SPECIAL NEEDS NEWS - Autism & Injuries, Down Syndrome & Alzheimer's and Police Encounters with Autistic People - 26 August 2014

Autism may lower risk of childhood injuries

Many children with autism have motor skills problems that cause them to fall and appear "clumsy".  Despite these problems, children with autism are at a decreased risk of childhood injury when compared to their peers. A study in Academic Pediatrics reports a decreased risk of 11 percent. The decreased risk may be attributed to kids with autism engaging in fewer high risk activities than their peers.  More information is available from SFARI. 

People with Down's Syndrome helping Alzheimer Research

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) are testing a drug for Alzheimer's on a group of people with Down Syndrome.  People with Down Syndrome are perfect for this research because "by the age of 40, 100 percent of all individuals with Down syndrome have the pathology of Alzheimer's in their brain," Dr Michael Rafii of UCSD says. More information is available from NPR.

Police encounters with people who have autism

Credit:  Highway Patrol Images on Flickr

The events in Ferguson, Missouri triggered many news reports of police dealings with members of the public.  People with autism are seven times more likely to have an interaction with police than others with cognitive disorders. 

It is important that police officers and people with autism understand each other. The US Justice Department is working on a training program for police officers.  Parents must make sure their children know how to act when they meet police officers. Teaching children with special needs about police explains what parents can do.  More information on this issue is available from NPR