A new study of twins released online on marked an important shift in thinking about the causes of autism.  Read about this study in a New York Times article by clicking this link.

As part of the work of New Jersey’s Learn the Signs. Act Early. team, the Governor’s Council on the Prevention of Developmental Disabilities provided support to have the following CDC Learn the Sign. Act Early. materials translated into Arabic, Korean, and Portuguese:

·        Developmental Screening Fact Sheet (a fact sheet that contains information for parents about developmental screenings)
·        Milestone Informational Card  (this includes some key milestones from 7 months to 4 years of age and questions parents can ask their child’s doctor)
·        Tips for Talking with Parents (a tip sheet to help early educators and childcare providers share concerns about a child with the parent)
These are available for free downloading from the CDC’s Learn the Signs. Act Early. website

New Jersey’s Learn the Signs. Act Early. state team is facilitated by The Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities, NJ’s University Center of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities.  For more information about this initiative, contact Kathy Roberson at kathy.roberson@umdnj.edu or 732-235-931

Click on this link and get immediate downloads for fact sheets, growth charts plus more that will help you Know the signs of a developmental disability and act early.

Environmental Factors May Be to Blame for Increase in Developmental Disabilities

Fox news, By Dr. Manny Alvarez

Published May 23, 2011 | FoxNews.com

According to a government report, one in six children in the United States has some kind of developmental disability. The number has been steadily increasing over the course of the past decade.

The study was based on ongoing national surveys of children under the age of 18. It included a range of disabilities, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, blindness, cerebral palsy, hearing loss, seizures, stuttering or stammering and other developmental delays.

From 1997 to 2008, the proportion of children with at least one of the conditions increased from less than 13 percent to more than 15 percent. This translates to a rise of 1.8 million kids.

Government researchers are uncertain as to why the increase happened, but speculate that a number of factors may be responsible.

For example, there is a bigger emphasis on early treatment now, and parents are more likely to be aware of the conditions, which means that kids who may have gone undiagnosed previously are now being recognized.

On the other hand, the rise may also be due to a change in risk factors, such as parents having children later in life and having more preterm babies.

ADHD rates among children accounted for most of the rise, while autism rates showed the fastest growth. Hearing loss, meanwhile, dropped over the course of the study period.

Researchers say that it is important for medical professionals to be prepared to accommodate the increasing numbers of children with developmental disorders. They also encourage parents to continue to have their children screened, because it is possible that despite the noticeable increase, a number of children may still be going undiagnosed.

I agree with the government’s advice and want to emphasize how important early screening is. The earlier a developmental disability is caught, the less it will affect the course of a child’s life. I have seen this myself with my son, who was diagnosed with a very early age with autism and has made huge strides since.

I also want to further question why this is happening. A part of me truly feels that we are metabolically poisoning ourselves from all the chemicals we get exposed to on a daily basis, whether it’s food, electronics or environmental pollutants.

I fear that we are going backwards in dealing with the complications that we typically have been trying to avoid in pregnant women for the past 15 years. I think part of the problem is that many women still don’t realize the significance of being healthy prior to pregnancy or don’t understand the advice of obstetricians and midwives.

To minimize the risk of a child being born with a disability, it is important curb risk factors such as maternal obesity and smoking. Good nutrition and mental stimulation is also key in encouraging healthy development.

By decreasing or eliminating these risk factors, hopefully we can see a decrease in childhood disabilities over the next decade.

Read more

The Department of Health and Senior Services and Human Services are sponsoring a special event in  recognition of Autism Recognition Month on April 29, 2011. Click on this link for more information on Autism Awareness month event in New Jersey.

Read the report, Guidelines for the Identification & Management of Lead Exposure in Pregnant & Lactating Women, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has launched a new website for pediatric genetic screening. The focus is on newborn screening, family health history, data and statistics and more. It is a powerful resource for parents.

You may view this innovative pediatric genetic screening site by clicking on this link.

The latest issue of The Division of Developmental Disabilities Newsletter is now available. This issue features:

• Rollout begins of College of Direct Supports to Providers;
• When the Flu Hits – Tips for Caregivers;
• Choking Alert;
• Announcements: Autism NJ Trainings; Parent Link

You can read the issue of DDD Today by clicking this link.

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