Learning Disorders News

July 10, 2016

Common Pain Killer: Autism, Hyperactivity?

Watching the Brain During Language Learning

How Your Brain Dictionary Helps You Read

'Baby Talk' Can Help Songbirds Learn Their Tunes

Latest Headlines

updated 12:36pm EDT

Attention Problems in Early Childhood Can Have Lasting Impact

July 6, 2016 — Children with attention problems in early childhood were 40 percent less likely to graduate from high school, says a new study that examines how early childhood characteristics affect academic ... read more

Helping Children With Autism Transfer New Communication Skills from Home to School

June 22, 2016 — A new study is testing whether an intervention with parents and teachers can help children with autism transfer newly acquired social communication ... read more

Drug Treatment of Hyperactivity in Kids May Have Levelled Off in UK

June 14, 2016 — The tendency to treat childhood hyperactivity (ADHD) with drugs may have reached a plateau in the UK, following a steep rise in the number of prescriptions for these medicines over the past 20 years, ... read more

Study Highlights Multiple Factors of ADHD Medication Use

June 8, 2016 — Youth who take Ritalin, Adderall or other stimulant medications for ADHD over an extended period of time early in life are no more at risk for substance abuse in later adolescence than teens without ... read more

Children With High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder Show Unique Handwriting Patterns

June 1, 2016 — The new study found that children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder integrated in regular schools find it difficult to perform writing ... read more

Effects of Maternal Smoking Continue Long After Birth

May 30, 2016 — Early exposure to nicotine can trigger widespread genetic changes that affect formation of connections between brain cells long after birth, a new study has found. The finding helps explains why ... read more

Speech-Language Pathologists Can Help Kids Who Struggle to Read

May 25, 2016 — Classroom teachers may not employ the strategies that can help students master complex written language, according to speech-language pathology ... read more

Can Telehealth Fill Gap in Autism Services?

May 24, 2016 — Parents struggling to find and afford therapy for their child with autism may eventually be able to provide that therapy themselves with the help of telehealth training, a ... read more

Refugee Children's Academic Outcomes Similar to Non-Refugee Peers Despite Learning Challenges

May 19, 2016 — Refugee children had similar academic success as other children if adequately supported, despite having more behavioral and emotional problems ... read more

ADHD May Emerge After Childhood for Some People, According to New Study

May 18, 2016 — While it is well established that childhood ADHD may continue into adulthood, new research suggests that for some people the disorder does not emerge until ... read more

Researchers Use Google Glass for Autistic Kids

Signs Of ADHD Might Not Appear Until Adulthood

This Commonly Prescribed Drug Could Help Treat Autism

A Robot to Teach Kids Coding

Preschool Academic Skills Improve Only When Instruction Is Good to Excellent

June 7, 2016 — As the overall quality of instruction in preschool classrooms increases, children experience better outcomes across a range of skills, but the needle only moves on language and reading skills when ... read more

Antipsychotic Prescribing Trends in Youths With Autism and Intellectual Disability

May 31, 2016 — About one in 10 youths treated with an antipsychotic are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder or intellectual disability. Conversely, one in six youths diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder has ... read more

People With ADHD Don't Receive Enough Support, Finnish Research Suggests

May 19, 2016 — The aim of a new study was to collect and describe the experiences of Finnish families in which the symptoms of ADHD such as attention deficit, hyperactivity and impulsiveness are strongly present. ... read more

Mom's Voice Activates Many Different Regions in Children's Brains, Study Shows

May 16, 2016 — A far wider swath of brain areas is activated when children hear their mothers than when they hear other voices, and this brain response predicts a child's social communication ability, a new ... read more

Bilingual Babies Learn Languages Faster Than Monolingual Babies

May 16, 2016 — Learning two languages from the start helps children master the rules of each language faster, new research ... read more

Autism Report Calls for 'Agile' Response in Classrooms

May 11, 2016 — A report investigating the educational needs of students with autism has identified social and emotional needs as the top priority to ensure success at ... read more

Mouse Model of Autism Offers Insights to Human Patients, Potential Drug Targets

May 10, 2016 — A new mouse model of a genetically-linked type of autism reveals more about the role of genes in the disorder and the underlying brain changes associated with autism's social and learning ... read more

Smartphone Alerts Increase Inattention, Hyperactivity

May 9, 2016 — With the Internet in our pockets, are we more inclined to be inattentive to other tasks? A new study indicates that the answer is yes. The researchers designed a two-week experimental study and ... read more

Children With Autism Learn New Words Much Like Others Do, Study Finds

May 3, 2016 — Children with autism are capable of learning new words the same way any child would—by following someone’s gaze as they name an object. They just take longer to pick up the skill, new research ... read more

Children With ADHD May Benefit from Following Healthy Behaviors, New Study Suggests

May 2, 2016 — Children with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder follow fewer healthy lifestyle behaviors than non-ADHD youth. ADHD youth may benefit from improving lifestyle choices such as increasing ... read more

Gestational Exposure to Type of Antidepressants Associated With Adolescent Offspring Depression

Apr. 28, 2016 — The use of certain antidepressants during pregnancy can result in offspring depression by early adolescence. Using national register data from Finland, researchers found that children exposed to ... read more

Short-Term Language Learning Aids Mental Agility, Study Suggests

Apr. 27, 2016 — Mental agility can be boosted by even a short period of learning a language, a study suggests. Tests carried out on students of all ages suggest that acquiring a new language improves a person's ... read more

Study May Explain Gene's Role in Major Psychiatric Disorders

Apr. 26, 2016 — A new study shows the death of newborn brain cells may be linked to a genetic risk factor for five major psychiatric diseases, and at the same time shows a compound currently being developed for use ... read more

Researchers Identify New Functional Biomarker for Autism in Boys

Apr. 20, 2016 — Researchers have developed a new method to map and track the function of brain circuits affected by autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in boys using brain imaging. The technique will provide clinicians ... read more

Brain Scan Method May Help Detect Autism

Apr. 14, 2016 — Scientists report a new degree of success in using brain scans to distinguish between adults diagnosed with autism and people without the disorder, an advance that could lead to the development of a ... read more

Study Discovers Link Between Cancer and Autism

Apr. 13, 2016 — Although patients who have been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder have a higher burden of mutations in cancer-promoting oncogenes, they actually have lower rates of cancer, new research ... read more

Could a Brain 'Growth Chart' Spot Attention Problems Early? New Study Suggests So

Apr. 13, 2016 — New research suggests that it might be possible to create a growth chart of brain networks that could identify early signs of attention difficulties and, potentially, attention deficit hyperactivity ... read more

Understanding Genes Linked to Autism-Relevant Behavior in High-Risk Siblings

Apr. 12, 2016 — Psychology researchers are searching for early markers of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), following a study predicting ASD symptoms from children's behavior in the first year of life. Infants ... read more

Key Advance: Neuroscientists Get a New Look Into How We Read

Apr. 7, 2016 — Neuroscientists have come up with a way to observe brain activity during natural reading. It's the first time researchers have been able to study the brain while reading actual texts, instead of ... read more

Autism Diagnosis Taking Too Long, Experts Say

Apr. 1, 2016 — Children with autism spectrum disorder are still being diagnosed later than they should be, meaning they are not getting access to specialist services early enough, warn medical experts in the ... read more

Tuesday, June 7, 2016