Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Genetic Analysis Finds Different Forms Of Autism, Study Shows
NBC News: Different Forms Of Autism May Exist, Not Only Different Severities, Genetic Study Shows
People who learn they have autism after age 6 — the current median age at diagnosis — are often described as having a “milder” form of autism than people diagnosed as toddlers. A new study challenges that assumption. A genetic analysis finds that people with autism spectrum disorder diagnosed in late childhood or adolescence actually have “a different form of autism,” not a less severe one, said Varun Warrier, senior author of a study published Wednesday in Nature. (Szabo, 10/1)
The New York Times: Should The Autism Spectrum Be Split Apart?
That broadening of the diagnosis, autism experts believe, along with the increasing awareness of the disorder, is largely responsible for the steep rise in autism cases that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has called “an epidemic” and has attributed to theories of causality that mainstream scientists reject, like vaccines and, more recently, Tylenol. And the diagnostic expansion has now become a flashpoint in a long-running debate over how autism should be defined, one that has divided parents and activists, ignited social media battles and grown fiercer with Mr. Kennedy’s laser focus on autism. (Ghorayshi, 10/1)
The Washington Post: Are Folate Supplements The Same As Leucovorin?
The Food and Drug Administration last week announced it would make it easier for parents to access leucovorin calcium to treat children with autism. Leucovorin is a form of vitamin B9 or folate, a nutrient essential for neurodevelopment. Though its effectiveness for autism treatment has only been researched in small studies, the announcement appeared to send some rushing to buy over-the-counter supplements with the same key ingredient as the drug Trump administration officials touted. Some online shops appeared to sell out of folinic acid supplements. (Malhi, 10/1)
MedPage Today: Can A Dementia Drug Help Some Kids With Autism?
Memantine hydrochloride, a noncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonist, may help improve social impairment in a specific subset of youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a small trial suggested. (Monaco, 10/1)
In related news —
The Washington Post: Maryland Residents With Non-Apparent Disabilities Get A Butterfly ID Marker
Under Eric’s ID law, people with autism and other non-apparent disabilities can obtain a state-issued ID that is meant to alert law enforcement officers of their condition. (Munro, 10/1)
