Recent research has shown a higher risk of autism with exposure to traffic related air pollution and a new study showed a lower risk of autism with increased amounts of green space, specifically tree cover when there was high road density. (Lucio G. Costa, Yu-Chi Chang, Toby B. Cole, "Developmental Neurotoxicity of Traffic-Related Air Pollution: Focus on Autism," Current Environmental Health Reports 4, no.2 (June 2017): 156-165, doi:10.1007/s40572-017-0135-2; Jianyong Wu, Laura Jackson, "Inverse Relationship Between Urban Green Space and Childhood Autism in California Elementary School Districts," Environment International 107, (October 2017): 140-146, doi:10.1016/j.envint.2017.07.010). The latter study included autism prevalence in 543 of 560 public elementary school districts in California. Besides air pollution, noise may also be a factor. Both children with autism and individuals exposed to high levels of traffic related air pollution exhibit elevated levels of inflammation, including in the brain. In individuals who are genetically susceptible to autism, air pollution may be a contributing factor. For this and many other reasons, life may be easier by going green.
Autism: Preventing Hospitalization with ABA
A recent study comparing 218 psychiatrically hospitalized individuals with autism with 255 individuals also with autism who were not hospitalized, ages 4-20, showed five predictors of hospitalization, (Giulia Righi, Jill Benevides, Carla Mazefsky, Matthew Siegel, Stephen J. Sheinkoph, and Eric M. Morrow, "Predictors of Inpatient Psychiatric Hospitalization for Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder," Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, published online ahead of print, (May 23, 2017), doi:10.1007/s10803-017-3154-9). These include adaptive functioning, autism spectrum disorder symptom severity, presence of a mood disorder, sleep problems, and living with a single caregiver, which is indicative of limited support. Adaptive functioning, autism symptoms, mood instability and sleep problems can all be improved with ABA. For example, a well done stimulus preference assessment to determine effective positive reinforcers, learning to wait for reinforcement with gradual time increases, or learning to use functional communication tokens to request breaks can all improve mood. Parent training is supportive as well. This research shows among other reasons why effective ABA is cost effective.
ADHD Too or Just Autism?
According to a study, children with autism may be falsely diagnosed with ADHD as diagnostic criteria overlap, (Benjamin E. Yerys, Jenelle Nissley-Tsiopinis, Ashley de Marchena, Marley W. Watkins, Ligia Antezana, Thomas J. Power, and Robert T. Schultz, "Evaluation of the ADHD Rating Scale in Youth with Autism," Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 47, no. 1 (January 2017): 90-100, doi:10.1007/s10803-106-2933-z). This is particularly concerning as individuals with autism may be placed on medications with potentially harmful side effects unnecessarily. ADHD diagnostic symptoms such as being "easily distracted," "does not seem to listen when spoken to directly," or "has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play activities," may well be part of autism social impairments and not ADHD. Until we have effective rating scales for individuals who have autism to find out if ADHD is also present, we must be very cautious that individuals with autism are not being falsely diagnosed with ADHD.
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, Side Effects and Autism
A recent study examined the use of antidepressant medications which affect brain serotonin and intracranial bleeds. (Christel Renoux, Sarah Vahey, Sophie Dell'Aniello, Jean Francois Boivin, "Association of Specific Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors with the Risk for Spontaneous Intracranial Hemorrhage," JAMA Neurology 77, no.2 (2017): 173-180, doi:10.1001/jamaneurol2016.4529. 1,363,990 individuals were studied. Medications which strongly inhibit the reuptake of serotonin into cells were associated with greater risk of bleeding. The risk is higher within the first thirty days with these medications, and the risk is higher with anticoagulants, also known as blood thinners. Individuals with autism already have neurological impairments and if there is a bleed in the brain, there is a potential for worsening of brain function.
Focusing on skills: How my brother with autism may have prevented a train accident
Last Sunday, my brother Stuart who has autism came over my home to celebrate my daughter's birthday. He lives in a residential placement and a staff from the house brought him over. The staff told me that about a year ago, at a subway station, my brother noticed there was a problem with some wheels on a train. My brother told a transit worker. The transit worker called over an inspector and it turned out the problem was dangerous. The crew had all the passengers evacuate the train and then the train was removed from the station for repair. My brother may have saved lives. Even though people have disabilities, we must develop their skills. People with disabilities can also make great contributions to society.