Ask an Autism Researcher
Complementary and alternative treatments such as the Gluten and Casein-Free Diet (GFCF), while not recommended in national and international guidelines on autism intervention, are extremely popular among families of Autistic children, with a reported use between 52% and 95%.
Read more “Is a change in diet effective for Autistic children?”
Ask an Autism Researcher
How do I help my teenage son with Autism to socialise?
Often with Autism, socialising for the sake of socialising seems pointless, and there needs to be a purpose for interaction with other people. So carrying out a task in the company of other people is one way of not becoming isolated. This might include a hobby club, a sporting activity, an environmental task in the community, learning a new skill, teaching or mentoring other students or getting a part-time job.
Read more “How do I help my teenage son with Autism to socialise?”
Ask an Autism Researcher
There are still very few studies examining the use of iPads in an attempt to support the learning of children on the Autism spectrum.
Read more “Can the use of ICT support the learning of Autistic children?”
Ask an Autism Researcher
A very good starting point for comparing different supports is the Raising Children Network’s ‘Parent Guide to Therapies‘ which provides a description of the most commonly used supports in Australia, as well as a rating for research evidence, time commitment required, and cost. Research Autism, based in the UK, provides a similar service and is also well worth a look.
Even when we consider only those interventions for which there is good research evidence, we find that there is currently no single best support program which works equally well for all Autistic children. This is no doubt due in large part to the fact that the individual skills and needs of each child, and his or her family, are unique.
Dr David Trembath
Published July 2019
Read more “What is the best evidence-based support for Autistic children in relation to communication skills?”
Ask an Autism Researcher
Can the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine cause Autism?
It has been shown that the evidence for the causal link between MMR vaccine and Autism was weak at best, and incorrect at worst. Andrew Wakefield, who published this evidence has been exposed as fabricating his data. For a really quick overview and lots of extra reading on this go to his Wikipedia page.
Parental doubt and confusion is caused by the fact that first symptoms (if not diagnosis) are often observed at the time of, or shortly after, the vaccination, so there is a temporal link but not a causal link between vaccination and observation of first symptoms. Current research indicates some brain differences as early as six months in children who are not yet showing signs of autism but go on to do so in the second year of life.
By Dr Elfriede Ihsen
Published July 2019
Ask an Autism Researcher
We are aware of just one study by by Libbey, J., Sweeten, T., & Fujinami, R. (2005, PDF 93.6 KB) has summarised the evidence for a causal link between prenatal maternal Rubella and Autism.
Read more “Is there a link between Rubella and Autism?”
Ask an Autism Researcher
This is a very difficult question to answer, because there are different causes for Autism and Aspergers, with some of these conditions being highly heritable and others are not.
Read more “Can I pass Aspergers on to my children?”
Ask an Autism Researcher
This is one theory among many others put forward to explain the enigma that is Autism.
Some Autistic children appear susceptible to gastrointestinal (GI) conditions. However, this research is in the early stages, with the findings to date providing no evidence that gut bacteria and their by-products cause Autism, even a subgroup of them, or that treating the gut can alleviate the specific symptoms of Autism.
Read more “Is Autism caused by gut bacteria, as suggested by ‘gut theory’?”
Study summary
OTARC 2014 Phd graduate Rebecca McStay discusses family stress and Autism
Read more “Parental stress and Autism”
Educational and vocational engagement
Read more “Meltdowns after school”I am a mum of six. My three youngest all have ASD and have terrible trouble with meltdowns after school. There is a lot of anecdotal evidence of the ‘delay effect’ for children on the spectrum. That being that they hold themselves together and show no behaviour of concern at school but ‘meltdown’ when they return home. My question: is there any research evidence that this exists and what can be done to help?