Latest news with #EpicResearch
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Shocking discovery reveals millions are living with undiagnosed neurological disorder
Many girls face years-long delays in receiving autism diagnoses, with many not diagnosed until adulthood, new research has shown. Diagnosing autism - which impacts more than 5million adults and over 2million children in the US - can be difficult because there is no definitive medical test, such as blood draws or MRI scans, to diagnose the disorder. Doctors instead must look at the child or adult's developmental history and behavior to make a diagnosis. In the recent study by Epic Research, researchers reviewed records from more than 338,000 patients who received their first autism spectrum disorder diagnosis between 2015 and 2024. They found that the median age at autism diagnosis declined slightly from seven years of age in 2015 to six years in 2024, thanks to improved understanding of the condition. However, they discovered that male patients are increasingly diagnosed earlier with the median age at diagnosis dropping from seven years in 2015 to five in 2024. This contrasts with the trend for females, with the median age of diagnosis remaining around the age of eight over the same period. Digging into the data further, the researchers discovered among male patients diagnosed with autism in 2024, 44 percent were under age five, compared to 34 percent for females. They said that this indicated that more than half of these female patients were diagnosed later than age five and 'might have benefitted from earlier diagnosis'. They also found that the proportion of female patients diagnosed as adults (aged 19 plus) was 25 percent in 2024, while 12 percent of males were diagnosed with autism as adults in the same year. Dr Brian Harris, a behavioral health and development physician at Orlando Health who was not involved in the study, says the diagnosis gap between girls and boys is largely due to the traditional diagnosis model. Offering an explanation as to why the gap exists, he says: 'Despite the benefits of early diagnosis and intervention, most autistic children are not diagnosed until they begin school, by which time they and their peers are expressing rigid gender-based stereotypes. 'That may be why the behavior of a loud and rowdy autistic boy catches attention while that of a quiet girl expressing subtler symptoms may not. 'In other words, the model we've been using to diagnose ASD is a male model, but we are changing that. 'Specialists at all levels are being trained to recognize symptoms in boys and girls because a diagnosis provides clarity, enhances understanding, and opens access to support, resources and services that can be life-changing.' Early research from the 1960s and 1970s estimated autism affected just two to four out of every 10,000 children, but the condition was poorly understood at the time. While diagnosis rates have steadily climbed over the years, they were already much higher by 2000, when the CDC reported a prevalence of 1 in 150 children aged eight or younger. This then jumped to one in 44 in 2018, one in 36 in 2020, and one in every 31 children in 2022 - a rate of 32.2 per 1,000. By comparison, early studies from the 1960s and 1970s estimated autism rates to be as low as 1 in 5,000. The most recent CDC report found wide geographic variation, with diagnosis rates ranging from roughly one in 100 in parts of south Texas to a striking one in 19 in San Diego. It also highlighted shifting demographic patterns: autism diagnoses were more frequent among Asian, Black, and Hispanic children than among White children — a trend first observed in the 2020 data. Researchers say the sharp rise in recent decades can be partially explained by improved screening, increased public awareness, and better access to services. While some blame an ultra-processed diet, chemicals and pesticides for the rise. The average age for an autism diagnoses is five, though the vast majority of parents notice differences in their children, particularly around social skills, as early as two years old. Looking ahead, Professor Rinehart says more research needs to be done to better understand the autistic gait. This will be particularly beneficial to children so that treatment plans can be tailored for their individual movement styles as they develop.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Autism diagnoses occurring earlier for boys, girls often wait years, analysis finds
Autism is being diagnosed earlier in young children, especially in boys, according to a major new analysis of medical records published on Tuesday. Conducted by Epic Research -- the data and analytics arm of the electronic health record software company, Epic Systems -- the analysis also found that many girls still face years-long delays in receiving a diagnosis and an increasing share of women are not diagnosed until adulthood. This raises concerns about missed opportunities for early support, Dr. Catherine Lord, the George Tarjan Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Education in the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, told ABC News. MORE: RFK Jr. lays out new studies on autism, shuts down 'better diagnoses' as a cause "There is evidence that girls are often diagnosed later than boys, and particularly girls with milder symptoms are missed entirely," Lord, who was not involved in the analysis, said. "When you add in adults seeking a diagnosis later in life -- often more women than men -- it pushes the average age of diagnosis for females even higher." The study reviewed records from more than 338,000 patients who received their first autism spectrum disorder diagnosis between 2015 and 2024, using aggregated electronic health record data from hospitals and clinics nationwide to study health care trends. While not peer-reviewed, Epic Research's work is vetted internally by the company's clinical and research experts. The median age at diagnosis for all children fell from age 7 in 2015 to age 6 in 2024, the analysis suggested. For boys, the median age dropped from age 7 to age 5, with nearly half diagnosed before age 5 in 2024. Girls showed no similar shift, the analysis found. Their median age of diagnosis remained at about age 8, and only about one-third were diagnosed before age 5. The disparity persisted into adulthood, with one in four women first diagnosed at age 19 or older, compared with about one in eight men, the analysis found. Although the median age for diagnosis dropped, the average age remained at about 10.5 years old, likely implying that some people were being diagnosed much later, potentially into adulthood. Early detection matters because therapies, school accommodations, and interventions -- often involving speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists and developmental pediatricians -- are most effective when started early in life, Lord explained. "The biggest time of change particularly in developing language, is in the early years," Lord said. "Interventions can speed up learning and help prevent later anxiety and depression by making life easier for autistic kids and their families." MORE: RFK Jr.'s comments on autism draw reactions from parents and experts Early signs of autism can include limited eye contact, not responding to their name, delayed speech, repetitive behaviors such as hand-flapping or lining up objects, intense or unusual interests, and distress over changes in routine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , In girls, these signs may be harder to notice or focused on socially typical topics, which can delay recognition. For families facing barriers to diagnosis, Lord recommended seeking evaluations through schools, contacting state-run early intervention programs for children under age three. She also recommended relying on credible sources such as the CDC, Autism Speaks and the Autism Science Foundation for more information. "There's much more hope now for autism," she said. "Not to 'cure' it, but to support people, figure out their strengths, and help them find their place in the world." Christian S. Monsalve, MD is a functional psychiatry fellow and a member of the ABC News Medical Unit. Solve the daily Crossword
CNN
24-07-2025
- Health
- CNN
Prescription fluoride faces FDA scrutiny despite widespread support from providers and the public
The US Food and Drug Administration appears poised to continue with a plan to ban prescription fluoride supplements at a time when many experts say that access to the products has become especially important. Most US residents live in a community where fluoride is added to the public drinking water, according to federal data from 2022. But this year, Utah and Florida became the first states to ban the practice, and similar legislation has been introduced in several other states. Fluoride is a mineral that can be found naturally in some foods and groundwater. It can help prevent tooth decay by strengthening the protective outer layer of enamel that can be worn away by acids formed by bacteria, plaque and sugars in the mouth. Adding fluoride to public water systems started in the US in 1945, and is considered by many public health experts – including the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – to be one of the top public health success stories of the last century. In places where fluoride is not in the drinking water, fluoride tablets or drops may be prescribed for babies and children to reduce the risk of tooth decay. Fluoride prescriptions spiked in Utah this spring amid changes to the public drinking water. An analysis of electronic health records conducted for CNN by Epic Research showed that the share of the population with a prescription for fluoride supplements jumped 30% in a matter of months, from about 1% at the start of the year to 1.3% by May. However, the FDA announced in May that it plans to remove ingestible fluoride prescription drug products for children from the market by the end of October – marking clear intentions before conducting the necessary safety review or public comment period. On Wednesday, the Regan-Udall Foundation, an independent nonprofit organization created by Congress to advance the FDA's mission, hosted a public meeting to discuss the risks and benefits of the prescription fluoride supplements. Dozens of dentists, researchers, public health experts and other members of the public spoke at the meeting, and thousands of others shared their thoughts in the federal register ahead of time. Among those expressing support for prescription fluoride were the American Dental Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Association of Public Health Dentistry. Dr. George Tidmarsh, who was announced as the new director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research on Monday, was present at the meeting and shared his thoughts early on. 'Our job at FDA is to balance risk and benefit, and every day we have to make that balance,' Tidmarsh said. 'It's frequently a challenge, not always, but nothing is without risk, and you have to make sure that if there is risk, there's a clear benefit. And that analysis needs to be done with data.' He critiqued the first two presenters who were in favor of fluoride supplements largely for their lack of data. However, one presenter was tasked with sharing a 'lived patient experience.' The other, Dr. James Bekker, a pediatric dentist from Utah, agreed on the importance of data but said that his goal was not to overwhelm the audience with numbers-heavy slides using information that is 'readily available all across the country.' Just 30 minutes into an hours-long meeting that was meant to offer robust discussion on a much broader set of research on the topic of fluoride supplements, Tidmarsh also chose to single out two studies that highlight risks. One was a lengthy federal review published in August by the National Institutes of Health's toxicology program, which concluded that higher levels of fluoride exposure are linked to lowered IQ in children. This has become a key argument for proponents of banning fluoride, but others have said the work lacks key context. Fluoridated water is the most common exposure noted in this analysis and the focus of most research on the topic, and the potential risks are identified with exposure at much higher levels than what is used in the US. Prescription fluoride supplements that are available to children in the US in tablet and drop form are not formally FDA-approved, but are also well below recommended levels. Experts on both sides of the issue on Wednesday agreed in large part that more research is needed to better understand the risks and benefits of fluoride supplements in general. Dr. Susan Fisher-Owens, a pediatrician and clinical professor at the University of California San Francisco, shared a presentation on Wednesday about the links between fluoride and neurocognitive development. 'In general, I am an optimist, who believes good science can change people's minds and lives for the better. It would be easy to believe this is a foregone conclusion, given the announcement of removing supplements from market came before the science was presented, and Tidmarsh stated his opinion after only the first round,' she said. 'Still, I hope, for my patients' sake, that the presentations emphasizing safety at levels as seen in the US will convince the FDA.' As the national conversation around fluoride has ramped up in recent months, dentists and doctors say that they're getting more questions about fluoride from patients and parents who want to better understand the risks and benefits – but evidence suggests that most still remain largely in favor of fluoride. 'There's a changing political conversation, but it's not necessarily changing where the average American perception of fluoride is yet,' said Melissa Burroughs, senior director of public policy at CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, a nonprofit focused on equitable access to dental care. A poll conducted by the organization in July found that most US adults support community water fluoridation. 'Removing fluoride without a plan to try to support those communities will only keep it an already serious oral health crisis,' Burroughs said. An analysis of electronic health records conducted for CNN by Truveta found that fluoride prescription rates among children in the US have been declining for the past few years – but rates are consistently about 20 times higher in states where community fluoridation is least common compared to rates in states where it is most common. As in Florida and Utah, decisions to add – or remove – fluoride to public water are determined at the local level. The question is sometimes put to public vote, and community members almost always vote in favor of adding fluoride. Similar data showing a decline in fluoride prescription rates among children was presented at the meeting on Wednesday. Dr. David Krol, a pediatrician representing the American Academy of Pediatrics, said that the trend was 'really hypothesis-generating.' He theorized that it could be evidence of more thorough conversations between providers and their patients about all of the different ways they might already be getting fluoride and their individual risk assessments for cavities and tooth decay. 'After that conversation, there's still a need for the provision of supplementation for some patients,' Krol said. Others have suggested that there may be a link to more widespread hesitancy around government intervention on individual health that ramped up during the Covid-19 pandemic. But as community water fluoridation starts to roll back, experts say that protecting the option to use prescription fluoride supplements is key. In fact, the legislation in Utah that banned the addition of fluoride to the public drinking water included provisions to expand access to prescription fluoride – emphasizing the desire for choice. 'We're talking about supplements here today, and we're talking about a choice, and giving people a choice if they want to have that benefit of fluoride. In a non-fluoridated area or where it doesn't occur naturally, supplement is the only tool they have,' Bekker said at the meeting Wednesday. 'So as we consider supplements, the opportunity to have them available is a matter of people's choice. We're not forcing anyone to take them, we're allowing them to have an option and to have a choice.'
CNN
24-07-2025
- Health
- CNN
Prescription fluoride faces FDA scrutiny despite widespread support from providers and the public
Water availability Federal agencies Children's healthFacebookTweetLink Follow The US Food and Drug Administration appears poised to continue with a plan to ban prescription fluoride supplements at a time when many experts say that access to the products has become especially important. Most US residents live in a community where fluoride is added to the public drinking water, according to federal data from 2022. But this year, Utah and Florida became the first states to ban the practice, and similar legislation has been introduced in several other states. Fluoride is a mineral that can be found naturally in some foods and groundwater. It can help prevent tooth decay by strengthening the protective outer layer of enamel that can be worn away by acids formed by bacteria, plaque and sugars in the mouth. Adding fluoride to public water systems started in the US in 1945, and is considered by many public health experts – including the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – to be one of the top public health success stories of the last century. In places where fluoride is not in the drinking water, fluoride tablets or drops may be prescribed for babies and children to reduce the risk of tooth decay. Fluoride prescriptions spiked in Utah this spring amid changes to the public drinking water. An analysis of electronic health records conducted for CNN by Epic Research showed that the share of the population with a prescription for fluoride supplements jumped 30% in a matter of months, from about 1% at the start of the year to 1.3% by May. However, the FDA announced in May that it plans to remove ingestible fluoride prescription drug products for children from the market by the end of October – marking clear intentions before conducting the necessary safety review or public comment period. On Wednesday, the Regan-Udall Foundation, an independent nonprofit organization created by Congress to advance the FDA's mission, hosted a public meeting to discuss the risks and benefits of the prescription fluoride supplements. Dozens of dentists, researchers, public health experts and other members of the public spoke at the meeting, and thousands of others shared their thoughts in the federal register ahead of time. Among those expressing support for prescription fluoride were the American Dental Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Association of Public Health Dentistry. Dr. George Tidmarsh, who was announced as the new director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research on Monday, was present at the meeting and shared his thoughts early on. 'Our job at FDA is to balance risk and benefit, and every day we have to make that balance,' Tidmarsh said. 'It's frequently a challenge, not always, but nothing is without risk, and you have to make sure that if there is risk, there's a clear benefit. And that analysis needs to be done with data.' He critiqued the first two presenters who were in favor of fluoride supplements largely for their lack of data. However, one presenter was tasked with sharing a 'lived patient experience.' The other, Dr. James Bekker, a pediatric dentist from Utah, agreed on the importance of data but said that his goal was not to overwhelm the audience with numbers-heavy slides using information that is 'readily available all across the country.' Just 30 minutes into an hours-long meeting that was meant to offer robust discussion on a much broader set of research on the topic of fluoride supplements, Tidmarsh also chose to single out two studies that highlight risks. One was a lengthy federal review published in August by the National Institutes of Health's toxicology program, which concluded that higher levels of fluoride exposure are linked to lowered IQ in children. This has become a key argument for proponents of banning fluoride, but others have said the work lacks key context. Fluoridated water is the most common exposure noted in this analysis and the focus of most research on the topic, and the potential risks are identified with exposure at much higher levels than what is used in the US. Prescription fluoride supplements that are available to children in the US in tablet and drop form are not formally FDA-approved, but are also well below recommended levels. Experts on both sides of the issue on Wednesday agreed in large part that more research is needed to better understand the risks and benefits of fluoride supplements in general. Dr. Susan Fisher-Owens, a pediatrician and clinical professor at the University of California San Francisco, shared a presentation on Wednesday about the links between fluoride and neurocognitive development. 'In general, I am an optimist, who believes good science can change people's minds and lives for the better. It would be easy to believe this is a foregone conclusion, given the announcement of removing supplements from market came before the science was presented, and Tidmarsh stated his opinion after only the first round,' she said. 'Still, I hope, for my patients' sake, that the presentations emphasizing safety at levels as seen in the US will convince the FDA.' As the national conversation around fluoride has ramped up in recent months, dentists and doctors say that they're getting more questions about fluoride from patients and parents who want to better understand the risks and benefits – but evidence suggests that most still remain largely in favor of fluoride. 'There's a changing political conversation, but it's not necessarily changing where the average American perception of fluoride is yet,' said Melissa Burroughs, senior director of public policy at CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, a nonprofit focused on equitable access to dental care. A poll conducted by the organization in July found that most US adults support community water fluoridation. 'Removing fluoride without a plan to try to support those communities will only keep it an already serious oral health crisis,' Burroughs said. An analysis of electronic health records conducted for CNN by Truveta found that fluoride prescription rates among children in the US have been declining for the past few years – but rates are consistently about 20 times higher in states where community fluoridation is least common compared to rates in states where it is most common. As in Florida and Utah, decisions to add – or remove – fluoride to public water are determined at the local level. The question is sometimes put to public vote, and community members almost always vote in favor of adding fluoride. Similar data showing a decline in fluoride prescription rates among children was presented at the meeting on Wednesday. Dr. David Krol, a pediatrician representing the American Academy of Pediatrics, said that the trend was 'really hypothesis-generating.' He theorized that it could be evidence of more thorough conversations between providers and their patients about all of the different ways they might already be getting fluoride and their individual risk assessments for cavities and tooth decay. 'After that conversation, there's still a need for the provision of supplementation for some patients,' Krol said. Others have suggested that there may be a link to more widespread hesitancy around government intervention on individual health that ramped up during the Covid-19 pandemic. But as community water fluoridation starts to roll back, experts say that protecting the option to use prescription fluoride supplements is key. In fact, the legislation in Utah that banned the addition of fluoride to the public drinking water included provisions to expand access to prescription fluoride – emphasizing the desire for choice. 'We're talking about supplements here today, and we're talking about a choice, and giving people a choice if they want to have that benefit of fluoride. In a non-fluoridated area or where it doesn't occur naturally, supplement is the only tool they have,' Bekker said at the meeting Wednesday. 'So as we consider supplements, the opportunity to have them available is a matter of people's choice. We're not forcing anyone to take them, we're allowing them to have an option and to have a choice.'
Forbes
06-06-2025
- Health
- Forbes
Late ADHD Diagnoses In Women Are Shaping A New Leadership Model
For many high-achieving women, leadership has meant working twice as hard to prove they belong in the room. But for a growing number, there's another layer to the story, and it was hidden in plain sight for years. Women are being diagnosed with ADHD not in childhood but in midlife, after decades of navigating leadership roles with an invisible challenge. Between 2020 and 2022, the incidence of ADHD diagnoses among women aged 23–29 and 30–49 nearly doubled. This trend highlights the growing awareness that ADHD often presents differently in women and is frequently diagnosed later in life compared to men, as reported by Epic Research. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder has long been seen as a childhood condition, typically associated with hyperactive boys disrupting classrooms. But women—especially those in leadership—often don't fit the mold. They may present as driven, organized and articulate. Behind the scenes, though, many are masking executive dysfunction, working long hours to compensate for distractibility and feeling constant internal overwhelm. 'Women with ADHD tend to display more difficulties with attention compared to men,' states Anne Castley Burdzy, PhD., founder of BeWell Psychology. 'Women in leadership roles might find themselves task-switching more frequently or maybe more easily distracted compared to their male counterparts.' Women are significantly more likely to be diagnosed later in life during career transitions or hormonal changes. For female leaders, that late diagnosis sparks both relief and regret. Once diagnosed, many women experience a seismic shift—not in capability, but in self-compassion. Rather than framing their struggles as personal failings, they begin to reframe them as neurological differences. That lens allows for greater empathy toward themselves and, in many cases, their teams. It also transforms how they lead. 'You are not broken, lazy or unqualified; your brain just works differently, and that's not a flaw, it's a feature,' Summer Jelinek, a keynote speaker and leadership trainer, advises emerging leaders. 'Build systems that work for your brain, not against it.' Jelinek discovered her ADHD during her Ph.D. program, adding to her earlier autism diagnosis. This dual realization, known as AuDHD, provided clarity on her past corporate experiences and leadership challenges. 'That internal tug-of-war confused me and definitely confused my leaders,' she explains. 'I spent a massive amount of energy trying to hide both, constantly managing how I showed up so I didn't seem too intense, too much or too sensitive.' Post-diagnosis, Jelinek wears her neurodivergence on her sleeve, creating a safe space for others; she leads from a place of authenticity rather than performance. She emphasizes the importance of building systems that align with one's unique cognitive patterns. For Pubali Sen, head of ChomChomTech and serving as AI/ML Solutions at Google, the realization of her ADHD at age 31 was a transformative moment. 'My 'aha!' moment was less of a gentle dawn and more of a full-blown fireworks display,' she recounts. This diagnosis provided clarity on her past behaviors and led her to develop structured systems to manage her responsibilities effectively. Sen describes her ADHD as a catalyst for innovation. 'My ADHD brain is like having a super-fast internet connection with about 50 tabs open simultaneously,' she explains. Embracing her neurodivergence, she advocates for inclusive leadership that values diverse cognitive styles. At ChomChomTech, Sen channels her experiences into creating AI-powered tools that support the emotional regulation and imaginative skills of neurodivergent children. Her leadership exemplifies how understanding and embracing one's cognitive profile leads to more effective and empathetic leadership. Sandra Bean, founder of St. Pete Girl Boss, was diagnosed at 40, which led to a transformation in her leadership approach from self-criticism to self-compassion. 'I realized it wasn't that I wasn't trying hard enough,' she reflects. 'I needed extra support.' From this insight, she implements supportive systems such as time blocking. Bean's ADHD has enhanced her networking and negotiation skills. However, she acknowledges challenges such as rejection sensitivity and time blindness, which she addresses through strategies like body doubling. She has another person present while working on a task, either in person or virtually, to stay focused and motivated. This person doesn't actively help with the task itself; they are there to act as an accountability partner. Bean advocates for leadership that values cognitive flexibility. 'We don't do things the 'normal' way; we do them the necessary way,' she asserts, emphasizing the importance of creating spaces where diverse minds can thrive. Leadership doesn't require perfect focus or linear thinking. By embracing ADHD as a strength, these women are creating new models for what effective, empathetic leadership can look like. The future of leadership is not quieter or neater. It is more human and raw. Key characteristics of this emerging ADHD-informed leadership model include: Neuro-inclusive workplaces are the future of organizations; it's about redesigning meetings to reduce cognitive overload and offering more flexible workflows while being transparent about how neurodivergent leaders' brains function. The more these leaders share their stories, the more they're paving the way for others, especially younger employees who may be struggling silently. The diagnosis isn't a weakness. For many, it's a key to unlocking their full leadership potential. 'Specific accommodations for women with ADHD include providing clear expectations, allowing ample time for tasks with effective prompts and breaking larger tasks into smaller, manageable parts,' Dr. Castley Burdzy concludes. 'Creating a workplace environment that is healthy and supportive gives leaders a space to advocate and implement strategies that they find helpful.'
