Studies suggest peer support helps children with autism engage in class

By Sarah Hansen A 2014 study found that peer support for three boys with autism significantly reduced their off-task behaviors in inclusive elementary school classrooms. After training one-to-one peer supporters, the low-cost peer support protocol places minimal demands on teachers and improves the classroom environment for all learners. The study also found that all children…

Adults on the autism spectrum may process visual information for motor control differently than neurotypical adults

By Sarah Hansen Neurotypical adults primarily use visual cues to control posture. A new study in Neuroscience finds that adults on the autism spectrum instead tend to prioritize other sensory feedback, such as pressure and motion, to control their body position. These results suggest that popular vision-based techniques for teaching skills to individuals with autism,…

Children with autism identify emotions in body language as well as their neurotypical peers

By Sarah Hansen New research indicates that children on the autism spectrum can identify emotions in body language just as accurately as their typically-developing peers, contradicting the commonly-held belief that individuals with autism are blind to others’ feelings. Children with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) do have more difficulty identifying emotions solely from faces or eyes,…

Promise and Pitfalls: New paper reviews the use of induced pluripotent stem cells in autism research

By Sarah Hansen A recent review by team members at the Hussman Institute for Autism (HIA) discusses new and emerging technologies related to the use of induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPSCs. iPSCs are mature cells, such as skin cells or blood cells, that have been experimentally coaxed (“induced”) into a state where they can…

Intervention with speech-generating devices increases spontaneous speech in minimally-verbal children

by Sarah Hansen Minimally-verbal school-age children with autism made significant gains in the frequency and variety of their speech by participating in a naturalistic intervention only two or three hours per week for 24 weeks. Children that used a Speech-Generating Device (SGD) as part of the intervention saw greater gains in speech than those that…

In autism, individual brain regions are often intact, but show less connectivity with each other

by Sarah Hansen Difficulties with social interaction, communication, and motor control are hallmarks of autism. It’s also true that many individuals on the autism spectrum demonstrate average or above-average intelligence, and the intelligence of others can be masked by difficulties initiating speech and movement. This is why at Hussman, we always “presume competence” in individuals…

Recent genetic analyses help focus future autism research on neuronal connectivity pathways

By Sarah Hansen One of the challenges of genetically complex conditions like autism is that no single gene explains more than a tiny fraction of cases. Instead, the growing consensus is that numerous genes are responsible, and produce their effect by impacting the same biological “pathways.” A 2011 study authored by John P. Hussman and…