No other psychiatric diagnosis has more profound negative implications than autism. On the surface, autism impacts social, emotional, behavioral, and academic functioning. However, autism is pervasive in ways less immediately observable, and, as a result, children with autism require developmental and educational interventions that are different in both form and intensity from those required by children with other special needs. More>>

BALTIMORE -- About half of children who develop autism may be diagnosable by 14 months of age, researchers found in a small study that dropped the bar for early diagnosis by six months. More>>

An imbalance in blood levels of oxytocin may be associated with certain forms of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). "I think that this is an important area for future development to understand the underlying root cause of ASDs and develop treatments to help manage symptoms," said Eric Hollander, MD, chair of psychiatry and director of the Seaver and New York Autism Center of Excellence at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. More>>

SAN FRANCISCO -- While the behavioral symptoms of autism have been treated with a wide spectrum of medications, atypical antipsychotics may be the most effective drug class. More>>

New Act by Congress Gives Boost to Autism Research More>>

SAN DIEGO -- Preliminary results of a small ongoing study of vitamin B12 injections for children with autism showed no signs of significant benefit, researchers reported here, but they remained hopeful. More>>

MONTREAL ? As the mercury-containing preservative thimerosal was removed from vaccines, and as fewer children received the mumps-measles-rubella vaccine, the rates of autism and related disorders rose. More>>

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Preserved placentas from children later diagnosed with autism contained cellular abnormalities that could be the earliest signs of the condition. More>>

Behavioral and Pharmacologic Treatment of Aggression in Children With Autism by Craig A. Erickson, M.D., Naomi B. Swiezy, Ph.D., Kimberly A. Stigler, M.D., Christopher J. McDougle, M.D., and David J. Posey, M.D. Aggression in children with autism can be quite serious and lead to self-injury or injury of others. What sorts of treatments, both behavioral and pharmacological, are available and how effective are they in treating this difficult population? More>>

Autism is a highly prevalent, highly heterogeneous disorder of unknown etiology. Studies to clearly establish the efficacy of various classes of psychoactive drugs are scarce. Nonetheless, available findings do support the efficacy of atypical antipsychotics and antidepressants in treating the core symptoms of repetitive behavior. More>>