Research roundup

• In a study of more than 1,000 children in the United Kingdom with intellectual disability, 62 percent are boys, and 46 percent also have autism. BMJ Open
• Transgender teenagers do not often disclose their gender identity to doctors. Journal of Adolescent Health
• Adaptations to a standard cognitive assessment may help more people with intellectual disability participate in clinical studies. Neurology
• Children of obese mothers may have elevated odds of having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The Journal of Pediatrics
• Gender disparities in career productivity have increased as more women have entered academic STEM fields. PNAS
• A rare mutation that leads to autism and intellectual disability may shed new light on the genes of chromosome 16. European Journal of Medical Genetics
• Women who take antibiotics called macrolides during the first trimester of pregnancy may raise their chances of having a child on the spectrum.
  The BMJ
• Nearly 20 percent of informal, unpaid caregivers say they are not in good health, according to a U.S. national survey. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
• Too few therapists who use applied behavior analysis with autistic toddlers keep a focus on playfulness and positivity. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Science and society

• Abuse and neglect continue to plague former residents of Willowbrook, an institution for children with developmental disabilities that New York City officials closed in 1975. The New York Times
• A culinary arts program in Miami, Florida, trains high-school students with developmental disabilities for food service careers and independent living. News 4 Jax
• A Maryland legislator has proposed a new office to coordinate autism services and support for the state. The Bay Net
• Addressing sources of stress during pregnancy may help prevent a range of emotional, behavioral and cognitive conditions in children. Biological Psychiatry
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a new genetic test for fragile X syndrome. FDA.gov
• The U.K. has no standardized measures to assess the progress of schoolchildren with intellectual disabilities. Disability and Society
• Malena Ernman describes what led to an autism diagnosis for her daughter, Greta Thunberg, in an excerpt from a new book written by the family.
  The Guardian

Autism and the arts

• The University of Dhaka in Bangladesh offers an art camp for autistic children that celebrates ability and expression. The Daily Star