STAT (9/27, Samuel) reports that children with autism often are attracted to bodies of water and can end up drowning. In fact, “drowning is the most common fatal injury” among youngsters with autism. Now, “a study published in September in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders offers preliminary evidence that even children with severe autism can learn techniques to avoid drowning.” The study abstract points out that seven kids with “moderate to severe” autism spectrum disorder took part in the study.

Related Links:

— “Lakes and pools can be deadly for children with autism. But tailored swim lessons can save lives,” LEAH SAMUEL, STAT, September 27, 2017.

Healio (9/27, Bortz) reports, “Female children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder [ASD] are more likely to have younger siblings also diagnosed with the disorder, with higher rates observed in younger male siblings regardless of the older sibling’s sex,” researchers found after analyzing data on “1,583,271 families participating in commercial health care insurance plans.” The findings were published online Sept. 25 in JAMA Pediatrics.

Related Links:

— “Autism risk associated with gender of older sibling,” Palmer N, et al., Healio, September 27, 2017.

The New York Times (9/26, Schonbek, Subscription Publication) reports on an innovative program called Family Treatment Court in Chautauqua County, New York. The program provides personalized treatment programs tailored to each participant’s needs, including caseworkers and a presiding judge who tracks their progress as they complete drug and alcohol treatment, keeps them out of the criminal justice system, and helps keep their children out of the foster care system. There are 370 such centers across the country. The article profiles a recovering young woman, Samantha Coleman, who has completed treatment and was able to keep custody of her two daughters through the program.

Related Links:

— “Courts That Save Opioid Victims’ Family Life,” Amelia Schonbek, New York Times, September 26, 2017.

HealthDay (9/26, Thompson) reports, “Postpartum depression occurs 27 to 46 times more frequently during subsequent pregnancies for mothers who experienced it after their first birth,” researchers found after analyzing “data from Danish national registries on more than 457,000 women who delivered their first child between 1996 and 2013 and had no prior medical history of depression.” According to HealthDay, “postpartum depression generally takes hold of a new mother within days of delivery, although sometimes depression develops during pregnancy, according to the US National Institute of Mental Health.” The findings were published online Sept. 26 in PLOS Medicine.

Related Links:

— “Postpartum Depression Likely to Recur With Future Pregnancies
,” Dennis Thompson, HealthDay, September 26, 2017.

The Washington Post (9/25, McGinley) reports that the Food and Drug Administration “targeted more than 500 websites it said were illegally selling unapproved versions of prescription medications, including opioids, antibiotics and injectable epinephrine products.” The agency’s crackdown was a part of “a global operation called Pangea X, led by the international police organization Interpol.” The effort “involved police, customs and regulatory officials from 123 countries and resulted in the seizure of millions of doses of dietary supplements, pain reduction [drugs], epilepsy medication, erectile dysfunction [drugs] and antipsychotic medication, Interpol said.” In a statement, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said, “The ease with which consumers can purchase opioid products online is especially concerning to me, given the immense public health crisis of addiction facing our country.”

Reuters (9/25, Clarke) reports that the FDA issued warning letters and seized “nearly 100 website domain names, including buyhydrocodoneonline.com and buyklonopin.com.” Gottlieb “said the agency has tripled its international mail inspectors and doubled its cybercrime and port of entry agents” as “part of a broader plan the FDA is developing to intercept illegal drugs.”

Additional coverage is provided by MedPage Today (9/25, Fiore).

Related Links:

— “FDA targets hundreds of ‘rogue’ websites illegally selling opioids and other prescription drugs,” Laurie McGinley, Washington Post, September 25, 2017.