Avoiding COVID-19 when following the guidelines seems impossible
By now, we all know the drill: Maintain physical distance. Wear a mask. Wash your hands. Avoid people who are sick and stay away from others if you are sick. While these measures may seem simple enough, they are not easy to keep up month after month. Yet they are likely to be with us for a while.
But what about those who cannot comply? Certain conditions can make the standard measures to stay safe during the pandemic seem impossible. At the same time, some of those likely to have the most trouble following the guidelines — such as older people with dementia — are at higher risk for illness and death if they do become i...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - July 28, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Robert H. Shmerling, MD Tags: Alzheimer's Disease Anxiety and Depression Asthma Caregiving Coronavirus and COVID-19 Source Type: blogs
Health in 2 Point 00, Episode 137 | $10M in Seed Rounds, AI & Chatbots, and a New Meditation App?
Today on Episode 137 of Health in 2 Point 00, Jess questions if “Jack in the Bean Stalk” is actually abut how VCs are growing into the health tech space. Listen to Jess’s take on the comparison as she asks me about Sprout getting $10M in a seed round to grow its Autism platform, Gyant securing $13.6M to improve its AI & Chatbot functions for providers, Meditopia receiving $15M for its medication app, Caption Health raising $53M to help people conduct ultrasounds, and Kind Body raising $32M for its fertility care platform. Enjoy! — Matthew Holt (Source: The Health Care Blog)
Source: The Health Care Blog - July 22, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Zoya Khan Tags: Health in 2 Point 00 Health Tech Jessica DaMassa Matthew Holt ai & chat bots austism captio nhealth Gyant jessica da massa kind body meditopia sprout Source Type: blogs
Is Asperger ’ s Your Superpower?
Do you think maybe you have some of the characteristics of people with autism? Did your score on the Autism Quiz on this site suggest that you might be autistic? Has someone suggested that your behaviors are a little or a lot unusual might be “spectrumy”? Are you worried that having autism can be stigmatizing or that it makes you crazy? Not so fast. Get the facts.
People with autism with average to high intelligence but who have difficulty with social skills used to be diagnosed with Asperger syndrome (named after the pediatrician who first characterized the condition in the 1940s). In the latest edition of the Diagnos...
Source: World of Psychology - July 18, 2020 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Marie Hartwell-Walker, Ed.D. Tags: Aspergers Autism Books Asperger’s Syndrome Autism Spectrum neurotypical Source Type: blogs
Launching Late: How to Help Your Child with Failure to Launch
“Failure to launch” has been used recently to describe grown children who, for one reason or another, aren’t willing or able to leave their family home to pursue their own goals, lead independent lives and become self-sufficient. This phenomenon is on the rise, and it’s important to understand what can cause it and what you can do to help a child get through it.
Early Signs of Failure to Launch
Most parents who have an adult child who has “failed to launch” identify some of these factors being present in their child:
Unwillingness or inability to take on responsibilities
Low self-esteem
Cautiousness ...
Source: World of Psychology - June 16, 2020 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Sean Paul, MD Tags: Parenting Success & Achievement Autonomy college Failure to Launch Personal Independence Source Type: blogs
Connection and Autism: It May Not Be What You Think
You can read my June 2020 Psychology Today column here. (Source: Susan's Blog)
Source: Susan's Blog - June 16, 2020 Category: Child Development Authors: Susan Senator Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: blogs
Helping people with autism spectrum disorder manage masks and COVID-19 tests
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented many new challenges for people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Features of ASD, including impaired social and communication skills, repetitive behaviors, insistence on sameness, and especially sensory intolerances, make adapting to wearing face masks and the experience of a COVID-19 test particularly challenging.
Challenges of wearing face masks with ASD
Many people with ASD are highly sensitive to touch, and the face can be especially so. Wearing a face mask involves many unpleasant sensations. On the surface, there’s the scratchy texture of fabric, tight contact where the top of...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - June 10, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Robyn Thom, MD Tags: Adolescent health Anxiety and Depression Behavioral Health Caregiving Children's Health Health care Tests and procedures Source Type: blogs
Lorna Breen was the quintessential canary in the coal mine
Dr. Lorna Breen, who died by suicide on April 26, was the canary in the coal mine. You can see it in her eyes, and in her smile. I didn’t know her, but I’ll bet she sang. One of her causes was successful communication with autistic patients, something beyond most emergency physicians. She was a […]Find jobs at Careers by KevinMD.com. Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now. Learn more. (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog)
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - June 8, 2020 Category: General Medicine Authors: < span itemprop="author" > < a href="https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/post-author/louise-b-andrew" rel="tag" > Louise B. Andrew, MD, JD < /a > < /span > Tags: Physician COVID-19 coronavirus Infectious Disease Psychiatry Source Type: blogs
“Visual-Verbal Prompting” Could Make Interviews More Manageable For Autistic People
By guest blogger Dan Carney
A key feature of interviews is open-ended questioning inviting the recall of past experiences and memories — what psychologists call “autobiographical” memory. Having to provide this information accurately and coherently, combined with the stress of the situation, can often make being interviewed a demanding and uncomfortable experience.
That is especially true of autistic people, who may have difficulties with both autobiographical memory and open-ended questioning. Many autistic people report job interviews as a major barrier to employment, and it’s possible that interview difficultie...
Source: BPS RESEARCH DIGEST - May 28, 2020 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: BPS Research Digest Tags: Autism Health Job interviews Source Type: blogs
Should heads of state and candidates to high office pass a cognitive/ mental fitness test?
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Is it fair to question a presidential candidate’s mental fitness? (Salon):
“My heart sank as he floundered his way through his responses, fumbling with his notes, uncharacteristically lost for words. He looked tired and bewildered,” Ron Reagan, the son of President Ronald Reagan, wrote of his father’s performance during the first 1984 presidential debate.
At the time, there had long been rumors that Reagan was suffering from cognitive impairment — perhaps Alzheimer’s Disease — and as he struggled during the first debate against his Democratic opponent, former Vice President Walter Mondale, those ...
Source: SharpBrains - May 27, 2020 Category: Neuroscience Authors: SharpBrains Tags: Cognitive Neuroscience Health & Wellness Technology Alzheimers-disease Cognitive-impairment mental health mental illness mental-fitness Source Type: blogs
Podcast: Using Nature and Animals to Manage Anxiety
When was the last time you simply enjoyed being in nature? Whether it’s a camping trip to the mountains, a walk in the park or just watching the squirrels from your backyard, being in nature is profoundly healing. In today’s Psych Central Podcast, our guest Richard Louv, a journalist, author and co-founder of the nonprofit Children & Nature Network, discusses the science behind nature’s healing powers.
What counts as “nature?” Are pets included? What are some modern barriers to accessing nature, and how can we overcome them? Join us for the answers to these questions and more.
SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW
G...
Source: World of Psychology - May 21, 2020 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: The Psych Central Podcast Tags: Anxiety and Panic General Green and Environment Interview LifeHelper Mental Health and Wellness Podcast Stress The Psych Central Show Source Type: blogs
COVID-19 and Autistic Children
In conclusion, none of us planned for this terrible virus to circle the globe. And none of us could anticipate how dangerous maintaining close social contact could become. We, like most, are simply making the best of a horrific situation.
COVID-19 is bad, but it’s much worse if you’re autistic. You are simply one step more removed from people, and this, although significantly detrimental, can be compensated for with a little love and creativity. (Source: World of Psychology)
Source: World of Psychology - May 7, 2020 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Laura Yeager Tags: Aspergers Autism Children and Teens Parenting Personal Autism Spectrum Autistic Children coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic Source Type: blogs
Publication Bias And Lockdown Memories: The Week ’s Best Psychology Links
Our weekly round-up of the best psychology coverage from elsewhere on the web
One of our most popular posts here at Research Digest looked at whether we all hear an inner voice while reading (spoiler: most of us do — but 10% or so seem not to). Now researchers have found that readers aren’t the only ones to hear voices: authors themselves do as well. Almost two-thirds of authors surveyed at the Edinburgh book festival reported hearing their characters speaking while they were writing, reports Alison Flood at The Guardian.
Researchers have traditionally thought of autistic people as having “social deficits” when it...
Source: BPS RESEARCH DIGEST - May 1, 2020 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: BPS Research Digest Tags: Weekly links Source Type: blogs
One million children
Sometime over the next days, the millionth child willl enroll in a Fast ForWord language or reading program. For Paula, Bill, Steve, Bob, Glenn …………. and the thousands of other good people who have helped make, sell, manage, train, support, HELP those million children — THANK YOU!
One of the nicest things that can happen to a nerdy scientist like myself is for a parent or grandparent or aunt or teacher come up to me in some public place (or in a letter or email) and thank me, for saving a child’s bacon. When this kind of message is delivered, I know, as do my colleagues who get these mes...
Source: On the Brain by Dr. Michael Merzenich, Ph.D. - May 1, 2020 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Dr. Merzenich Tags: Autism Origins, Treatments Brain Fitness BrainHQ Childhood Learning Cognitive Impairment in Children Cognitive impairments Language Development Posit Science Reading and Dyslexia Source Type: blogs
Wait, Other People Don ’ t Think about Suicide?
The most startling thing I’ve heard in my life is that not everyone thinks about suicide every day. Or now and then. Or even once in a long while.
Can that be?
I heard this from a co-worker a while ago. We were collaborating on a dreary project, and I joked about it being the kind of work that makes you want to kill yourself and what a relief that would be.
“I know, right?” I expected her to say. Instead, she chuckled uncomfortably, then asked if I really thought that way. When I said yes, she was taken aback and a little disbelieving.
“You never have?” I asked.
“Of course not!”
I was taken aback. And a littl...
Source: World of Psychology - April 28, 2020 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Rich Pliskin Tags: Personal Suicide Depression Suicidal Thoughts Source Type: blogs
Coronavirus (Covid-19): guidance for care staff supporting adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults
Department of Health and Social Care -This guidance is for care workers and personal assistants who support adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults. The guidance will help care staff to: keep people with learning disabilities and autistic people safe; support them to understand the changes they need to make during the Covid-19 outbreak; and protect their own wellbeing.GuidanceDepartment of Health and Social Care - publications (Source: Health Management Specialist Library)
Source: Health Management Specialist Library - April 26, 2020 Category: UK Health Authors: The King ' s Fund Library Tags: Mental Health Social care Source Type: blogs
