Avoiding Unintended and Tragic Events
The recent police-involved shooting in North Miami hits close to home for those of us who know, love, or support someone with autism. As more details emerge about this unfortunate…
ASD and Antidepressant Use
A recent paper (Boukhris et al., 2015) raised once again the concern that women who take antidepressants during pregnancy are at increased risk for giving birth to a child who…
Asperger’s Lost Tribe
Hans Asperger is a forgotten genius whose rightful place in the history of autism was pre-empted by the wrong-headed, self-serving plagiarist, Leo Kanner. So goes the alternative narrative put forward…
What Causes Autism?
The etiology of autism has been an open question since the identification of the syndrome over 70 years ago. Leo Kanner (1943) wrote: “We must, then, assume that these children…
“It don’t mean a thing”
A popular business program airing daily on public radio plays different intro music for the segment on the stock market, depending on how the markets have fared that day. On…
The Autism Mental Status Examination
Recently, the parent of a young adult with ASD brought to my attention a diagnostic instrument that has received some attention in the press, following a presentation at the American…
What is Social (Pragmatic) Communication Disorder?
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”2_3″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.69″ background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” border_style=”solid”] The publication of DSM-5 (American Psychiatric Association, 2013) saw the introduction of a new diagnostic label into the psychiatric ‘bible’, “Social (Pragmatic) Communication…
DSM-5 is Here!
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) appeared in bookstores last week and pre-ordered copies arrived in the mail. For those who followed the DSM draft versions over…
News Flash: Females have better social skills
While those of us afflicted by maleness have long been aware that we are, sadly, the weaker sex with respect to sociability and emotional acumen, only relatively recently have clinicians…
Recovery from Autism
In 1987 Ivar Lovaas published the first comprehensive report of the outcomes of his intensive behavioral intervention for young children with autism (<46 months of age). Lovaas reported that, at…