Lately, Autism has been getting more and more attention in the news.  This page provides links to some of those news articles, and television shows that have talked about autism.

In all cases, please be aware that the Canadian National Autism Foundation does not endorse or recommend any of the information contained within our pages or the links to other sites. It is your responsibility to use these pages as information to build your knowledge and to ask questions of other professionals with whom you trust.

How to Deal with a Diagnosis as a Family Articles

The Downside of Special:Parenting a Child with Special Needs~ He was unusually energetic “a flight risk,” Miss P. corrected me, explaining that he had been known to bolt out of the classroom and didn’t seem to have any awareness of being hungry or thirsty or too hot or too cold. Toilet training wasn’t happening: He hadn’t seemed to figure out when he needed to go. I thought he had his mind on bigger things: learning everything about the solar system, for instance. “We should be thinking about an IEP,” Miss P. said.

Articles about Various Issues

Government of Canada Announces Funding to Address COVID-19 Challenges for Autistic Individuals~ October 2022-Today, as we recognize Autism Awareness Month and reflect on how we can better support Autistic Canadians, Ryan Turnbull, Member of Parliament for Whitby and Michael Coteau, Member of Parliament for Don Valley East on behalf of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health announced funding for a community-based project aimed at addressing the negative impacts of COVID-19.

Progress in autism program rollout goes dark as Ontario government withholds new updates~ September 2022-Province previously said it would get 8,000 kids into core clinical services by end of fall.The Ontario government is refusing to publicly divulge its progress in enrolling children in core autism therapies, after the last update showed it was far off its own target.Merrilee Fullerton, the minister of children, community and social services, has said the government would get 8,000 kids into core clinical services by the end of the fall, but as of last month that number was only about 888.

Autism: National autism strategy~ May,2022- The Government of Canada is committed to improving the health and well-being of people on the autism spectrum and to supporting caregivers. We're also committed to creating a national strategy for autism (also known as autism spectrum disorder or ASD) by working with:Autistic people;families;provinces; territories;stakeholders. We invested $1.67 million in a broad and inclusive assessment process to: inform the development of the strategy ; and make sure it's responsive to the needs of the autism community

Ontario autism program faces more delays as wait list almost doubles~ November 2021-The number of children who need support for autism has almost doubled since the Ford government announced it was overhauling the program three years ago.The wait list now stands at roughly 50,000, enough children to fill every seat in the Rogers Centre.Approximately 40,000 of the children on the wait list are receiving interim financial support as the new program gets off the ground, according to the Ontario government.

Stability and good governance needed for national autism strategy~July 2021- The money has been earmarked. Now, the first step is creating an advisory committee to help develop a strategy that best supports autistic Canadians.The federal budget 2021 pledged $15.4 million over two years to the Public Health Agency of Canada to support the creation of a National Autism Strategy.

Nerves that sense touch may play role in autism~ October 14, 2020-Autism is considered a disorder of the brain. But a new study suggests that the peripheral nervous system, the nerves that control our sense of touch, pain and other sensations, may play a role as well."More than 70% of people with autism have differences in their sensory perception," said study author Sung-Tsang Hsieh, M.D., Ph.D., of National Taiwan University Hospital in Taipei and a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology. "For some people, even a light touch can feel unbearable while others may not even notice a cut on their foot. 

Breakthrough in autism spectrum reseach finds genetic 'wrinkles' in DNA could be a cause~ July 27, 2020- Through this research, they identified something they call “genetic wrinkles” in DNA itself, a breakthrough they believe could explain why some individuals find themselves on the autistic spectrum.Dr. Stephen Scherer, co-author of the study released Monday and director of the Centre for Applied Genomics at SickKids, told CTV News the new discovery is “really quite exciting.”“It unveils a whole new class of genes that we didn't know (were) involved in autism before,” he said.“We do know that they're involved in brain function but we don't know how they fit into the jigsaw puzzle.”Current research estimates that genetic factors should be found in anywhere from 50 to 90 per cent of individuals with ASD.Scientists already know of about 100 genes that play a role in the development of autism, but these genes only explain less than 20 per cent of cases.

Why the focus of autism research is shifting away from searching for a 'cure~ September 22, 2019- “Len Abbeduto says, "I think that given the complexity and the variability of the causes and the manifestations of autism, trying to come up with a cure is probably not the right approach,” said autism researcher and psychologist Len Abbeduto, director of the University of California, Davis, MIND Institute in Sacramento.An estimated 80 percent of autism cases involve genetic factors, and it tends to run in families, but there is no single “autism gene,” Abbeduto explained. In fact, research has shown that more than 100 genes, and maybe upwards of 1,000, may play a role. Researchers also suspect that environmental factors — such as exposures to infectious agents, pesticides or other toxins in pregnancy — may play a role.

Autism in 2019: What we learned about the spectrum this year~December 28, 2019-Since January, advocacy groups across the country have protested the lack of available services for children with autism. Misinformation continues to run rampant, with some Canadian parents still turning to dangerous “cures” for autism — like bleach — against the advice of medical professionals.Long wait times for aid and questionable treatment of people with autism also remain top concerns for members of the community.But it wasn’t all bad. 2019 was also a year of advancement and discovery for autism researchers, and according to experts, this has helped the broader society develop a more meaningful understanding about what it means to have autism.

AIDE is coming for Canadians living with autism spectrum disorder~March 5, 2018~ $20 million in federal funding will go toward supporting people with autism spectrum disorder. British Columbia will soon be home to the headquarters of new national autism support network meant to address significant gaps in our knowledge surrounding autism spectrum disorder.

Researchers making advances in creating blood test for autism~ February 20, 2018~ Scientists in the U.K. say they have made important findings that could help in the creating of the first blood test for autism.Their research, published Sunday in the journal Molecular Autism, might also provide new clues into the causes of the condition, which causes a range of behavioural and social interaction problems.There is currently no simple test for autism. A typical diagnosis requires several interviews and behaviour observation sessions that can take months.

Adults with autism want input on community services~ November 12, 2017~ TORONTO - A growing number of Canadian businesses are providing programs and services geared toward autistic people, but some adult members of their target audience want more of a say on how the offerings are developed.Organizations from movie chains to airports to blood services labs have designed programs geared toward addressing the needs of people with sensory sensitivities or cognitive disabilities.

Ottawa accused of new tax grab after disability tax credit clawback hits those with mental illness~ October 26, 2017~ OTTAWA- Sources say that some lifelong sufferers of mental disabilities have been cut off from the disability tax credit after having received the credit for decades. Sufferers of autism, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and other mental health issues are the latest victims of a clampdown on access to the disability tax credit by the Canada Revenue Agency, according to several accountants, mental health associations and other advocacy groups.

Is there a better way to integrate kids with special needs into classrooms?~April 12, 2017~ Since many teachers don’t have the training or resources to deal with the many complex issues that kids with special needs have, these kids are sent to time outs in closets, principals are calling the police and parents are suing school boards. Is there an easier way?

Ontario Providing More Supports For Children With Autism~ New Program to Start One Year Earlier~ June 28, 2016~ Ontario is providing more support for children and youth with autism, including an accelerated implementation of the new Ontario Autism Program. The new program will provide all children, regardless of age, with more flexible services at a level of intensity that meets each child's individual needs, significantly reduce wait times for service, and increase the number of treatment spaces available to serve more children and accommodate the rising prevalence in autism diagnoses.

Strengthening the Ontario Autism Program~June 28,2016~ The 2016 Ontario Budget committed $333 milion over 5 years for Ontario`s new autism program.This is in addition to the $190 million that Ontario already invests in autism services for children and youth annually. Today, Ontario is announcing an additional $200 million investment over the next four years for additional supports for children and youth with autism. 1)Implementing the Ontario Autism Program sooner-The implementation of the new Ontario Autism Program will now begin in June 2017, a full year ahead of the initially planned date of June 2018.

Wynne leaves door open to changing implementation of autism program~May 11, 2016-Parents of autistic kids 5 and older blasted government last month over cuts to intensive therapy

Wait lists growing for autism treatment in Ontario~November 3, 2015~In 2005-06 there were 753 kids waiting on treatment, now there are more than 2,192.Thousands more Ontario children with autism are on waiting lists for treatment than they were 10 years ago, and government figures suggest the number of kids receiving treatment is actually dropping.The NDP submitted a Freedom of Information request for the numbers of children with autism spectrum disorders on wait lists for Intensive Behavioural Intervention and Applied Behaviour Analysis.

The Select Committee on Developmental Services~ March 2014~The Select Committee on Developmental Services is pleased to present this interim report. Each of our Members volunteered to serve on the Select Committee out of a deep commitment to Ontarians with developmental disabilities and their families.
At the public hearings, we were moved by the presenters willingness to share the intimate and often very emotional details of their families lives and struggles. The Committee members were also struck by the extent to which witnesses from across the province expressed very similar concerns about developmental services, and their many thoughtful ideas and recommendations for improvement.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) sent this bulletin at 03/27/2014 01:55 PM EDT Press Release.....

CDC estimates 1 in 68 children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder...The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1 in 68 children (or 14.7 per 1,000 eight-year-olds) in multiple communities in the United States has been identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This new estimate is roughly 30 percent higher than previous estimates reported in 2012 of 1 in 88 children (11.3 per 1,000 eight year olds) being identified with an autism spectrum disorder. The number of children identified with ASD ranged from 1 in 175 children in Alabama to 1 in 45 children in New Jersey. The data continue to show that ASD is almost five times more common among boys than girls: 1 in 42 boys versus 1 in 189 girls. White children are more likely to be identified as having ASD than are black or Hispanic children

(1) http://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USCDC/bulletins/ad7b8c

(2) http://www.cdc.gov/features/dsautismdata/

One in 50 children in the U.S. has autism: new CDC estimates - March 2013 ---A national phone survey of parents reveals one in 50 U.S. children has been diagnosed with autism, surpassing previous estimates of one in 88, government officials said.A government survey of parents says 1 in 50 U.S. schoolchildren has autism, surpassing another federal estimate for the disorder.

One in 50 American kids has autism: What the latest figures tell us- March 2013 -The numbers released last week mark a significant increase from the CDC's previous report on the issue, which last year put prevalence at 1 in 88 children. However, these figures can't be compared, the CDC says. "These reports use different methods to answer different questions about autism," CDC representatives said in an e-mail to U.S. News. "Both reports help paint a more complete picture of autism in our nation."

Study Points To Bullying Risk Factors For Kids With Autism ~In a survey of teachers and parents, British researchers found that bullying is more common among kids on the spectrum who attend mainstream schools as opposed to special education environments. Bullying also becomes more prevalent as children enter adolescence, according to the findings published online in the journal Autism.“Children with autism are easy targets because their behavior may be regarded as odd or different, and our research tells us this is likely to result in bullying, teasing and provocation,” said Judith Hebron of The University of Manchester who led the study. “But not all of these children are bullied, and as researchers, we are interested in finding out why.” August 9, 2013

Bullying and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): How to Help Your Child ~ Bullying of kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a major problem too. In fact, bullying a person with disabilities is against federal law and is considered a violation of civil rights. 46 percent of kids with autism in middle and high school reported being victimized in 2011 and some studies show that 70 percent of kids with autism, that are mainstreamed, are bullied. I was shocked when I read about it on StopBullying.gov. This inspired me to investigate the issue of bullying and how it affects kids with autism and offer ways you can help. April 8, 2013

What the McLean brain bank malfunction means for autism research~This week,the freezer at the Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital broke down,with the loss of about 150 brain samples from people who had died and who had conditions such as autism, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, or schizophrenia.This is bad news for at least five different communities............. June 13, 2012

CTV Investigates: Understanding Autism ~PART 1,2,3 VIDEO AND STORY After putting Kaleb on a waiting list for intensive behavior treatment, trying to change his diet reality set in for Beaudin.“I realized that I won't be able to cure autism we're going to learn how to live with it and that was very hard for me to look at Kaleb, love what he just loves everything about him instead of trying to fix him.” December 10, 2012

     CDC to introduce 'Autism Case Training' curriculum ~ "Autism Case Training A Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Curriculum"will educate future pedia- tricians on the fundamental components of identifying,diagnosing,and manage

     autism spectrum disorders through real-life, case-based scenarios.The cirricu- 

     lum is a flexible, interactive learning tool that emphasizes practical skills for

     patient and parent interaction. The curriculum consists of seven case- based

     studies that can be taught individually or as part of a series.~October 2011

     Early, Intensive Therapy Better for Kids With Autism, Study Finds ~ Social,

     communication skills improved more when treatment started at early age~

     October 2011

     Promising Drug Treatment for Improving Language, Social Function in

     People with Autism ~ The beta blocker propranolol, a drug widely used to 

    treat hypertension and anxiety disorders,may also be beneficial for improving

    language and social function in people with autism. ~ October 2011

....The level and nature of autistic intelligence II: What about Asperger ....Syndrome?~ September 2011~Asperger individuals' scores are much higher when they are evaluated by a test called Raven's Progressive Matrices, which ....encompasses reasoning, novel problem-solving abilities, and high-level ....abstraction. By comparison, scores for non-Asperger individuals are much more consistent across different tests. Interestingly, Asperger participants' performance on Raven's Matrices was associated with their strongest peaks of performance on Wechsler.