A world-first study has found a hormone commonly used to induce labour in pregnant women, oxytocin, has significant benefits for some children with autism.

One in 68 Australian children is diagnosed with the disorder, which affects their communication skills and makes it difficult for them to interact socially.

"Often people with autism are incredibly bright and have lots of potential in so many ways," Associate Professor Adam Guastella, from the University of Sydney, said.

"But they often miss the important cues that guide social behaviour."

AN AUTISTIC student was locked inside a small room with the windows boarded up at his Hervey Bay primary school because his teacher said he needed “time out”.

Tate Smith, 9, was locked in the room unsupervised up to 20 times in the last year, left with just a thin mattress on the floor and a pillow.

Mother Kelly-Ann Brooks said her son, who is in Year 3 at Kawungan State School, had been left distraught by the ordeal, describing the 2x2m room as “cell-like”.

JOCELYN Moorhouse and PJ Hogan are one of Australia’s most creative couples, with their first feature film together being the iconic Muriel’s Wedding in 1994. Together, they have written scripts, directed films and parented four children — two of whom have severe autism. Here, Moorhouse, who directed the upcoming movie The Dressmaker, starring Kate Winslet, reveals how she balances the needs of her work and children.

Disability advocates say mainstream schools are unable to meet the needs of autistic children, and as a result families with autistic children are being forced to homeschool their children.

Many parents have told a Senate inquiry that their autistic children are bullied, misunderstood or placed in cages or seclusion areas in mainstream schools.

Sydney mother Cassandra Winter homeschools her son, who has autism and is currently in grade two.

She said the two schools he was previously attending lacked specialised support.

Police have launched a criminal investigation into the alleged abuse of people with autism at one of Australia's leading disability services.

It comes in the wake of a scandal involving a large wooden box built to lock up vulnerable clients at the organisation's autism centre in Melbourne's south-east.

Fairfax Media has confirmed that allegations of criminal acts perpetrated against Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect) clients, most of whom cannot talk, were this week referred to Victoria Police.

Victorian teachers have been banned from restraining students with straps, holding them on the ground or locking them in seclusion rooms.

As part of a crackdown on forced restraint and seclusion in schools, the Education Department has released new rules to prevent "violent and dangerous student behaviours".

The new rules, which were emailed to principals on Tuesday night, said "rooms or areas designed specifically or used solely or primarily for the purpose of seclusion are not permitted".

These four misconceptions about autism are damaging and in desperate need of debunking, as Steve Silberman explores.

By Steve Silberman, 6 October 2015

from http://www.bbc.com/future/story/2015100…

The recent story about a "coffin-like box" constructed for an autistic student outraged much of the community. Media reports are available:

• Wooden box built to 'calm' autistic students at day centre and
• Disability minister horrified, families sickened by 'coffin-like' box 

Following are some of the comments from the community ...