The part of the nervous system that regulates heart rate and breathing is involved in autism, a new study suggests. Specifically, the changes in heart rate that ordinarily accompany breathing are slow to develop in children with autism. Heart rate usually speeds up slightly as a person...

One of the most polarizing purchases Laurie and I have ever made was a small craft table for Jasmine. It’s shorter than a standard table, and sits in the corner of our dining room in a spot that somewhat hides the constant chaos. The hot glue gun is usually on and the lids to the glue sticks and markers are usually off....

Q: “My son’s school is hesitating about formally assessing him because he is ‘making progress,’ even though he still struggles a lot. How can I get the school to assess him for learning disabilities?”

If you have met with school officials to explain the ways in which your son is struggling and they...

A generation ago, parents of children with attention deficit disorder (ADHD or ADD) and learning disabilities (LD) had scant educational choices. They could take part in the special-education program of their local public school, pay a premium for private school, or find a parochial school that matched their religious...

School is a habitat designed to help our children learn, grow, and thrive, right? For students with attention deficit disorder (ADHD or ADD) and learning disabilities (LD), that is not always the case. Certain school environments may be a bad fit, and could even disrupt or undermine the educational experience.

If your child is...

Middle school is a tricky time for students with attention deficit disorder (ADHD or ADD), given the increased workload and multiple classes and projects. But perhaps the hardest challenge is navigating the social landscape of adolescence.

Because of surging hormones, heightened emotions, increased self-consciousness, and a...

February 19, 2019

Physical discipline is still legal – and utilized – in 19 states across America. This is true despite a statement issued last year by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advising against spanking and harsh verbal punishment. Corporal punishment is not only ineffective, the AAP said, but there...

Q: “My son demonstrates symptoms of executive dysfunction including disorganization, poor time management, poor working memory, and difficulty with attention management. He is aware of his ADHD diagnosis, and feels discouraged when he fails despite trying harder than everyone else. For example, after working the entire...

Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham have identified a possible mechanism of human cognition that underlies autism spectrum disorders, or ASD. Diagnosis for ASD is still behaviorally based. Psychologists and medical professionals with clinical expertise use the Autism...

The hours after school are a reprieve for kids with attention deficit disorder. After spending the day feeling stifled, misunderstood, and frustrated in the classroom, "after school" offers a chance to relax and just be themselves. But a significant portion of the learning that went into...

Schizophrenia is a severe mental health condition that often requires medications to manage symptoms. Recently, researchers from the University of Queensland and Aarhus University looked at the levels of vitamin D at birth and likelihood of becoming schizophrenic. They looked at over 2600...

University of Queensland researchers have discovered a key mechanism in the brain that may underlie our ability to rapidly focus attention. Our brains are continuously bombarded with information from the senses, yet our level of vigilance to such input varies, allowing us to selectively...