Couples raising a child with developmental disabilities do not face a higher risk of divorce if they have larger families, according to a new study by researchers from the Waisman Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Autism
Dads’ parenting of children with autism improves moms’ mental health
Fathers who read to their infants with autism and take active roles in caregiving activities not only promote healthy development in their children, they boost moms’ mental health too, new research suggests.
Frayed nerve bundle may spur autism’s motor, social deficits
A new study by Waisman Center investigators Andy Alexander, PhD, professor of medical physics and psychiatry, Janet Lainhart, MD, professor of psychiatry and Brittany Travers, PhD, assistant professor of kinesiology, indicates a nerve bundle at the base of the brain is structurally compromised in people with autism. The study was recently featured by the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative.
Questions for Maureen Durkin: Understanding autism’s rise
Waisman Center investigator, Maureen Durkin, PhD, DrPH, professor of population health sciences and pediatrics, was featured by the Simons Foundation Autism Reseach Initiative (SFARI) in a Q&A article about the rising prevalence of autism.
Autism and employment
Waisman Center investigator, Leann Smith, PhD, was interviewed by WSAW-TV in Wausau to discuss the importance of employment for teens and young adults with autism as they transition out of high school. The Age of …
Corpus callosum ages abnormally in autism
The corpus callosum, a thick bundle of nerve fibers that links the brain’s left and right hemispheres, develops differently in children with autism, a nine-year study has found.
Autism activities at the Waisman Center
April is Autism Awareness Month, shedding light on a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects social interaction, communication, and behavior in one out of every 68 children. The Waisman Center is committed to solving the autism puzzle …
For adults with autism, a lack of support when they need it most
Research on how best to help adults with autism is paper-thin. Of the more than $400 million that the United States spends each year on autism research, the vast majority is for genetics research to find the causes and a cure, and studies on early diagnosis and intervention in children. Few studies have examined treatments for adults.
Autism study finds genetic mutation poor indicator
David Wargowski, MD, a clinical geneticist in the Waisman Center Medical Genetics Clinic, discusses a new autism study in the journal Nature that examines the genetic variance of family members with an autism spectrum disorder.
Autism symptoms often missed in brief clinical appointments
MADISON–In the current issue of Pediatrics, Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison clinical psychologist Megan Farley and colleagues share important insights in the paper “Identifying autism in a brief observation,” which examines how brief clinical appointments …