Some children with autism and hyperactivity have a genetic intolerance to methylphenidate (Ritalin), the drug commonly prescribed for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, reports a new study published 16 July in Pharmacogenomics.

Using telemedicine, physicians can diagnose autism at a distance almost as well as they can in person, reports a new study published 19 July in Telemedicine and e-Health.

Children with autism, even those with low intelligence, can improve their self-control by practicing a Chinese mind-body exercise technique, reports a study published 10 July in PLoS One.

Children who have severe autism symptoms, epilepsy or poor intelligence and language skills fare worse as they age than their peers with milder symptoms, according to two long-term studies published in July, one of which spanned 40 years.

Preschool-aged children with autism make developmental and behavioral gains, regardless of the type of classroom in which they are enrolled, say Brian Boyd and Samuel Odom.

Latino children with autism are diagnosed an average of a year later than their white peers and receive fewer services, reports the June issue of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

School-based interventions are arguably the best way to reach the truly underserved, under-represented and under-resourced children with autism, says Connie Kasari.

Numerous studies detail the complex challenges and the dearth of treatments that people with autism face as they mature into adulthood. Why are there so few solutions?
 

Ritalin lowers impulsivity, oppositional behavior and attention deficit in children with autism and has mild side effects, reports a study published 19 June in the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Introducing gut bacteria to mice that lack them increases their sociability, but mainly with familiar mice, reports a study published 21 May in Molecular Psychiatry.