Tag: Autism

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.

Karla Ausderau, PhD

Title: Sensory subtypes in children with autism using a latent profile transition analysis Legend: Four clinically distinct and homogeneous sensory subtypes were found to characterize children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in a large longitudinal national sample and also shown to be stable (91%) over one year. The Mild Subtype (N = 308, 29%) described …

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 Autism – click to watch Smith created an eight-week program, Transitioning Together, to help teenagers with autism and their families …

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 and providing high-quality services to children and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families. We’re home to a …

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 are often not long enough to determine if a child has an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or even if a …

Holiday cards for autism 2014

Giizhik Klawiter has autism and began drawing at six years old as a therapeutic outlet. For the last five years, Giizhik and his brother Mino have designed holiday greeting cards and sold them in their hometown of Hayward, Wisconsin with the help of their mother, Pam Miller. The colorful and unique cards provide an opportunity …

Stanley and Durkin: The cost of autism care

Maria Stanley, MD, Waisman Center Clinics Medical Director and clinical associate professor of pediatrics and Maureen Durkin, PhD, DrPH, a Waisman Center investigator and professor of population health sciences and pediatrics, were featured on Wisconsin Public Radio’s The Joy Cardin Show on June 12 to discuss the cost of supporting an individual with autism throughout the lifespan.