autism

Is Grief a Mental Illness?

Posted on 05/16/2013 by | General News | Comments

Bulletin Today | health care | Personal HealthBy Lindsey Tanner, Medical Writer, The Associated Press CHICAGO (AP) — In the new psychiatric manual of mental disorders, grief soon after a loved one’s death can be considered major depression. Extreme childhood temper tantrums get a fancy name. And certain “senior moments” are called “mild neurocognitive disorder.” Those changes are just some of the reasons prominent critics say the American Psychiatric Association is out of control, turning common human problems into mental illnesses in a trend they say will …

With the Aid of Science: Health News Roundup!

Posted on 08/24/2012 by | AARP Blog Author | Comments

Personal HealthThere’s been some cool medical and science stories that have cropped up this week. From a blood cell glucose sensor to a possible vaccine for heart disease, it’s been a pretty interesting week for some heavy topics. Digestible microchips! Of course there’s lots of stories and research out there. These are just a few that stood out. Let’s take a closer look: Your blood knows: Some folks have figured out how to make a blood cell into a chemical sensor …

Older Fathers Pass On More Mutations for Autism, Schizophrenia

Posted on 08/23/2012 by | Personal Health and Well-being | Comments

Bulletin Today | Personal HealthA new study looking at the link between genetic mutations and parental age has turned a long-standing assumption on its head: It’s the father’s age, not the mother’s, that raises the risk for new genetic mutations in their children, including autism and schizophrenia. Older fathers transmit more new DNA variations than younger fathers, researchers found. The mother’s age has no bearing on the risk for these disorders. The findings may explain why childhood autism rates are rising, scientists said Wednesday. …

A Grandparent’s Toolkit for Autism

Posted on 04/9/2012 by | Multigenerational & Family Issues | Comments

Home & Family | Your LifeSuzanne Wright had a feeling that something was very wrong. Her grandson had been talking, but now was regressing. The words just weren’t coming. “Several doctors told me to go home and not worry,” Suzanne recently shared with me. Frustrated, she believed the doctors were wrong. And they were. Her grandson was later diagnosed with Autism, a developmental disorder that usually appears in the first three years of life and affects the brain’s development of communication and social challenges. Suzanne, like many grandparents, …