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Australia’s first draft national guideline for autism diagnosis released

Australia’s first draft national guideline for autism diagnosis has today been released for public consultation.

Video intervention offers promising language boost for kids showing early signs of autism

The first rigorous trial of a pre-emptive behavioural intervention for babies showing early signs of autism has found the therapy can improve early language development.

Hormones in utero influence facial structure

Hormone levels in the womb may determine how masculine or feminine your facial features are as an adult, The Kids Research Institute Australia researchers have found.

Children with autism may benefit from app-based therapies

A The Kids Research Institute Australia study has shown that in addition to intervention with trained therapists, children with autism may benefit from app-based therapies.

The Kids Research Institute Australia researcher awarded prestigious Eureka award

Professor Andrew Whitehouse awarded the most prestigious award in the country for young researchers – the 3M Eureka Prize for Emerging Leader in Science.

Absence of association between maternal adverse events and long-term gut microbiome outcomes in the Australian autism biobank

Maternal immune activation and prenatal maternal stress are well-studied risk factors for psychiatric conditions such as autism and schizophrenia. Animal studies have proposed the gut microbiome as a mechanism underlying this association and have found that risk factor-related gut microbiome alterations persist in the adult offspring.

Low-intensity parent- and clinician-delivered support for young autistic children in Aotearoa New Zealand: a randomised controlled trial

Aotearoa New Zealand does not provide publicly-funded intensive autism support. While parent-mediated supports are promising, children and families may also benefit from direct clinician support. We tested the efficacy of a low-intensity programme involving parent- and clinician-delivered support for autistic children.

Autism researcher wins accolade for science videos

Professor Andrew Whitehouse has been awarded an Autism Spectrum Australia Recognition Award for his work communicating scientific findings to families.

‘It depends entirely on the nature of those supports’: Community perceptions of the appropriateness of early support services for autistic children

We do not know much about what support services people think are okay for young autistic children. This study was a survey of 253 people. We asked autistic adults, parents, and professionals from Australia and New Zealand whether they thought it was okay to provide support services to autistic children. 

Child and Family Characteristics Associated with Symptoms of Anxiety in Autistic Children: A Biobank Study

Autistic children have an increased likelihood of anxiety, but more research is needed on the characteristics that predict various types of anxiety in this population.