USA Today (9/9, Weintraub) reports that according to a study published online in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, “signs of autism symptoms can be erased if babies begin therapy even before they can toddle.” The study, conducted “by the University of California Davis’ MIND Institute, provided directed therapy to babies ages 6-9 months old who were identified as having early signs of autism, such as an inability to make eye contact, lack of babbling and fixations.”

Notably, “by the time the seven babies reached their third birthday – a time when autism can reliably be diagnosed – five didn’t show any autism symptoms and a sixth had only mild symptoms.”

Related Links:

— “Study: Autism signs in babies can be erased,” Karen Weintraub, USA Today, September 9, 2014.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal (9/8) reported that CMS has expanded access to programs for autistic children by informing states that Medicaid will now cover Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment coverage. This initiative is expected to greatly decrease the amount of children on a wait list for services, which is currently 477 in Nevada.

Related Links:

— “Medicaid change aids autistic children,” Yesenia Amaro, Las Vegas Review-Journal, September 5, 2014.

HealthDay (9/5, Preidt) reports that according to a study recently published in the journal Burns, “adult survivors of childhood burns are at increased risk for depression and suicidal thoughts.” The study of “300 people in Australia who were hospitalized for burns between 1980 and 1990” revealed that “42 percent of the participants had experienced some type of mental illness, 30 percent had suffered depression and 11 percent had attempted suicide.”

Related Links:

— “Serious Childhood Burns Tied to Long-Term Mental Health Risks,” Robert Preidt, HealthDay, September 4, 2014.

HealthDay (9/5, Preidt) reports, “Nearly 10 percent of Americans aged 12 and older were illicit drug users in 2013, and almost 20 million said they used marijuana, making it the most widely used drug,” according to a report issued yesterday by the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The report “also found that more than 14 percent of adults aged 18 and older said they received mental health treatment or counseling in the past year, and that nearly 44 million had a mental illness in 2013.” In addition, 10 “million adults aged 18 and older said they had a serious mental illness in the past year that interfered with a major life activity, according to the report.”

Related Links:

— “10 Percent of Americans Admit to Illicit Drug Use,” Robert Preidt, HealthDay, September 4, 2014.

Bloomberg News (9/4, Kitamura) reported that according to a report (9/5) issued by the World Health Organization, “a death by suicide occurs every 40 seconds somewhere in the world.” The WHO’s first-ever global report on suicide also found that approximately “three-quarters of those suicides occur in low- and middle-income countries, where self-poisoning by pesticide is the leading cause, and other common methods include hanging and firearms, the WHO said.”

McClatchy (9/5, Zarocostas, Subscription Publication) reports that around the world, “an estimated 804,000 people killed themselves in 2012, a rate of about 11.4 per 100,000 population.” Men “were almost twice as likely as females to kill themselves, WHO reported, with a rate of 15.0 per 100,000 for men, versus 8.0 for women.” In the US, “of the 43,361 Americans who killed themselves in 2012, 34,055 were male and 9,306 for female.”

Related Links:

— “Suicide Every 40 Seconds Requires Prevention Measures,” Makiko Kitamura, Bloomberg News, September 4, 2014.