Washington D.C., May 8: The prime time for brain development in a child's life is the first year, where the infant spends most of the time asleep. It is the time when neural connections form and sensory memories are encoded.
However, when sleep is disrupted, as occurs more often among children with autism, brain development may be affected, too.
New research led by the University of Washington finds that sleep problems in a baby's first 12 months may not only precede an autism diagnosis but also may be associated with altered growth trajectory in a key part of the brain, the hippocampus.
The study, which was published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, researchers report that in a sample of more than 400 taken of 6- to 12-month-old infants, those who were later diagnosed with autism were more likely to have had difficulty falling asleep.
It also states that this sleep difficulty was associated with altered growth trajectories in the hippocampus.
"The hippocampus is critical for learning and memory, and changes in the size of the hippocampus have been associated with poor sleep in adults and older children.
As many as 80 per cent of the children with autism spectrum disorder have sleep problems," said Annette Estes, director of the UW Autism Center and senior author of the study.
"In our clinical experience, parents have a lot of concerns about their children's sleep, and in our work on early autism intervention, we observed that sleep problems were holding children and families back," added Estes, who is also a UW professor of speech and hearing sciences.
"It could be that altered sleep is part-and-parcel of autism for some children. One clue is that behavioural interventions to improve sleep don't work for all children with autism, even when their parents are doing everything just right. This suggests that there may be a biological component to sleep problems for some children with autism," said Estes.
To consider links among sleep, brain development, and autism, researchers at the IBIS Network looked at MRI scans of 432 infants, surveyed parents about sleep patterns, and measured cognitive functioning using a standardized assessment.
At the outset of the study, infants were classified according to their risk for developing autism: Those who were at higher risk of developing autism -- about two-thirds of the study sample -- had an older sibling who had already been diagnosed.
Infant siblings of children with autism have a 20 per cent chance of developing autism spectrum disorder -- a much higher risk than children in the general population.
In the current study, 127 of the 432 infants were identified as "low risk" at the time the MRI scans were taken because they had no family history of autism.
They later evaluated all the participants at 24 months of age to determine whether they had developed autism. Of the roughly 300 children originally considered "high familial risk," 71 were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at that age.
Problems with sleep were more common among the infants later diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, as were larger hippocampi. No other subcortical brain structures were affected, including the amygdala, which is responsible for certain emotions and aspects of memory, or the thalamus, a signal transmitter from the spinal cord to the cerebral cortex.
The authors note that while parents reported more sleep difficulties among infants who developed autism compared to those who did not, the differences were very subtle and only observed when looking at group averages across hundreds of infants.
Sleep patterns in the first years of life change rapidly as infants transition from sleeping around the clock to a more adult-like sleep/wake cycle. Until further research is completed, Estes said, it is not possible to interpret challenges with sleep as an early sign of increased risk for autism.
Comments
I was surprised with these people who run educational institutions since long, and the management not understand the rights of Muslims women, that is also simple wearing scarf as it is a moral and religious rightrs of muslim women,and girls, it covers the chastity and aura of a girl ,a mother , and as well all women, but why these nuns are discriminating with muslim community only, by the way why they cannot work without their scrafs inside school or college, Every muslim women is a spiritually religious to wear scraf or cover the chastity with the scarf ..complare to few nuns only wear scarfs since it is their religious rights.
I am asking the management of college to settle the matter peacefully .
No one is abusing her, but for the decision what she has taken is just showing her personality whether she is a angel or simply a common woman who is making a religious chaos between two Community. Respect each others community is what we learn from from Masjid and Church. But here this is going some other way.need to stop before the situation is worsened
I request all the muslim students to wear the same dress what the madam is wearing - problem solved..
Angle......... my foot!!!...if man can become angle then i would have been the first...
Shocked to read brainless comments from Muslims. Muslims cannot build an institution like St Agnes College in Mangalore. But they talk about their rights in Christian and Hindu managed colleges. What a tragedy. May Allah grant good sense to Muslims so that they realize their foolishness.
Never expected such a drity mind set opinion form a religious preacher. She can wear full hijab and Muslim students not permitted. It is well clear to understand what time of human being she is and what is her intention.
Check her passport how many times she visited isreal
Dear Management
When you are implementing any rule's, it should be such that you should be following it. If your principal herself is wearing then how ethical is that to stop the students wearing it.
Hijab is for to cover the modesty and not for exposing.!! Please respect each others propsective.
Sr Dr M Jeswina AC is not a divine woman. She is an angel. Those who mock her must be extremists or anti-social elements.
One more Threat for Indian Democracy by the Principal of St. Agnes College Mangalore, Sr Dr M Jeswina AC.
If the Principal can wear the Scarf, then why Shouldn’t the Students.
Again why its Double standard and what is the Method behind this policy.
Common, once again we all indian’s should BIGOT this policy of St Agnes College Mangalore.
i donno hu ur. but i felt ur comment on the issue of head scarf as funny. as hijab for men and women is farl or compulsory den u need to follow it. to be a citizen of a country u must follow the rules of that country. similarly if u want to be a muslim u need to follow the rules of islam. otherwise u r not called one.u can say that islam is in heart need not show in hijab. when imaan is in heart then definitly hijab will be der otherwise u need to check ur imaan not alter the rules of islam.
Principal Mam can wear fully covered headscarf. But students (muslim) can't...
Dear All
this is the height of hypochracy ..... she herself opt for it , and say you dont wear it ???// in Quran its mentioned ..''Do not preach unless you follow it ''
Dear Sister Dr. Jeswina
How can You prevent and take this decision being in a headscarf? Interestingly you preach this and practice proudly and roam around the world wearing such dress code which you and your institutions are opposing other community. May I ask you on behalf of society with all due respect to your valuable service to the education, what kind of justification you are putting forward to media and seeing students attend classes ignoring their constitutional demand. Dear Sister, will you implement and make it mandatory same rules for students who are wearing a similar dress which you are into? If not this approach will be called communalism or fascism (Sorry for using such words).
Dear Principal, Institutions are not at all allowed to restrict a students religious practice at any place inside the campus. In front of the constitution your college rules will fall down and your college rules should be modified. Look at the hypocrisy you are playing with the students. You will enter the class with your scarf on. And you want a particular community student to remove it? What kind of justice it is.No education institutions are even allowed to impose uniform system for students. We condemn your act. Just don't drag this issue more, please behave mature
Catholic run schools and colleges always do like this.
I am not sure whether there is male teacher in this college, if yes, then the women have right to observe hijab inside the classroom as well. No rules is bigger than the personal right guaranteed to individuals living in India. If this principal mam have right to observe her personal hijab inside her cabin, then Muslim women also should be given their rights.
easy solution, let Muslim students accepts the principal madam dress code, in this matter, let it teacher will be role model for students, accept it
dear college management and student,
as soon as i saw people discussing and sharing the views regarding the ban of women scarf in the college auditorium, i too wants to share some views and ideas related to this. as far as college rules and regulation is concern ban of scarf is acceptable. but if we follow the rules and regulation of my lord it is unacceptable.
student should first contact pricipal regarding whatever issues they. and it the liability of the management to solve the issue in favour of the student because whatever issue they are raising it is the issue to uplift the women rather degrading. hoping the maangemnt to solve the issue in favour of student.
In Islam, men have an obligation to God and to women to observe hijab. I imagine a conversation between someone teaching the Quran and a guy as follows:
Teacher: Don’t stare at women.
Guy: But she’s wearing revealing clothing!
Teacher: Why are you staring? Stop.
Guy: But it’s revealing.
Teacher: Why-are-you-staring?
Guy: Uh…
It’s that simple.
If a guy chooses to accept Islam, Islam says he must observe hijab. The Prophet Muhammad’s directives further affirm this view. He admonished men, “Be chaste yourselves, and women will be chaste as well,” again putting the primary burden of hijab on men.
This point was again illustrated when the Prophet rode with his companion Al Fadl bin Abbas. A woman described as strikingly beautiful approached the Prophet to seek his guidance on some religious matters. Al Fadl began to stare at her because of her beauty.
Noting this, the Prophet Muhammad did not scold the woman for dressing immodestly or revealing her beauty. Instead, he “reached his hand backwards, catching Al Fadl’s chin, and turned his face to the other side so that he would not gaze at her”. Thus, the Prophet Muhammad once more established that the primary burden to observe hijab rests on men.
Ughhhhh. Individual choice yes. But college has certain rules. You don't want to follow the rules, you don't join that particular college. Also, Islam is a very beautiful religion. Let's not make it all about the Hijab.
All students (irrespective of religion) should obey collage or school rule.
missionary school management are allowing sisters to wear their dress similar to Principal dress but they are restricted to hijab.
There is no comparison between student and principle..
Rules are only followed by the students.
Prici mam… whatever u are wearing is a perfect Hijab in Islam. Kindly allow Muslim girls also to wear the same in classroom.
Hahahahhah.. what a pic!!!! She can wear headscarf but Muslim students can’t wear!!!
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