AUTISM NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2026 COMMENT

Gender numbers Is autism really a male-dominated condition? a new study suggests women have it just as often, but are diagnosed later in life. More

Fake ‘treatments’ The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) quietly removed a webpage that warned the public about dangerous products and therapies falsely claiming to treat autism. More

Safer future Faster diagnosis and tailored mental health support is needed to help prevent suicides among people with autism, a report has found.The study led by Bournemouth University analysed more than 4,000 responses from autistic people who had thoughts of suicide, as well as from people who have been bereaved. More

Training works A study published in the Journal of Research in Childhood Education showed that a novel autism training program among early education providers was feasible and well-received. The program successfully improved the providers’ knowledge of autism and how to navigate resources to support children with autism. More

Adapted applause Silent clapping, often referred to as "jazz hands," is becoming popular as a way to make events more neurodivergent friendly. A new study from Karolinska Institutet shows that both neurodivergent and neurotypical people are generally positive towards the practice, although opinions vary widely. More

SEND battle Sara Donnelly is a former headteacher and a mother of two children who both have special educational needs and difficulties (SEND). Her daughter Ava, who is 10, was out of school for months because mainstream school was not able to meet her needs and the family had to fight for a place in a specialist setting. More

Rhyme time If you’ve never tried a sensory story with children in your school/setting, try out this free one. More

More labels? Autistic individuals should be described in many other ways: how about friend, neighbour, relative, colleague, community member, partner, employee, parent… More

Legal question Should police officers be provided with condition-specific training in autism? NPAA Head of Policy Adam O’Loughlin considers the arguments for and against. More

More talk Ask your child’s school to chuck the crayons and bin the biros for No Pens Day on Wednesday 20 May – the chattiest fundraising challenge around. More

Good advice The National Autistic Society has teamed up with Access Social Care, a charity that specialises in legal advice for people in England with social care needs, to help autistic people and their families access easy-to-understand health and social care information at the click of a button. More
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Drug discussions Effective conversations about medication for autistic children and young people and those with a learning disability are vital. More​