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Autism insurance bill clears legislature with amendments

Times Legislation caps coverage at $35K per year The Virginia General Assembly has approved a mandate requiring health insurance coverage for 2- to 6-year-old children with autism spectrum disorder. The mandate caps coverage at $35,000 per year and would not apply to individual

Durbin’s ‘Idol’ Success Giving Parents Of Kids With Autism Hope

The Autism News By FOXReno SAN FRANCISCO — On Thursday night, American Idol fans watched Santa Cruz contestant James Durbin advance to the next round on the competitive reality show. Durbin has Asperger’s Syndrome, a mild form of autism. His success on the show has provided inspiration to families with

A world first: the discovery of a common genetic cause of autism and epilepsy

The Autism News By Digital Journal MONTREAL – Researchers from the CHUM Research Centre (CRCHUM) have identified a new gene that predisposes people to both autism and epilepsy. Led by the neurologist Dr. Patrick Cossette, the research team found a severe mutation of the synapsin gene (SYN1) in all members

When it’s all too convenient to lock up mental health patients

Rampton high-security psychiatric hospital Guardian People are being dumped into high-security psychiatric hospital and left to rot. Sometimes their only escape is prison When Mark Neary fell ill his son Steven, who suffers

Film gives voice to autism’s silent minority

By Toby Talbot USA Today A documentary

Virginia assembly pushes back against McDonnell’s proposed budget changes

The Autism News By Anita Kumar and and Rosalind S. Helderman | The Washington Post RICHMOND — A divided Virginia General Assembly pushed back Wednesday against Gov. Robert F. McDonnell’s proposed changes to the state budget and other bills — overriding his veto of an effort to raise awards in

Man: Autistic son died after waking family to fire

Online BISBEE, Ariz. — The father of a 12-year-old autistic boy says his son died in a fire at the family’s mobile home in southern Arizona after the child appeared confused and ran back into the house. The man, who has not been identified, says the

Gene linked to severity of autism’s social dysfunction identified

India Washington, Apr 7: Johns Hopkins scientists have identified a gene associated with autism that appears to be linked very specifically to the severity of social interaction deficits. The gene, GRIP1 (glutamate receptor interacting protein 1), is a blueprint for a traffic-directing protein at

UAB professionals, students use music as therapy for patients

Andrea Cevasco plays guitar and sings at UAB’s neonatal intensive care unit. (UAB) The Autism News By Jeff Hansen | Al Assistant Professor Andrea Cevasco brings music — her voice and a guitar — to neonatal intensive care units. It’s part of her teaching the music therapy discipline to University

Mold mum who won discrimination claim against Flintshire school ‘still awaiting’ council apology

The Autism News By Francesca Elliott | The Flintshire Chronicle AN IRATE mother who took her autistic son’s school to a tribunal and won says she is still waiting for an apology for the way he was treated. Janet Weil, from Pantymwyn, has now moved to America to give Oliver,