The rates of epilepsy among children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are higher than that of the general population. The exact prevalence and aetiology of the comorbidity of autism and epilepsy are not well understood; however, the connection is well-documented. This common comorbidity makes the treatment of epilepsy increasingly complex for…

A nationwide survey of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) was conducted with the aim of exploring outcomes in adolescence and adulthood. The purpose of this article is to evaluate the representativeness of the study population and to describe the study population. In total, 1,734 parents and 933 individuals with ASD returned…

Autistic children have a high prevalence of co-occurring mental health, developmental/behavioral, and medical conditions, but research on sex/gender differences has been mixed. We used Florida healthcare claims data to characterize sex differences (female/male) in co-occurring conditions among autistic children ages 1-21 (N = 83,500). After…

Examined the psychiatric and clinical correlates of loss of previously acquired skills (regression) as reported by parents of youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Study sample comprised 6- to 18-year old (N = 213) children and adolescents with ASD. Parents reported regression in 77 (36%) youth. A more homogeneous subgroup with regression…

Background: The strength of the relationship between epilepsy and regression in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been much discussed but is currently unclear. Methods: The authors conducted 2 meta-analyses of published studies to determine if children with ASD who experience regression (ASD-R) epilepsy are more likely to have epilepsy or…

This systematic review examines the effectiveness of Mozart's music in decreasing seizures in children with epilepsy (Mozart Effect) using the Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice rating scale©. A search for articles with "Mozart Effect," "child*," and "epilepsy" was conducted in CINAHL Complete, Science…

The neurobehavioural comorbidities associated with childhood epilepsy present significant physical challenges (i.e., excessive fatigue, memory impairment, headaches, visual impairments), emotional challenges (i.e., depression, anxiety), behavioural challenges (i.e., inattentiveness, distractibility, aggression), and social challenges (i.e., peer…

To identify medical problems most commonly presenting to emergency departments among individuals with autism as compared to non-autistic persons across age groups. Data was obtained from the 2010 National Emergency Department database and was analyzed by age categories: 3-5, 6-11, 12-15, 16-18 and 19 years and older. Epilepsy emerged as the…

Purpose: Much of the information physical educators learn about children with disabilities occurs in an introduction to adapted physical education course. Because disabilities often have concomitant medical conditions, it is critical that PE teachers are knowledgeable about risks and safety measures for children with special needs. The purpose of…

Electroencephalogram-recorded epileptiform activity is common in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), even without clinical seizures. A systematic literature search identified 7 randomized, placebo-controlled trials of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in ASD (total n = 171), including three of valproate, and one each of lamotrigine,…

The objective is to examine the prevalence and health-care costs associated with asthma, epilepsy, hypertension, food allergies, and diabetes in children aged 0-18 years. Prevalence was calculated using 2005-2012 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data, a population-based, nationally representative sample. Using MEPS, two-part models…

The aim of this study was to describe the profile of specific neonatal morbidities in children later diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and to compare this profile with the profile of children with hyperkinetic disorder, cerebral palsy, epilepsy or intellectual disability. This is a Danish population based cohort study, including all…

The present population-based study examines associations between epilepsy and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The cohort includes register data of 4,705 children born between 1987 and 2005 and diagnosed as cases of childhood autism, Asperger's syndrome or pervasive developmental disorders--not otherwise specified. Each case was matched to four…

The goal of this study was to investigate reliable cognitive change in epilepsy by developing computational procedures to determine reliable change index scores (RCIs) for the Dutch Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children. First, RCIs were calculated based on stability coefficients from a reference sample. Then, these RCIs were applied to a…

We compared the prevalence and types of fractures in a clinical sample of 118 individuals diagnosed as children with infantile autism (IA) with 336 matched controls from the general population. All participants were screened through the nationwide Danish National Hospital Register. The average observation time was 30.3 years (range 27.3-30.4…