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What Parents Need to Know About the President’s New Autism Announcement

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What Parents Need to Know About the President’s New Autism Announcement

President Trump recently gave a major speech on autism, and many parents are wondering what it really means for their families. Government announcements often come wrapped in technical language, so here’s a clear breakdown of the key points and what parents should take away.

A New Treatment Option for Some Children

One of the biggest announcements from the speech on autism was a new pathway for using leucovorin, a medication that may help certain children with autism who also have a condition called cerebral folate deficiency (CFD).

CFD happens when a child’s brain doesn’t get enough folate, an important B vitamin, even though blood levels of folate look normal. Some studies show that when children with autism and CFD are treated with leucovorin, parents and therapists see improvements in speech, social skills, and learning.

The FDA will now recognize leucovorin as an approved option in these cases, and Medicaid will cover the treatment for eligible children. This is not a treatment for all children with autism, but for a specific group that doctors can test for using a blood test.

Pregnancy, Acetaminophen, and Autism Risk

The President also addressed growing concerns about acetaminophen (Tylenol) use during pregnancy. Some research suggests a possible link between frequent acetaminophen use in pregnancy and a higher risk of autism or ADHD in children. However, experts emphasize that the evidence is not conclusive. Other studies have not found the same connection, and scientists do not yet agree that acetaminophen causes autism.

For now, the official advice is that pregnant women can still use acetaminophen when needed, but should:

  • Use the lowest effective dose
  • Take it for the shortest time necessary
  • Only use it when truly needed

It’s important to remember that untreated fever or pain during pregnancy can also be harmful, so this is about balance and careful use. Pregnant parents should talk with their doctor before making any changes to how they manage symptoms.

A Big Investment in Research

Another important piece of news is that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will be investing over $50 million into new autism research. Thirteen projects will be launched under the new “Autism Data Science Initiative.” These studies will look at possible causes of autism—ranging from genetics and environmental factors to medical conditions—and will work to connect this information with real-life family experiences.

This kind of large-scale research is critical. It may not bring immediate answers, but it helps build the knowledge needed for better tools, therapies, and understanding in the years ahead.

Autism Rates Are Rising

The President also noted that autism diagnoses have been increasing. Current estimates suggest that about 1 in 31 children in the U.S. are diagnosed with autism, up from 1 in 36 just a few years ago. This highlights how important it is for schools, healthcare systems, and communities to keep expanding services and supports. We provide autism testing using the ADOS, one of the gold standard tools for evaluating children.

What This Means for You Today

For most families, these announcements won’t change day-to-day life right away. The new treatment applies only to children with cerebral folate deficiency, and the acetaminophen guidance is simply a reminder to use medications carefully during pregnancy. The most immediate takeaway is that the federal government is paying closer attention to autism and putting significant money into finding answers.

You should continue to use ABA therapy as a primary intervention.  Follow your pediatrician’s advice, ask questions about testing and treatments, and stay informed as new research unfolds. While uncertainty remains, these announcements show that progress is being made toward better understanding autism and supporting children and families.

We use a comprehensive approach to testing your child for autism starting with an in-depth parent interview.  Then we spend 4 hours over a couple of days testing your child using the ADOS and other autism assessments.  We’ll also gain insights from your child’s teacher or therapist.  We do this to make sure we obtain the big picture of what you see, what others see, all the work from your child, and our clinical observations and testing. Check out my book, Parent’s Quick Start Guide to Autism, if your child was recently diagnosed. It gives you a road map of the best evidenced based practices and steps to take to help your child right away.

Call us to schedule autism testing for your child (561) 625 4125.

Autism or Just an Awkward Kid?

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A concerned mom came to me seeking insights on her son’s behavior.  She explained, “Sometimes Joseph can seem zoned out and not always in tune with what it going on around him. He can be socially awkward at times. Joseph can also be so hyper focused on something like his hobby and interest. He can get easily bored and likes to be pretty active all of the time which is a good thing but sometimes it is hard for him to relax.” This mom wanted to know if her son might have autism, ADHD, or anxiety so she knew how to best support him.

Upon meeting Joseph for the first time, he presented as a well-groomed and athletic adolescent.  He was slightly rigid in his social mannerisms as if he had been taught skills such as greeting someone by looking them in the eye and shaking their hand.  While this was an appropriate behavior, his interaction came across as scripted or practiced. While talking with him I learned he had an advanced vocabulary and could converse about many different topics. He understood humor and could joke around. Joseph also understood idioms such as when I was referencing a told secret and said, “She let the cat out of the bag.” He understood what that meant.

My school neuropsychological testing with Joseph revealed two main contributing factors.  First, he had low cognitive flexibility which is a fancy term for flexible thinking.  His mental rigidity contributed to him being a blacker and whiter thinker. He saw things his way which created his social awkwardness. The second factor was slower processing speed which helped explain why he seemed zoned out at times.  In certain situations Joseph quickly used up his mental fuel which resulted in mental fatigue. When his occurred he disengaged and seemed out of touch with what was going on around him.

I helped create a plan and recommended certain exercises he could do to improve these areas.  Call (561) 625 4125 if you are concerned about your child and would like understanding and answers. We test kids and young adults ages two* through college. Check out my books if you want to learn more about ADHD, autism, dyslexia, or dysgraphia.

*Autism testing is the only testing which starts at age 2.

Is it Autism, ADHD, or Both?

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A parent recently brought her 10-year-old child to me to answer the question, “Is it Autism, ADHD, or Both?” Her son was having difficulty in school with friendships, concentrating, transitioning, and his teacher was labeling him as a problem child. This parent tried to find answers on Dr Google but was left feeling more confused than clear. She wanted answers to know how to help her child and stop the downward spiral.

Autism and ADHD Characteristics

Autism and ADHD share many overlapping characteristics such as difficulty concentrating, friendship struggles, rigidity, quirky behaviors, and emotional dysregulation. Two key features of identifying autism include looking for a child’s restricted interest and repetitive behaviors as these often interfere with social skills.

Ongoing Restricted Interests

A restricted interest is an interest that is unusually strong and hyper focused to the extent the child only wants to discuss, play, or research the topic. This boy had heightened interest, but they changed about every month. He obsessed about Legos, then Fortnite, and then Star Wars.  These short intense, and then move on, interests were unlike a child with autism who would rather have one extended hyper focused interest such as planets.

Self-Stimulating Behavior

Many children with autism also have repetitive behaviors or self-stimulating behaviors. These could be hand motions when they get excited or moving their body in a certain way. This boy’s movements were related to low impulse control rather than the same repetitive behavior.

Tests of Social Perception

In addition to looking at symptoms via interview and rating scales, we completed interactive tests of social perception. We assessed if he could recognize a child’s facial affect and understand another child’s frame of reference.

The overall conclusion was this boy had ADHD, which interfered with his ability to concentrate, maintain his impulses, and was the root cause of friendship difficulty. Other kids rejected him due to his unpredictable behavior and intense emotional reactions.v We created recommendations to help him learn to regulate his attention and emotions. The parents also shared the testing results with the school for an accommodation plan.

I’ve written books on autism and ADHD for parents like you and you can find them on Amazon .

Call (561) 625 4125 to discuss your child.

We Offer Autism Testing

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We offer autism testing because across our great nation, autism diagnoses continue to increase. According to results from a recent CDC funded study, the autism prevalence was that 1 in 36 children had autism. For every one girl identified with autism, four boys were identified. For the first time, more African-American, Hispanic, and Asian children were identified than White children.  Researchers agree that early identification and use of evidenced based treatments lead to the best outcomes for children with autism.

We test children for autism starting at age 2.  There is no one test or even a medical test or blood test to diagnose autism.  In our practice we utilize the gold standard assessment called the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule or ADOS, second edition.  In addition, we use caregiver interviews and tests of language, attention, intelligence, and memory.

Autism Diagnostic Criteria

Five criteria should be met for a psychologist to diagnose Autism Spectrum Disorder. First, the child must demonstrate deficits in social communication and social interaction across settings. Second, the child must display restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities, currently or by history. Third, the child’s symptoms must have started early. Fourth, there must be evidence of a significant impairment. Fifth, the symptoms must not be caused by another mental or physical condition.

Evidence Based Autism Treatment

If your child is diagnosed with autism, we recommend you start with treatments identified by the National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practice. These are 28 evidenced based practices that independent research documented best help children with autism.  Treatments include ABA therapy, discrete trial training, cognitive behavioral intervention, and social narratives.  Many insurance companies pay for evidenced based therapies with an official autism diagnosis. In addition, Florida offers the Family Empowerment Scholarship to provide you funding to help your child.

Autism Support for Parents

I co-authored the book “Parent’s Quick Start Guide to Autism” which provides a quick, but deep dive into what to immediately do when your child is diagnosed with autism.  When it comes to helping your young child, time is too precious to squander.

 Call (561) 625 4125 to discuss your child as we test for autism, dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADHD, depression, and anxiety.

Parents’ Quick Start Guide to Autism

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Parents’ Quick Guide to Autism Interventions.

When your child has autism, navigating intervention options can be confusing and overwhelming when trying to act quickly but wisely to help your loved one. If you don’t know the best interventions to use or when to use them, you may feel stuck. Unintentionally, you might delay your child’s access to essential and timely interventions.  Or, you may act in haste and spend your precious time and resources on interventions that are ineffective or even potentially harmful to your child. We want to help you avoid these pitfalls, by guiding you to the most up-to-date research on autism-focused interventions and highlighting a few parent-friendly interventions that can help you and your child enjoy some shared accomplishments sooner rather than later.

What works for Autism

A number of professional organizations have done the hard work of sorting through what works and what does not work for you. A recent report provided by the National Clearing House for Autism Evidence Based Practices summarizes 28 practices that research has demonstrated are the most effective interventions for people with autism. These are the primary supports to use to help your child. This comprehensive resource describes the positive outcomes reported in the reviewed studies, the age groups that benefited from them, and who successfully delivered the interventions.  You can locate the complete guide at: www.ncaep.fpg.unc.edu/research-resources.

Evidence Based Practices

Knowing there are twenty-eight evidence-based practices for teaching skills at different ages is important.  You can start with parent-friendly practices that you can confidently and safely use on your own.  One recommended practice to start using now to increase your child’s skills and independence are “Visual Supports.” A visual support is a tool that will help your child understand and navigate the social world better.  Since using and understanding spoken language is challenging for children with autism, visuals are a great way to “show” instead of “tell” your child what to do.  This and many more interventions are discussed in my new book, Parent’s Quick Start Guide to Autism available on Amazon.

Dr. Forgan is a licensed school psychologist and tests kids for autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other issues. Call (561) 625 4125.