Prodigy and ASD Genetically Linked

On 10 March 2015 
From Human Heredity: International Journal of Human and Medical Genetics
By Ruthsatz J., Petrill S.A., Li N., Wolock S.L., Bartlett C.W.
Molecular Genetic Evidence for Shared Etiology of Autism and Prodigy

"Some characteristics of prodigy have been observed to be quantitatively similar to those observed in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), suggesting possible shared etiology..." "This finding suggests that a locus on chromosome 1 increases the likelihood of both prodigy and autism in these families."


On 27 April 2015 
From Columbus Dispatch
By Laura Arenschield
Prodigies, people with autism have genetic link, Ohio State researchers say

"The research team tested the DNA and found that prodigies and their autistic relatives both have a marker on Chromosome 1 that relatives who aren't prodigies or autistic do not have. "

More Young Adults on Spectrum Unemployed and Socially Isolated. Shift to Service Sector Jobs Exacerbating.

On 21 April 2015 
From NPR Health News
By Maanvi Singh
Young Adults With Autism More Likely To Be Unemployed, Isolated

"Young adults with autism had lower employment rates and higher rates of complete social isolation than people with other disabilities"

On 21 April 2015 
From A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, Life Course Outcomes Research Program, Drexel University
By Roux, Anne M., Shattuck, Paul T., Rast, Jessica E., Rava, Julianna A., and Anderson, Kristy, A.
National Autism Indicators Report: Transition into Young Adulthood

"...There's been a historic shift in the balance of jobs in the manufacturing sector to the service sector. And those types of jobs, which require lots of social interaction, are exactly the types of jobs that people with autism have difficulty with."

MMR Vaccine Still Not Causing Autism

On 21 April 2015 
From Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)
By Anjali Jain, MD; Jaclyn Marshall, MS; Ami Buikema, MPH; Tim Bancroft, PhD; 
Jonathan P. Kelly, MPP; Craig J. Newschaffer, PhD
Autism Occurrence by MMR Vaccine Status Among US Children With Older Siblings With and Without Autism

"In this large sample of privately insured children with older siblings, receipt of the MMR vaccine was not associated with increased risk of ASD, regardless of whether older siblings had ASD. These findings indicate no harmful association between MMR vaccine receipt and ASD even among children already at higher risk for ASD."

Robert F Kennedy, Still Anti-Vaccine

At a screening of the documentary film "Trace Amounts," which aims to link autism with childhood vaccinations, Robert F. Kennedy recently referred to mandatory vaccination causing a "holocaust" of autism. He presumably appeared at the screening to promote his new book, "Thimerosal: Let the Science Speak" and continue his decade long support for the idea that vaccines cause autism despite the scientific community having banished the notion long ago. Kennedy later apologized for insensitively using that term "Holocaust."

On 13 April 2015
From CBS News

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. apologizes for "holocaust" comment in vaccine debate

"I want to apologize to all whom I offended by my use of the word holocaust to describe the autism epidemic."
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., 13 April 2015

On 9 April, 2015
From People Magazine

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Says Mandatory Vaccination Will Cause a 'Holocaust'

"This is a holocaust, what this is doing to our country."
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., 9 April 2015

On 18 July 2014
From Washington Post

Robert Kennedy Jr.’s belief in autism-vaccine connection, and its political peril

"According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Institute of Medicine, no evidence supports a link between thimerosal and any brain disorders, including autism."
-Keith Kloor, Washington Post, 18 July 2014

UN Advocates for Employing People on the Spectrum

On 2 April 2015 
From United Nations website
2015 Theme: Employment: The Autism Advantage

The United Nations declared April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day in 2007 and their 2015 theme for the day focused on the advantages to companies of employing people on the autism spectrum.


"Research suggests that employers are missing out on abilities that that people on the autism spectrum have in greater abundance than “neurotypical” workers do – such as, heightened abilities in pattern recognition and logical reasoning, as well as a greater attention to detail."

Microsoft Announces Plans to Hire People with Autism

On 3 April 2015 
From Microsoft on the Issues Blog
By Mary Ellen Smith, Corporate VP, Worldwide Operations, Microsoft
Microsoft announces pilot program to hire people with autism

"People with autism bring strengths that we need at Microsoft, each individual is different, some have amazing ability to retain information, think at a level of detail and depth or excel in math or code."