NEWS FROM AROUND THE NATION

Beware--anti-depressant use can increase the risk of autism:

Taking antidepressants during pregnancy substantially increases the likelihood that a child will have autism, a new study suggests.
Researchers found that the odds a child would develop autism were 87 percent higher when expectant mothers took antidepressants during the last six months of pregnancy.
The findings published Monday in the journal JAMA Pediatrics come from a study looking at records on more than 145,000 Canadian children from the time of conception until age 10.
Using data about the kids and their mothers, researchers said that they factored for various circumstances including possible genetic predisposition to autism, maternal age and socioeconomic factors in order to look most specifically at the impact of medication.
“The variety of causes of autism remain unclear, but studies have shown that both genetics and environment can play a role,” said Anick Bérard of the University of Montreal, an author of the paper. “Our study has established that taking antidepressants during the second or third trimester of pregnancy almost doubles the risk that the child will be diagnosed with autism by age 7, especially if the mother takes selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, often known by its acronym SSRIs.”
Researchers said their findings are particularly important since depression is common and an estimated 6 to 10 percent of pregnant women are taking drugs to treat the condition.
However, in an accompanying editorial, Bryan H. King of Seattle Children’s Hospital cautioned that the findings are not as clear as they may seem, especially since it’s difficult to fully determine whether the increased autism risk stems from antidepressants or the presence of depression itself.
“It makes no more sense to suggest that (antidepressants) should always be avoided than to say that they should never be stopped,” King wrote. “As this literature develops and our list of potential risk factors expands, it is also likely that its complexity will move us even farther from being able to make categorical statements about something being all good or all bad.”

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More bad news: the FBI reports an increase in reports of disability-related hate crimes:

New federal data indicates that the number of reported hate crimes targeting people with disabilities has ticked up.
There were 95 hate crime offenses related to disability bias last year, according to recently released statistics from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program. The 2014 numbers are up slightly compared to the previous year when the FBI recorded 92 offenses targeting people with disabilities.
At the same time, however, the overall number of hate crimes documented fell to 5,479 criminal incidents in 2014.
In addition to disability, the FBI collects hate crimes statistics on criminal incidents motivated by a bias toward a particular race, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or ethnicity.
The data is drawn from reports gathered by nearly 15,500 law enforcement agencies nationwide.
Disability bias accounted for 1.4 percent of all hate crimes logged in 2014. Of them, 69 were committed against people with mental disabilities and 26 were aimed at those with physical disabilities, the FBI said.

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But--on the good-news front--a high-school student was recently named athlete of the year for his work with cerebral palsy:

TEMPERANCE, Mich. — Hunter Gandee was helping build an accessible playground when he received a phone call.
The structure had become an important part of the 16-year-old’s quest to raise awareness of the challenges of living with cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder that affects his younger brother, Braden. It was then Hunter learned he would be honored with Sports Illustrated’s inaugural High School Athlete of the Year award.
“It means a lot to us,” Hunter said. “Sports Illustrated is such a prestigious publication, and because they are so large and they reach so many people, our story reaches that many people. The awareness spreads even further because of their reach and network. Awareness has always been our goal, so we’re incredibly thankful.”
Hunter, a sophomore at Bedford High School who wrestles at 160 pounds, flew to New York City on Monday and will be honored at Tuesday’s Sportsman of the Year banquet, alongside Serena Williams and Jack Nicklaus.
“It’s crazy to be in the presence of such high-profile athletes, and not only be in their presence but to be honored with them,” Hunter said. “It’s really cool and very humbling knowing I’m receiving this award.”
“I don’t truly feel like I completely deserve it. It was more than just me. It was my entire community, all the people that walked with me, my brother, my family, my wrestling team. It’s an extremely honorable experience.”
Braden, 9, is unable to walk, but his brother has not allowed a disability to alter his life. In 2014, Hunter walked 40 miles to Ann Arbor with his brother on his back.
The effort raised more than $16,000, which the Gandees donated to the University of Michigan’s Cerebral Palsy Research Consortium.
The story spread worldwide, leading to television interviews and even more donations. Hunter immediately zeroed in on building an inclusive playground at Douglas Road Elementary, where Braden attends school. The brothers completed a second 57-mile walk in June.
The C.P. Swagger Shipyard, containing wheelchair ramps and rubber floors, opened in October, thanks to more than $200,000 in donations.
“It’s a tremendous sense of pride in that young man and his family,” Bedford Athletic Director Mark German said. “The entire community is behind it. It just gives us a great feeling.
“We’d love to take credit for it, but we can’t. We’re just reaping the benefits of Hunter and Braden’s courage.”
In the past year, Hunter has been featured on national evening news broadcasts and magazines, met famous athletes, and garnered attention in countries he can’t even pronounce – all for a story the Gandees hoped might gain attention outside Monroe County.
“I never imagined or thought about this story going national,” he said. “It caught us by surprise when it did. We’re thankful for the opportunities we’ve been given. It’s really cool to see how far stories spread because it was never meant to go as far as it did.”

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