Get ready to dive back in to The Autism Digest, your regular instalment of what’s happening in the Autism space. The team at Human Health has curated another insightful lineup of the best news, stories and research to help you stay up to date 💜

Highlights in this edition include new research findings about the incidence of overlapping neurodiverse conditions with Autism, as well as progress in Massachusetts towards improving communication between police and Autistic people.

We’ve also featured some great news and community stories this week, focused on how both a young author/illustrator and an up-and-coming comedian are doing their part to share their Autistic experiences with the world.

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Latest Research and News

Recent publications

🔍 Neurodivergent Traits in a Childhood Population Referred for Autism Assessment: An evaluation was completed from the medical records of children aged 2–17 who had completed a questionnaire for Autism assessment. Over 75% of those children who were diagnosed with Autism also had scores that indicated the presence of other neurodivergent traits or conditions. Only 26% of these children were further investigated beyond an Autism assessment.
Link to article.

❤️‍🩹 Reproductive Health Care in Autism and Developmental Disabilities: This study found that compared to their typically developing peers, Autistic and developmentally disabled adolescents and young adults were significantly more likely to be diagnosed with some reproductive disorders, and less likely to visit an obstetrician/gynecologist or use hormonal contraception. Link to article.

📊 Early Prediction of Autism: This study investigated if an AI model could predict the likelihood of a child developing Autism, based on data collected during routine health assessments from birth to age 6. When tested on records from 1.2 million children, it was found that the model performed with accuracy similar to that of the M-CHAT, a standard Autism screening tool for toddlers.
Link to article.

New in News

📧 Blue Envelope bill passes state senate: Massachusetts lawmakers are lobbying to improve communication between police and Autistic individuals. The proposal would make blue envelopes available to Autistic people that would hold their driver’s license, registration, and insurance documents and make it easier to navigate traffic stops. The envelopes would also list important details about the driver, such as triggers, impairments, and emergency contact information. Link to article.

🃏 Autistic comedian making neurodiversity relatable: Winner of the Sydney Fringe Festival’s Accessible Comedy award, JD Dameron, has created ‘Divergimon’ cards, a play on the classic ‘Digimon’ and ‘Pokemon’ card games, aiming to improve representation and understanding of neurodiversity. Each card models a different neurodiverse trait, condition, or experience. Some card examples include ‘Imaginova’ (high creativity), ‘Lichralee’ (concrete thinking), and ‘Lastique’ (hypermobility). Link to article.

💼 Autistic job candidates receive better ratings when diagnosis is disclosed: Research from the UK has found that interviewers may perceive Autistic candidates more favorably if they are aware of their diagnosis. Traits including confidence, likeability, and communication were rated higher when the candidate’s diagnosis was disclosed compared to when it was not shared. Link to article.

Featured

Autistic boy defies odds with grammar book for kids

From the age of four, Albert Stoica struggled with verbal challenges, which he overcame with the help of intensive speech and language therapy. Albert has since developed a passion for language and sharing stories. It was from this love that the idea for his book blossomed.

Working with a children’s book specialist, Albert transformed his creative ideas into a compelling narrative for all kids, particularly for those like him. Albert contributed the narrative, created characters and scenes, and designed the pages for his book, titled ‘Mr Raggy, The Rescue nuts and the Missing Words’.

The book has had remarkable success since its launch. A review for Albert’s book claims it provides a “delightful balance between education and entertainment”, and that “the interactive activities not only reinforce grammar rules but also foster critical thinking skills”. Clearly, Albert’s passion has translated into a remarkable talent for creating fun and informative resources.

You can read more about Albert and his book in this article.

Community Corner

✏️ Virtual event for artistic teens and young adults: Autism Career Pathways, an Autistic-led non-profit, holds regular ‘Artsy Aunties’ events for crafty people. The next event is dragon-themed, and will be held on January 27th. Attendees are encouraged to share stories, doodle, show artwork, chat, and learn from Autistic author and graphic designer, Erin Wedemeyer.
Learn more here.

💬 Tell me something your kid is good at: Reddit user @QuixoticLogophile started a thread for parents of Autistic kids to celebrate their talents and achievements. Some heartwarming responses included “My son is very good at being happy”, and “If you sing something to him just one time, he'll reproduce the melody with his cute singing voice.” Read full post.

❤️ “Love on the Spectrum” renewed: Season two of the hit Netflix dating show Love on the Spectrum is coming to screens on January 19th. This season will feature both new and old faces, including fan-favorite Abbey, who will share more about her current relationship which bloomed from the show. Read full article.

Resources and Tools

📖 Autism Hub webpage: A knowledge base for current information about Autism, including live feeds of the latest clinical trials and publications, news articles, community stories, and more. Visit the Autism Hub.

💬 Support groups: You can find a list of Autism support groups and organizations on the US Autism Association website. Link to list.

📱 Health tracking: Human Health is a free mobile app that helps you track Autism symptoms and treatments. Download the app here.

📣 Autistic content and advocacy: Instagram user @neurodivergent_lou often shares helpful, thought-provoking, and honest content about their experience as an Autistic person. Find them on Instagram here.

Inspiration and Motivation