Supplement May Treat Autism in Some

A widely-available nutritional supplement may be key to treating select cases of autism, according to a new study.
Researchers identified a specific gene mutation responsible for a small number of cases of autism accompanied by epilepsy and intellectual disability. Those with the gene mutation experienced a low level of certain amino acids known as branched chain amino acids or BCAAs.

Antidepressant-Autism Link Considered

Autism is on the rise, and no one has pinned down reasons, but researchers at the University of Mississippi Medical Center may have helped discover a cause: anti-depressants taken during pregnancy.
Their study, conducted with colleagues at the University of California, San Francisco, exposed rat pups to the drugs.
Published online last month by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (www.pnas.org), the findings showed that when developing rats were given the antidepressants, their behavior mimicked that of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, including difficulty in communicating and relating to others.

Study: Easy Survey Can Detect Autism Early

Call it mother's intuition. Linda Powell's only son Samuel was just two months old when she said she knew something was wrong.
"I had a colorful mobile over the changing area and he didn't focus on it at all," Powell said. "Usually by that time they're able to see some colors. I even switched to a mobile with all these different vibrant colors, and he still didn't focus."
That wasn't the only red flag. Samuel made long humming sounds instead of the "da's" and "ga's" of babbling babies his age. And although he liked toys, he didn't play like his curious peers.
Despite the warning signs, it would be three years before Samuel's unusual behavior had a name: Autism.

Autism's $100,000 Question

It all started with a scientist and 19 autistic children.
Ole Ivar Lovaas, a psychologist at the University of California, wanted to see if he could change the way the children behaved, given enough time and effort. So he lavished them with intensive therapy for 40 hours a week for two years or more.
At the end of the experiment, Lovaas reported that nine children -- 47 percent -- had no visible sign of autism by first grade.
Today, almost 25 years later, therapists in Minnesota are charging up to $100,000 per year for the treatment Lovaas pioneered, and some parents believe it is the answer to their prayers. Now a battle is raging in Minnesota about whether taxpayers and health insurers should be forced to pay for the treatment, known as Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).