Autism spectrum disorder: differences in social communication and a preference for predictability.
A new CMS rule redefines medical frailty for Medicaid expansions, threatening to bar exemptions for some patients who are too sick to work. The guidance requires proof that conditions “significantly impair” work ability, potentially affecting many patients who rely on treatment while facing complex paperwork and renewal hurdles.
The military has reinstated flu vaccination requirements for recruits after a localized outbreak at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas has sickened hundreds. Officials say exemptions were granted earlier in the year, but ongoing cases and a recruit death have prompted renewed vaccination efforts across basic training.
England’s children’s mental health referrals have surpassed 1 million for 2024-25, a rise driven by anxiety and suspected autism. Wait times remain long, with more than 60,000 waiting over two years. The report calls for joined-up services across health, education and social care to meet demand.
Advocates warn that a shift of special education oversight from Education to Health and Human Services and a DOJ memo on Olmstead interpretation signal a broader push to roll back rights for people with disabilities. Critics describe the moves as a return to a medical model and a threat to integrated living and schooling.
The AI-driven shift is forcing brands to rethink online presence, with marketers stressing structured data and authentic content as AI search and recommendation engines gain influence. Firms are investing in content factories and cross-platform strategies as competition for visibility intensifies.
New Jersey has reported heat-related deaths since Thursday, primarily in central and northern areas. Officials say many victims were found in non-air-conditioned homes, with temperatures reaching unseasonably high levels across the region. Storms followed the heat, causing widespread power outages as downed wires and severed poles strain grids nationwide.
A sweeping Timms review finds the Personal Independence Payment not fit for purpose and not serving disabled people or taxpayers well. Interim proposals call for bold reform while spending on the benefit continues to rise, driven largely by mental-health related claims.
A U.S. appeals court has revived private lawsuits alleging a link between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and autism/ADHD, reversing a district court that had excluded expert testimony. The panel says the doctors’ methodologies reflect scientific disagreement and are admissible, returning the case to ongoing proceedings.