Practical Autism Research

Evidence-based support for autistic children.

I'm Dr Odet Mark Aszkenasy, a consultant paediatrician at Care ADHD. I was NHS Clinical Lead for autism diagnostics until September 2026. This site brings together research, practical guidance, and free resources for families and professionals navigating autism.

Cover of The Genetics of Autism by Dr Odet Mark Aszkenasy

Featured guide

The Genetics of Autism

Information for Parents and Professionals

A clear guide to genetic testing, whole genome sequencing, and what results can—and cannot—tell families.

Research and longer reads

Causes and genetics

My child has autism and ADHD: is that genetic?

Health care

Body dysmorphic disorder in autistic teenagers: more severe, still treatable

Research news

ADHD and suicide attempts: the genetics adds to the red flags, it does not replace them

Research news

Is autism a category or the far end of a spectrum?

School and growing up

University support for autistic students still waits for a diagnosis

Health care

Methylphenidate and the heart: what the absolute risk means

Causes and genetics

Genetic testing for autism and ADHD in the UK: what to expect

Sleep

Halloween: helping an autistic child with costumes, callers and sleep

Causes and genetics

Genome sequencing in developmental delay: what a new trial found

Eating and nutrition

Weight, appetite and autism or ADHD: what the research shows

Sleep

Bonfire Night: helping an autistic child with fireworks and sleep

Sleep

When the clocks go back: keeping an autistic child's sleep on track

Causes and genetics

Autism with ADHD, anxiety or depression: what the genes show

Causes and genetics

Congenital TORCH infection and autism: rare association, careful counselling

Behaviour and feelings

Autistic Burnout in Children and Young People: What It Looks Like and How to Prevent It

Research news

World Autism Awareness Day 2026: What the Science Actually Says

Causes and genetics

What the Gene Therapy Pipeline Actually Means for Autism

Eating and nutrition

Probiotics for GI Symptoms in Autism: What the Evidence Actually Shows

Causes and genetics

Why Is My Autistic Child's Head Larger? What Brain Organoids Tell Us About Macrocephaly and Autism

Behaviour and feelings

Headbanging and Self-Injury in Autistic Children: A Stepwise Approach

Behaviour and feelings

Pica in Autistic Children: Causes, Investigations, and What Actually Helps

Causes and genetics

Maternal Autoantibody-Related Autism: What We Know and What It Means

Health care

The Learning Disability Register: Why a Simple GP Letter Could Save Your Child's Life

Development

Making Sense of Sensory Processing: A Parent's Guide to Sensory Differences in Autism

Health care

Preparing Autistic Children for Medical Procedures: Why Picture Books Like Anna's Ultrasound Adventure Work

School and growing up

School Refusal in Autistic Children: The Iceberg Model and What Actually Helps

School and growing up

Supporting Your Autistic Child at School: What the Evidence Says

Eating and nutrition

Tummy Troubles in Autistic Children: A Practical Guide for Parents

Behaviour and feelings

Understanding Anxiety in Autistic Children: What Parents and Professionals Need to Know

Behaviour and feelings

When Behaviour Changes: A Clinical Checklist for Minimally Verbal Autistic Children

Development

Potty Training and Autism: Why It Takes Longer and What Actually Helps

Development

Why Isn't My Child Talking Yet? Understanding Language Development in Autistic Children

Causes and genetics

Same Science, Different Access: Why the UK and US Disagree on Genetic Testing for Autism

Research news

Research Round-Up: March 2026 - From Molecular Mechanisms to the Continuing Wait for Assessment

Causes and genetics

Same Switches, Different Conditions: 683 Genetic Variants That Connect Autism, ADHD, and Six Other Psychiatric Disorders

Causes and genetics

Why Does My Autistic Child Always Have Stomach Problems? A Genetic Contributing Factor

Causes and genetics

A Shared Druggable Switch: How Nitric Oxide, TSC2, and mTOR Connect Multiple Forms of Autism

Sleep

The Sleep Connection: How a Circadian Clock Gene Links Sleep Biology to Autism

Causes and genetics

Our Diagnoses Are Categories. Our Genes Are Not.

School and growing up

The Cliff Edge at 18: Why Autistic Young People Are Falling Through the Transition Gap

Research news

The Largest Leucovorin-Autism Trial To-Date Has Been Retracted: What This Means for Families and Clinicians

Behaviour and feelings

Understanding Demand Avoidance in Autism: What the Research Really Tells Us

Health care

Clinic visits and blood tests

Eating and nutrition

Nutritional Issues in Autistic Children: A Practical Guide for Parents and Paediatricians

Research news

Leucovorin in autism

Sleep

Sleep Struggles in Autism: Unlocking the Science for Better Nights