As the masked madness continues into 2021, mask exempt individuals are becoming more and more alienated. Serena, a mother of two autistic sons, is no stranger to this segregation. Both of her sons have been denied medical treatment at various points over the last several months, because of their inability to tolerate wearing a face … Read more
The U.S. Department of Education reports on its website that an astonishing 1 in 59 children in the United States are affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) – a far cry from the figure of 1 in 2,500 that had been the accepted prevalence when I entered the dental profession more than three decades ago. … Read more
Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a wide range of conditions that can cause social, communication and behavioral challenges.1 There has been a significant increase in the number of people with ASD over the past few decades with approximately 1-2% of the Canadian population being diagnosed. This translates to approximately 135,000 Ontarians on … Read more
It was in March of 2019 that my daughter was diagnosed with autism at a support level 3, just before her 3rd birthday. This means that she requires substantial support in order to get through her day. Since then, I have spent endless hours reading articles, books and anything that would allow me to better … Read more
When treating an individual with autism, having an in-depth talk with the client or client’s caregiver prior to the appointment is crucial to having a successful appointment. Autistic individuals often have sensory issues so knowing what they are is so important as to not overwhelm the client during the appointment. Questions such as: Is the … Read more
The World Health Organisation estimates that 1 in 160 children around the world has an autism spectrum disorder. Autism is a condition related to the development of the brain and is usually noticeable by the time a child is three years old. Statistics aren’t available for any African country, so researchers like me in South Africa are using international … Read more
Mount Sinai researchers have identified elemental signatures in baby teeth that are unique to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, and cases when both neurodevelopment conditions are present, which suggests that the metabolic regulation of nutrients and toxins play a role in these diseases, according to a study published in Translational Psychiatry in September. The researchers … Read more
When Ava Terranove began feeling oral pain last July, her parents took her to her regular dentist. The dentist determined that Ava, who has an autism-like condition, needed two root canal procedures to treat infected teeth. Because of her developmental disability, Ava, now 15, requires general anesthesia for nonroutine dental work. The dentist, like most … Read more
Gene expression activity within oral microbial communities may be altered in children with autism spectrum disorder, findings published in Autism Research revealed. These results suggested that changes in the bacteria within a child’s mouth may provide biomarkers for identifying autism. Although prior research has revealed disrupted gut-brain signaling in autism spectrum disorder, almost all studies of the … Read more
The Oral Health Foundation is backing the use of children’s storybooks with dental narratives following a new study which has shown they can be a highly effective way of helping prepare children with autism for a visit to the dentist.1 The research, published in Special Care in Dentistry, found that almost two thirds (64%) of … Read more
When Colleen Leduc’s patients enter her room, she dims the fluorescents and hits the sparkly lights switch. As a dental hygienist and a mother of 19-year-old Victoria, her non-verbal autistic daughter, Leduc knows getting people with intellectual disabilities to even enter a dentist’s office can be a challenge. “Some people want to sniff the entire … Read more
From Marty Jablow’s blog BALTIMORE, MD (September 16, 2011)–The National Museum of Dentistry has created a new resource to help parents of children with autism spectrum disorder succeed in teaching good oral healthcare. Healthy Smiles for Autism is a guide that helps parents teach children with autism spectrum disorder how to brush and floss with … Read more
By Michael Smith, N.A. Correspondent, Medpage Today A simple checklist, administered at the one-year well-baby checkup, has the potential to identify children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) as early as 12 months — prompting earlier and possibly more effective treatment, researchers reported. “The Image via Wikipedia re is extensive evidence that early therapy can have … Read more