This report, commissioned by Positive Partnerships, and supported by First Peoples Disability Network, is the first research on autism in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

This report shows how too many children are being admitted to secure hospitals unnecessarily – in some cases are spending months and years of their childhood in institutions when they should be in their community. It warns that the current system of support for those with learning disabilities or autism is letting down some of...

Could the National Disability Insurance Scheme be threatened by higher-than-expected diagnoses of autism and developmental delay?

The earlier that children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) receive referral, diagnosis and intervention, the better the long-term results are for those children and their families (Barbaro & Dissanyake, 2009; Wiggins et al., 2006; Mandell et al., 2005). Primary health care professionals, such as child and family health nurses and GPs, can listen to...

Speech and language disorders are a common childhood problem, affecting approximately ten per cent of children. Assessments of hearing, intellectual functioning, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and emotional functioning will be needed before proceeding with a course of management and treatment. The second article looks at temper tantrums, which occur occasionally in almost all toddlers. The article...