Census analysis shows numbers of people with learning disabilities in...
Following the uncovering of abuse at Winterbourne View by the BBC’s Panorama team, the Government committed to a programme of action to address what were recognised as system wide failures in the care...
View ArticlePrenatal SSRI exposure and autism risk: a dilemma for mums-to-be with depression
Amy Green summarises a population-based study of young children which looks at prenatal exposure to SSRI antidepressants and the social responsiveness symptoms of autism. The post Prenatal SSRI...
View ArticleAre autism and ADHD associated with antidepressants or maternal depression?...
Amy Green summarises a retrospective observational study that finds prenatal antidepressant exposure is associated with risk for ADHD, but not autistic spectrum disorders. She considers this complex...
View ArticleLack of studies of pharmacological interventions among adults with autism and...
1 in 100 adults experience autism worldwide but little research exists on autism in adults. Adults with autism and learning disability may have distinct needs, and in particular challenging behaviour,...
View ArticleParenting skills support programme effective for some parents, but must be...
Parents of children with learning disability and/or autism in seeking support with parenting skills, may have need of support with specific skills relevant to supporting their child with a disability....
View ArticleLearning Disabilities Elf review of 2014
As the year draws to a close and we elves gear up for some seasonal duties, we take a look at some of the blogs we have published throughout 2014 and welcome some of our new bloggers. Also, we will be...
View ArticleEaster/Spring special: can pets help with long term conditions?
For an Easter/Spring special, Sarah Carr looks at research into how pets can help people with long term conditions but how researchers may miss this in interviews. The post Easter/Spring special: can...
View ArticleCan video-feedback improve outcomes for infants at risk of autism?
Christine O'Farrelly and Jane Iles post their debut blog about a cutting-edge RCT of video-feedback given to parents for infants at risk of autism. The study makes use of the ViPP technique...
View ArticlePlacebo effect in psychiatry: what do we really know?
David Steele summarises a review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses, which looks at the mediators and moderators of the placebo effect in psychiatry. The post Placebo effect in psychiatry: what do...
View ArticleSeclusion and restraint in disability services influenced by both individual...
Seclusion, whilst still in use in disability services can be considered at odds with the person-centred values underpinning modern services Here, Alex Leeder looks at a review of its use in Victoria,...
View ArticlePivotal response treatment is promising for children with autism
Rosalyn Nelson presents the findings of a small RCT of Pivotal Response Treatment groups for parents of children with autism, which has promising results in terms of encouraging children to...
View ArticleMental health support for children with learning disabilities
In her debut blog, Christine Burke from the Mental Health Foundation considers what good mental health support should look like for children and young people with learning disabilities. The post Mental...
View ArticleSubstance misuse and addiction in people with intellectual and developmental...
Andrew Jones summarises a recent Canadian cohort study, which explores the extent of substance misuse and addictive disorders among adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The post...
View ArticleParent training works for child and adolescent mental health
Tony McGinn presents a high-level overview of the state of parent training evidence. His blog draws on over 30 systematic reviews with meta-analyses, to bring you a handy summary of what works. The...
View ArticleDigital health for young people with mental health problems: silver bullet or...
Victoria Betton on a recent meta review of digital health interventions for children and young people with mental health problems. The question is, does the evidence square with her experience of what...
View ArticleTurn on, tune in, drop out! Music therapy no better than usual care for young...
Lisa Burscheidt is rather disappointed by a randomised controlled trial of music therapy for children and adolescents with behavioural and emotional problems. The post Turn on, tune in, drop out! Music...
View ArticleCBT may help to improve emotion regulation in children with autism
James Cusack from Autistica writes his debut elf blog on a new RCT of CBT to improve emotion regulation in children with autism, published recently in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry....
View ArticleHow many ways do they need to say it? Young autistic people need support for...
Vaso Totsika's blog considers a study by Crane and colleagues, which seeks to further our understanding of how young autistic people experience the world of service provision in relation to their...
View ArticleAutism and psychiatrists: experience, knowledge and attitudes revealed in new...
Eloise Stark looks at a recent online survey which seeks to understand psychiatrists' knowledge, attitudes and experiences in identifying and supporting their patients on the autism spectrum. The post...
View ArticleYoung people with autism suffer poorer sleep quality than their peers
A group of UCL Masters students summarise a systematic review and meta-analysis of subjective and objective studies, which explores sleep problems in young people with autism spectrum disorders. The...
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