The screening tool identifies specific molecules produced by gut bacteria to distinguish children with autism from typically developing peers. Researchers at Arizona State University have developed a screening tool that tests urine for 17 microbial metabolites to identify children at risk for autism. The study, published in Molecular Psychiatry, suggests the test could allow for earlier diagnosis and treatment in children…
A non-profit founded by family members and professionals who serve people with autism is trying to fill a critical shortage of behavioral health workers in West Virginia. Mountaineer Autism Project (MAP) has launched a statewide campaign to attract recent high school and college graduates considering jobs and long-term careers in healthcare. In addition to online ads, billboards from across the state show a smiling mother and a young child…
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A Florida man convicted of coercing and enticing an autistic minor into sexual activity has been sentenced to life in federal prison. James Grover, 63, of Deltona is the founder of a Sanford non-profit organization – Special Needs Advocacy Program, or SNAP – through which he met and enticed a minor with autism to have…
Anyone with information about Tafari’s whereabouts is asked to call St. Louis police at 314-444-1212 or dial 911. ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department issued an endangered person advisory for a 28-year-old woman with autism. Police said they are looking for Genesis Tafari after she walked away from her home on Meramec…
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A Florida babysitter is accused of leaving a child unattended, which led to the child wandering close to an active roadway, deputies say. Authorities claim the babysitter – identified as Lakyah Carter, 20 – willfully neglected the child. What we know: On May 25th at approximately 1:54 a.m., a 20-year-old babysitter was arrested…
Substitute bus driver Timothy Young reacts after Oliver, a nonverbal 3-year-old preschool student, was discovered still strapped inside a Louisville City Schools transportation van on Aug. 28, 2025, according to video linked in a lawsuit filed by the child’s parents. The lawsuit alleges Oliver remained on the van for nearly three hours before being…
SAGINAW, MI — A trial is underway for a Saginaw Intermediate School District bus aide accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting an adult student with special needs. Unique among sexual assault cases, as the prosecution phrased it, the 70-year-old man’s alleged misconduct was captured on video. The defense attorney, though, said his client was offering the…
The Artists Association of Nantucket houses its headquarters, education program and a gallery in a $3.9 million mansion on Amelia Drive. Another AAN gallery is in Nantucket’s downtown. (Google Maps) NANTUCKET, MA — A lawsuit filed May 22 claims a fixture of the Cape and Islands art scene, the Artists Association of Nantucket, fired an employee…
BBC Shantel says her son’s autistic symptoms worsened while they were living in a former care home When Shantel Morris moved into “cramped” and “unclean” temporary accommodation in 2022 with her then-eight-year-old son, she began to notice a worrying change in his behaviour. He had shown signs of autism before the family became homeless, including…
WHEATON, Ill. — A specialized driving rehabilitation program at Northwestern Medicine Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital is helping teens and young adults on the autism spectrum learn safe driving skills and gain independence behind-the-wheel. Designed to address the unique learning styles, sensory needs and communication preferences often associated with autism spectrum disorders, the program provides comprehensive evaluation and one-on-one training to…