Many autistic people might have some form of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), researchers believe. They are investigating whether people with autism are more vulnerable to PTSD. Among them is Dr Connor Kerns, assistant professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. Post traumatic stress disorder more common than reported She […]

New research has concluded there are significant links between allergies, autoimmune diseases, autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

A mother who won the right for her autistic son to be given a kidney transplant says children and young people are being “badly failed”.

A Sheffield boy with special educational needs has missed out on much of his senior schooling because the city council did not provide suitable alternative education for him. That’s the official finding of the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. The Ombudsman has asked the Sheffield City Council to pay the boy and his mother […]

Excluding children from school may lead to long-term psychiatric problems, a study has shown. The University of Exeter carried out the research. It found that excluding pupils may result in a mental disorder.

Scientists have discovered 49 new genetic mutations linked to developmental disorders. They looked at genetic data from more than 31,000 groups of parent-child trios. A trio comprises both parents, plus the child. The researchers found 307 significantly enriched or heavily mutated genes. Some 49 of these were newly discovered de novo, or new, mutations. They […]

Autistic teens suffer from more health problems in adulthood, new research shows.

Disability charity Mencap is supporting calls to strengthen laws against online abuse of people with disabilities. Mencap staff gave evidence before a hearing of Parliament’s Petitions Committee. The committee is looking at introducing tougher laws on abusers who target people with disabilities online. Model Katie Price started the campaign after she says online trolls targeted her son Harvey for […]

Mothers who took anticonvulsants to control seizures during pregnancy, and whose children have developed health conditions including autism, are facing a fresh blow as legal aid to fight the manufacturer of their medication has been withdrawn. Parents of children involved in a group action against Sanofi-Aventis, one of the world’s biggest pharmaceutical companies, claim their […]

The mother of a boy with autism is fighting to stop plans for more than £20m in cuts to special needs services in Surrey. Alicia McColl, whose 14-year-old son Kian Hollow has autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), has crowdfunded a legal challenge.

A mum is fighting for better support for special needs children in mainstream schools after she alleges her son’s school said her five-year-old son could attend for just two hours per day.

The mother of a man with autism and ADHD is fighting to get her son out of a mental health hospital he shares with murderers and rapists. Tracey Gibbon’s son Kyle, 31, has been held at high-security hospital Carstairs, in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, for nine years. Gibbon alleges Kyle is being detained for “behavioural” issues. […]

The mother of a teenager fighting to protect his life-saving dialysis treatment says medics are using his autism against him.

Most children who overcome autism will later develop related psychiatric conditions, research has found. The study found that a new condition had at some point been diagnosed for 92 per cent of children in the study.

Parents at the centre of a battle with West Berkshire Council over deep cuts to respite services have applied for legal aid to challenge the move.

PAST offers training for teaching and support staff to equip them to help their neurodivergent learners meet their potential.

A sharp fall in special needs teachers and support staff across Scotland has led to an increase in children being bundled into ‘soft rooms’, an MSP fears. Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, says an 18 per cent decrease in special needs staff between 2010 and 2017 has caused mounting pressure in the classroom. Johnson […]

Researchers are to probe connections between heart disease in children and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Scientists say children treated for ADHD with Ritalin may suffer damage to the brain’s impulse control in adulthood. Researchers found early exposure to methylphenidate, or Ritalin, lowers levels of Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the pre-frontal cortex of adult brains.

Children and adults self-harm while enduring lengthy waits for an autism diagnosis, says an expert. Autism tutor Rachel Church says both research and clinical evidence point to a greater risk of self-injury in those waiting for a diagnosis or treatment.

Snowbility was established to make a difference through snow sports to those individuals with additional needs, such as autism, dyspraxia, ADHD, visual impairment, as well as all forms of rehabilitation challenges.

Some people overcome autism, claims a scientist. Researcher Dr Paul Whiteley says despite the description of autism as a “lifelong condition”, “growing research evidence” shows it is not “lifelong for everyone”.

With well over 25 years of expertise, Wordshark is a trusted name in education, especially for teachers of special educational needs including dyslexia, ADHD, ASD, dyspraxia and autism.