Sharon Leon
Hollywood Continues to Highlight Autism
- 17 July 2013
- Autism News
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Autism in the News
We’ve been pleased to see that more and more TV series and feature films are featuring characters on the autism spectrum. From the weekly Parenthood, The Big Bang Theory, and Community to the recent film releases of The Story of Luke and Adam, Hollywood has begun to the tell the stories that are reflective of more and more families’ daily lives.
On July 10, the cable channel f/x premieres its new drama, The Bridge, starring SAG Award winning actress Diane Kruger, as “a dogged cop who has an undiagnosed disorder that falls on the autism spectrum… who is shockingly candid and calls the world as she sees it.” Set on the border between El Paso and Juarez, this clearly adult series is not focused primarily on the character’s Asperger’s, but instead portrays a complex, somewhat socially challenged detective “who is extremely effective at her job.”
As the rate of autism continues to rise in America, now estimated at 1 in every 50 children, we are happy to see the inclusion of characters and situations that showcase the more realistic makeup of our communities. We also know it is very important to highlight the strengths of those with ASD, not just the challenges, and so we’re looking forward to checking out The Bridge to watch this female detective solve crime and fight for justice.
Breaking the Silence; A breakthrough at 20
- 21 July 2013
- Autism News
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Autism in the News
When a child is young, early autism treatments can have a profound effect. But what happens when the breakthroughs don’t come? As a parent, it’s easy to get discouraged as you long for a better life for your child. The recent USA Today article, “Autistic man breaks through the silence,” tells a story of hope as parents discover that their son Watson was listening all along.
Autism diagnosis more difficult to make in Hispanic children, say pediatricians
- 02 September 2013
- Autism News
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By Ryan Jaslow / CBS News/ August 19, 2013, 5:14 PM
Hispanic children are less likely to get diagnosed with autism than other children, according to new research.
Even if they do get the proper diagnosis, medical professionals likely discover the problem years later than their counterparts.
Doctors are reporting in the Aug. 19 issue of Pediatrics that pediatricians who were surveyed cite language or cultural barriers to identifying autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in Hispanic children as reasons for the gaps in care.
"Latino children are diagnosed with (autism spectrum disorders) at low rates, and this investigation found several provider-related factors that might explain these disparities," wrote the researchers, led by Dr. Katherine E. Zuckerman, a pediatrician at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland.