The NPR (10/1, Haelle) “Shots” blog reported, “Young adults on the autism spectrum” may be “more likely to also have been diagnosed with a psychiatric condition, such as depression, anxiety and” attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) “than are typically developing people or those with other developmental disabilities,” researchers found after examining data from two large “groups of young adults, ages 18-24, in Ontario, Canada.” The findings were published online Sept. 13 in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.

Related Links:

— “Many Young Adults With Autism Also Have Mental Health Issues,” TARA HAELLE, NPR, October 1, 2017.

MedPage Today (9/28, Frieden) reports that at a Sept. 27 hearing of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, “several senators said” that the “Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has made good strides in reducing suicides among former military personnel, but much more still needs to be done.” For example, Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) said, “VA data suggest that approximately 20 veterans commit suicide every day,” but “on average, only six were enrolled in VA healthcare.” Hearing witness Craig Bryan, PsyD, executive director of the National Center for Veterans Studies at the University of Utah, emphasized the importance of “treatment…done properly.” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) said, “What I am hearing…is that suicide rates are increasing among veterans who lack access, either because of geographic difficulties or because of less-than-honorable discharges.”

Related Links:

— “Much Work Remains to Reduce Veterans’ Suicide Rates,” Joyce Frieden, MedPage Today, September 28, 2017.

According to Healio (9/28, Oldt), “middle-aged adults had the highest increases in suicide death rates from 1999 to 2014 compared with other age groups,” Kathryn D. Piscopo, PhD, of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, found after analyzing “data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health and the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) Mortality file for adults aged 45 to 64 years.” The report is available here.

Related Links:

— “Suicide death more common in middle-aged adults,” Kathryn D . Piscopo , PhD, Healio, September 28, 2017.

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.