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In this paper, we describe a quality checklist that parents, teachers, clinicians, and policy-makers with basic research skills can use to systematically evaluate the methodological quality of single-case studies on social skill training of children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). We provide a rationale for included quality indicators, and two examples of how the checklist can be used to assess the quality of individual papers and the quality of a body of research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper presents ECHOES, a serious game built to help young children with autism spectrum conditions practice social communication skills. We focus on the design and implementation of the interactive learning activities, which take place in a two-dimensional sensory garden, and the autonomous virtual agent, which acts as a credible social partner to children with autism. Both the activities and the agent are based on principles of best autism practice and input from users. Specification guidelines are given for building an autonomous socially competent agent that supports learning in this context. We present experimental results pertaining to the effectiveness of the agent based on an extensive evaluation of the ECHOES platform, which show encouraging tendencies for a number of children. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Refutes the theory that childhood vaccines can cause autism. Impact of a paper published in a 1998 issue of the journal "The Lancet" suggesting a link between the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine and autism; Basis of the findings; Reaction of parents to the findings.

In this article, the author discusses article published within the issue on challenges facing older people in achieving proper diet. It mentions discredited research papers believe that vaccination of children may cause autism, that fluoridation of water is dangerous, that cell-phone microwaves cause cancer, that Omega-3 supplements don't contain what the labels say. It also mentions Royal Society's Science Media Centre helps the media work more closely with the scientific community.

The article presents information on recent clinical reports on neurology published in previous issues of the journal. One of the papers is on the early identification and management of autism spectrum disorders in children. Another paper addresses the management of autism spectrum disorders in children by reviewing strategies and therapies used as primary treatment.

Information about a paper on various mental disorders discussed at the 37th Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in San Diego, California is presented. It examines how mirror neurons react when autistic children interact with other people. It assumes that when children interact, new brain patterns relaying stimuli and movement develop in their brains. This situation happens due to the lack of suppression of mirror neuron activity.

The article discusses Great Britain's medical journal "The Lancet" and its decision to retract a 1998 paper by gastroenterologist Andrew Wakefield et al. that had established a link between vaccines and childhood autism. As reasons for the retraction, journal editors cited Wakefield's failure to disclose financial interests in lawsuits against vaccine makers and the use of children who were hand-picked for his study.

The article discusses a paper presented by psychologists Peter and Jessica Hobson on joint attention, its lack of development in children that are blind from birth, and concomitant obstacles to emotional contact said to lead to autism. The Hobsons' experimentation in British schools indicated that congenitally-blind children diagnosed with autism have diminished symptoms upon reaching adolescence.