The ASAN August Update highlights concerns over the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) failing to properly consider public comments on their Strategic Plan, undermining community involvement in autism research and services. It also criticizes the Trump administration's Executive Order promoting the false link between autism and vaccines, which contradicts scientific evidence and endangers public health. The update emphasizes the importance of the integration mandate in ensuring the rights of autistic individuals under the ADA and Section 504, and refutes recent misinformation from the Department of Justice.
An Avon Lake mother, Deanna Szente, wrote a children's book titled "Feelings That Matter" to help her daughter Ravyn and other children of siblings with severe autism understand and validate their emotions. The book, based on her family's real experiences, addresses the challenges of sharing a parent's attention and the unique feelings that come with having a sibling with autism. Szente aims to provide support for families and ensure that all children feel seen and valued.
President Donald Trump shared a claim that no unvaccinated Amish child has ever been diagnosed with autism, citing a 2010 study, but the claim is misleading as the study does not link autism diagnoses to vaccination status and only covers a limited timeframe. The study found autism rates among Amish children were lower than the general population but did not confirm the absence of unvaccinated Amish children with autism. Experts suggest differences in autism rates may be due to changes in diagnostic criteria rather than vaccination status.
APSARD’s Stage 3 process integrates clinician and lived-experience input to standardize adult ADHD evaluation and treatment selection. Meta’s $18B settlement includes default teen protections on social media platforms. Research links GLP-1 RAs to reduced mortality and MACE compared to SGLT2 inhibitors, and ADHD is associated with increased cardiovascular risks after antihypertensive initiation.
Yale School of Medicine has received a $25 million grant from the ARIA initiative to map the developing human brain and advance autism research. The project aims to create detailed models of early brain development to better understand how autism emerges and improve early detection and interventions. The research brings together experts from multiple disciplines to address gaps in understanding the neural circuits involved in typical and atypical brain development.
