently used.

The researchers systematically screened more than 4,500 studies and reviewed the 32 studies published from January 1980 to December 2011 on therapies for people ages 13 to 30 with autism spectrum disorders. They focused on the outcomes, including harms and adverse effects, of interventions, including medical, behavioral, educational and vocational.

Key findings:

Although the prevalence of autism is on the rise, much remains to be discovered when it comes to interventions for this population, the researchers concluded.

As recently as the 1970s, autism was believed to affect just one in 2,000 children, but newly released data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that one in 88 children has an autism spectrum disorder. Boys with autism outnumber girls 5-to-1, which estimates that one in 54 boys in the United States has autism.

Additional investigators on this report include Melissa McPheeters, Ph.D., MPH, director of Vanderbilt's Evidence-Based Practice Center and senior author; Zachary Warren, Ph.D., director of the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center's Treatment and Research Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorders; Julie Lounds Taylor, Ph.D., assistant professor of Pediatrics and Special Education and lead author; Dwayne Dove, M.D., Ph.D., fellow in Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics; Nila Sathe, M.S., M.L.I.S., program manager, Institute for Medicine and Public Health; and Rebecca Jerome, M.L.I.S., MPH, assistant director, Eskind Biomedical Library.

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Little evidence supports medical treatment options for adolescents with autism, researchers say

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To view this release online, visit http://news.vanderbilt.edu/2012/09/little-evidence-supports-medical-treatment-options-for-adolescents-with-autism/.

Newswise Vanderbilt University researchers are reporting today that there is insufficient evidence to support the use of medical interventions in adolescents and young adults with autism.

Despite studies that show that many adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorders are being prescribed medications, there is almost no evidence to show whether these medications are helpful in this population, the researchers said.

These findings are featured in the Sept. 24 issue of Pediatrics.

We need more research to be able to understand how to treat core symptoms of autism in this population, as well as common associated symptoms such as anxiety, compulsive behaviors and agitation, said Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele, M.D., assistant professor of Psychiatry, Pediatrics and Pharmacology and Vanderbilt Kennedy Center investigator. Individuals, families and clinicians currently have to make decisions together, often in a state of desperation, without clear guidance on what might make things better and what might make things worse, and too often, people with autism spectrum disorders end up on one or more medications without a clear sense of whether the medicine is helping."

This research is part of a larger report on interventions for adolescents and young adults with autism that found there is little evidence to support findings, good or bad, for all therapies currently used.

The researchers systematically screened more than 4,500 studies and reviewed the 32 studies published from January 1980 to December 2011 on therapies for people ages 13 to 30 with autism spectrum disorders. They focused on the outcomes, including harms and adverse effects, of interventions, including medical, behavioral, educational and vocational.

Key findings:

Some evidence revealed that treatments could improve social skills and educational outcomes such as vocabulary or reading, but the studies were generally small and had limited follow-up.

Limited evidence supports the use of medical interventions in adolescents and young adults with autism. The most consistent findings were identified for the effects of antipsychotic medications on reducing problem behaviors that tend to occur with autism, such as irritability and aggression. Harms associated with medications included sedation and weight gain.

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Little Evidence Supports Medical Treatment Options for Adolescents with Autism

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By Serena Gordon HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Sept. 24 (HealthDay News) -- More and more children are growing up with autism, and although many treatments and interventions are now available, clinical studies on the use of medications in teens and young adults are lacking, according to new research.

"The majority of (older) individuals with autism spectrum disorders appear to be taking medications that we have very little evidence for," said the study's lead author, Dr. Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele, medical director of the Treatment and Research Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorders at the Vanderbilt Brain Institute in Nashville, Tenn.

"In the absence of sufficient evidence, parents and people with autism should find a clinician who tells you what's known and unknown about the potential benefits and risks of any medication," he said. "It should be a shared decision-making process."

Results of the study were published online on Sept. 24 in the journal Pediatrics.

Autism spectrum disorders are neurodevelopmental disorders that impair social development and communication. Autism spectrum disorders also may cause repetitive movements and even self-abusive behavior, such as head banging, according to the U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).

It is estimated that about one in 88 American children has been identified with an autism spectrum disorder

As children with autism age, some do experience significant improvements, according to NINDS, but many do not. There is no cure for autism, although there are many treatments available, including education and behavioral interventions and medications.

Medications usually are used to treat some of the symptoms associated with autism, rather than the core symptoms of the condition, according to background information in the new study. For example, the medication risperidone (brand name Risperdal) may be used to treat behavioral symptoms associated with autism, such as aggression, outbursts and irritability, said Dr. Melissa Nishawala, medical director of the Autism Spectrum Disorders Clinical and Research Program at the NYU Child Study Center in New York City.

"Medications like risperidone and aripiprazole don't address the cause of autism, but they help calm down [people with autism]," Veenstra-VanderWeele said.

Read more here:
Research lacking on drugs for older children with autism

Recommendation and review posted by Fredricko