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Study: Baby Teeth May Hold Clues to Autism Spectrum Disorder Risk

By U.S. News & World Report

There’s a new clue out there about the risk for autism spectrum disorder in children — and if studied and proven further, could open new avenues of research on other disorders.

The new study from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences at the National Institute of Health examined children’s baby teeth to find any possible correlation between exposure to certain metals, both toxic and nutritional, and risk of autism spectrum disorder. The results found children with autism had a greater amount of toxic lead and lesser amount of nutrients zinc and manganese as opposed to other children.

The study suggests exposure to metals at a young age or how a body processes such metals could impact autism risk.

Researchers looked at teeth from 32 pairs of twins and 12 individual twins, taking into account whether just one of the twins had autism or if both or neither had it. Most of the differences in metal exposure were found in the months leading up to and the months after children were born, with higher levels of lead over the course of development for those with autism. The time just after birth had the largest disparity.

In order to do the analysis, researchers led by New York-based environmental scientist and dentist Manish Arora used lasers in extracting dentine — the substance under tooth enamel. This work builds on prior research, as these researchers already found the lead in these dentine layers correlates with lead exposure across multiple developmental periods.

“A lot of studies have compared current lead levels in kids that are already diagnosed,” Cindy Lawler, who leads a branch of the NIEHS, said in a news release. “Being able to measure something the children were exposed to long before diagnosis is a major advantage.”

“We think autism begins very early, most likely in the womb, and research suggests that our environment can increase a child’s risk. But by the time children are diagnosed at age 3 or 4, it’s hard to go back and know what the moms were exposed to,” Lawler continued. “With baby teeth, we can actually do that.”

And the buck doesn’t just stop at autism spectrum disorder — the baby teeth method could also prove helpful when it comes to researching other disorders like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, according to the news release. “There is growing excitement about the potential of baby teeth as a rich record of a child’s early life exposure to both helpful and harmful factors in the environment,” said David Balshaw, head of the NIEHS Exposure, Response, and Technology Branch.

Researchers say more comprehensive studies are needed to further assess the link between autism and metal exposure.

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Study: Baby Teeth May Hold Clues to Autism Spectrum Disorder Risk originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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