Previous studies have reported reduced quality of life in autism. Improving quality of life for autistic people is, therefore, a key priority for clinical research and practice. However, the relative impact of core autism traits (e.g. social-communication difficulties), as compared to associated mental health symptoms (e.g. anxiety, depression) on…

Each year, the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) releases a list of scientific advances that represent significant progress in the field. The "2018 Summary of Advances" provides short, plain language summaries of the top research breakthroughs selected by the IACC from a pool of research articles nominated by the members.…

Family-professional partnerships are a key support for families of children with disabilities, but little is known about families of children with deaf-blindness. This study examined (a) the factor structures of the Beach Center on Disability Family-Professional Partnership and Family Quality of Life (FQOL) Scales utilizing a national sample of…

Difficulty performing age-appropriate motor skills affects up to 83% of children with autism spectrum disorder. This systematic review examined the effect of motor and physical activity intervention on motor outcomes of children with autism spectrum disorder and the effect of motor learning strategies on motor skill acquisition, retention, and…

The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) measures health-related quality of life, a growing area of research, particularly among individuals with disabilities. This research is necessary to fully understand the varied needs of the population and, ultimately, ensure that those needs are being met. The current study assessed the reliability…

With more children and young adults with severe disabilities in today's general education classrooms, SLPs and other professionals must be ready to support their students' communication skills with effective AAC. They'll get the proven strategies they need with this intervention guide from top AAC experts, ideal for use as an in-service…

The present study is a long-term prospective follow-up study of a population-based cohort of 120 individuals diagnosed with autism in childhood, followed into late adolescence/early adulthood. Specific aims of the study were to attempt to measure and study social aspects/quality of life in those 108 individuals with autism alive and available for…

This study identified (a) patterns of fearful stimuli for children and young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), (b) the severity of the fear, and (c) whether excessive fear or the absence of fear negatively affected the participant's quality of life. A web-based survey was used to distribute a modified and extended version of the Fear…

Everyone will agree that education ought to prepare young people to lead a meaningful life, but there are different ways in which this notion can be understood. A religious interpretation has to be distinguished from the secular one on which this paper focuses. Meaningfulness in this non-religious sense is a necessary condition of a life of…

Outcomes for children and young people in their learning and in their lives often improve when they are actively involved in decision making. The increasing recognition of rights of children and young people to be heard, to have their views taken seriously and involved in decisions is expressed in national and international developments in…

Over the last few decades, long-term survival rates of children diagnosed with the two most common forms of childhood cancer, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and brain tumors have improved substantially. Neurodevelopmental and psychosocial sequelae resulting from these diseases and their treatment have a direct impact on the developing brain…

Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of periodontal disease among children and adolescents with Down syndrome and the possible repercussions of such pathology in the quality of life of the group in question. Method: The sample consists of 93 individuals with Down syndrome 6-20 years old, living in Brazil (Minas Gerais).…

The National Capital Region (NCR) is home to more than one-and-a-half million children and youth (ages birth through 24 years). Although the NCR is known as a place with a highly transient population, if history is any guide, many of these young people will remain in this region and fundamentally shape the quality of life--not only for themselves,…

Discusses the causes of common vestibular disorders and their effects on children and young adults. Illustrated by a personal account. (BB)

The relationship between depressive symptoms in young adults, the quality of the early home environment, and early educational child care was investigated in young adults randomly assigned to receive early childhood intervention in the Abecedarian study. Of the original 111 infants enrolled (98 percent African American), 104 participated in an…