Introduction: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that impacts social interactions, communication, and behaviors, frequently recognized during early childhood. ASD is defined as a spectrum, displaying diverse symptoms regarding type and intensity, shaped by both genetic and environmental influences. Infertility, defined as the failure to conceive after one year of regular unprotected intercourse, can also result from a range of genetic, physiological, and environmental factors. This study examined the association between infertility and ASD, and emphasizing common genetic mechanisms—such as copy number variations (CNVs) and genetic variants—that might influence the occurrence of both conditions.  Additionally, factors like the age of parents, exposure to environmental toxins, and the application of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) may raise the likelihood of both ASD and infertility.   In particular, older paternal age has been associated with an increased probability of new genetic mutations in sperm, which could play a role in ASD in offspring. Research findings suggested that epigenetic changes, including DNA methylation and histone modifications, might clarify the role of genetic and environmental factors in these disorders. Preliminary studies indicated that children conceived through ART may face a higher likelihood of developing ASD. Conclusion: Despite advancements, significant gaps remain in fully understanding these associations, necessitating further research. A deeper comprehension of these links could support the development of targeted interventions, genetic counseling, and improved quality of life for affected individuals and their families.

Objectives We investigated the effects of a manualized Contextual Intervention adapted for Autism Spectrum Disorders (CI-ASD), and essential elements of the intervention in promoting children’ s participation and mothers’ parenting self-efficacy. Materials & Methods In this randomized controlled trial, conducted in Tehran, Iran in 2017, participants (36 parents of children with ASD) were randomly assigned to wait-list control or intervention groups. The intervention comprised contextually reflective occupational therapy combines 3 elements: sensory processing patterns, coaching, and social support. We provided the program to promote child’ s participation and parent’ s efficiency. During phase 1, the participants in the intervention group received CIASD as long as Treatment As Usual (TAU) and during phase 2 they received TAU only. We completed the outcome measures at threetime points (pre-intervention, post-intervention, and follow-up). We conducted semi-structured interviews post-intervention to explore acceptability of intervention and participants’ experiences of CI-ASD. Results CI-ASD can produce meaningful effects in eliminating sensory issues, promoting child participation and parenting efficiency in ASD families, compared to TAU. Parents reported high levels of acceptance and also confirmed the family’ s achievements. Conclusion These gains suggest CI-ASD as an effective intervention for children who have ASD and their families, but further studies are needed to declare and generalize the findings over time. Estimated effect sizes were in the large and medium ranges and favored the intervention group.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by persistent deficits in social communication and interaction across multiple contexts, alongside restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities. Recent studies investigating the role of screen time in the manifestation of autistic-like symptoms suggest that excessive early digital exposure may contribute to these symptoms in children. This umbrella review systematically examined existing systematic reviews that explored the relationship between the excessive use of digital devices and autistic-like symptoms. The initial systematic search yielded 219 records. After removing duplicates, 72 articles underwent rigorous title and abstract screening, leading to the exclusion of 66 non-qualifying articles. A full-text review of the remaining 6 articles resulted in the exclusion of 3 systematic reviews that did not specifically focus on the ASD-screen time association. Consequently, the final analysis included 3 qualifying systematic reviews. The findings of this umbrella review reveal a complex and nuanced relationship between screen time and Autism Spectrum Disorder. While some studies indicate a potential association and emphasize factors such as content, context, ASD assessment measures, and screen type, others report conflicting results or find no significant correlation.

Background: Mean length of utterance (MLU) is one of the most important measures in estimating language acquisition in children. The study of how language develops in these patients can be useful in providing effective treatment strategies. This study aims to investigate the developmental process of MLU in children with ASD and compare them with normal children. Methods: This study is a descriptive, cross-sectional-quantitative one. The statistical society is all 3-6 years of children with ASD in Tehran, and the sample has been selected via cluster sampling among welfare organizations in region 6 (Mantaghe 6). The participants included 10 monolingual Persian children with ASD aged 3-6. In this research, the spoken utterances of children were recorded and transcribed in 30 minutes of free play sessions. The control group included 10 monolingual Persian children aged 2-5, with no previous linguistic and psychological disorders. Two groups were matched based on nonverbal IQ and gender. Results: Based on the findings, the mean and standard deviation of MLU in autistic children were 2. 5 and 1. 24, respectively and the mean and standard deviation of MLU in normal children were 3. 74 and 1. 03, respectively. The results of T-test analysis showed a statistically significant difference between two groups with regard to the MLU (t (18)=-2. 41, Pvalue=0. 02). The results also indicated a statistically significant correlation between MLU and age in children with ASD (Pvalue=0. 01, r=0. 95) and in normal children (Pvalue=0. 000, r=0. 95). Conclusions: The study showed that after controlling for vocabulary knowledge, non-verbal IQ and talkativeness, MLU was significantly lower in children with ASD than in normal children. The results also showed that MLU increases with increase of age in both groups.

Autism is a type of neurodegenerative disorder, caused by genetic and environmental factors. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have symptoms of attention deficit and behavioral problems. Child’ s sleep pattern has a significant effect on mood. Sleep problems are more common in children with ASD. The current study aimed to investigate the effect of non-pharmacological approaches on the improvement of sleep disturbances in patients with ASD. Materials & Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, and Science Direct to identify relevant articles published from January 2009 to May 2019. All original articles from observational and interventional studies were reviewed. The CONSORT Statement and Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) checklist were used to assess the quality of selected papers. Results Reviewing 18 eligible articles according to the CONSORT checklist (for interventional studies) and STROBE (for descriptive studies) demonstrated that behavioral interventions, such as cognitivebehavioral therapy, bedtime fading with response cost, and functional behavioral assessment, physical activity such as aerobic exercise, swimming, and aquatic exercise and weighted blankets can improve sleep disturbances. Conclusion: Restlessness, tantrums, increased stereotypic activities, and reduced learning level and speaking power in children with autism were caused by poor sleep quality and sleep deficiency, which may affect other dimensions of life. Non-pharmacological approaches to sleep disturbances could improve both sleep quality and quality of life of children with ASD with no adverse effect.