Brains of children with autism may not always ‘see’ body language, study finds

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Noticing and understanding what it means when a person leans into a conversation or takes a step back and crosses their arms is a vital part of human communication. Researchers at the Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience at the University of Rochester have found that children with autism spectrum disorder may not always process body movements effectively, especially if they are distracted by something else.

“Being able to read and respond to someone’s body language is important in our daily interactions with others,” said Emily Knight, M.D., Ph.D., clinical and postdoctoral fellow in Pediatrics and Neuroscience, is the first author of the study recently published in Molecular Autism. “Our findings suggest that when children with autism are distracted by something else, their brains process the movements of another person differently than their peers.”

Key differences in brain processes

Using electroencephalogram (EEG), researchers recorded the brain waves of children with and without autism as they watched videos of moving dots that were arranged to look like a person. In these videos the dots moved to represent actions such as running, kicking, or jumping, and at times were turned in different directions or jumbled to no longer move like a person. The six- to 16-year-olds were asked to either focus on the color of the dots or to focus on whether the dots moved like a person. Researchers found the brainwaves of children with autism did not process when the dots moved like a person if they were focused on the dot color.

“If their brain is processing body movements less they might have a harder time understanding other people, and need to pay extra attention to body language in order to see it,” said Knight. “Knowing this can help guide new ways to support people with autism.”

“This is more evidence of how the brain of someone with autism is processing the world around them,” said John Foxe, Ph.D., lead author of the study. “This research is a vital step in creating a more inclusive space for people with autism by giving a glimpse of how their brain processes an unspoken part of communication.”

Additional authors include Ed Freedman, Ph.D., from the University of Rochester Medical Center, John Butler, Ph.D., Aaron Krakowski, and Sophie Molholm, Ph.D., of Einstein College of Medicine. This research was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health and the University of Rochester Intellectual and Developmental Disability Research Center (UR-IDDRC) and the Rose F. Kennedy Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center (RFK-IDDRC).

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Materials provided by University of Rochester Medical Center. Original written by Kelsie Smith Hayduk. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

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So, Should You Actually Close Your Windows During A Heatwave?

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The UK is baking, and with temperatures set to top 40°C in some parts of the country, an emergency weather warning has been introduced by the government.

Let’s be honest – Brits really aren’t used to temperatures this high at home and work, so everyone is looking for hacks to make our days a bit more bearable.

There’s lots of good advice for dealing with a heatwave, from how to look after yourself, your home, your kids and your pets to how to spot the signs of dehydration and heatstroke in yourself and others. Key is drinking lots of water and investing in a handy fan if you can.

But what of your windows? Should you be opening them or keeping them shut? And how about your curtains and blinds – should they be closed, too?

We asked the experts to find out.

Windows: open or shut in a heatwave?

When it’s hot, it’s our natural reaction to open the windows to get some fresh air, but is this making us hotter?

If the air is cooler outside, you should open your windows to let the air in. But when temperatures start to rise outside, keep your windows shut to avoid letting hot air in your home and making yourself warmer. If you’re not sure how to check if it’s hotter inside or outside, use a thermometer in both places.

Chris Nye, from Your Overseas Home, says: “It might seem counterintuitive, but if the air outside is hotter than the air in your home, keeping your windows closed could help your home stay a little cooler.”

However, at night, you might want to open them a bit. “After the sun goes down, the outside air will start to cool down,” says Dr Lindsay Browning, sleep expert at, And So To Bed. “At this point, it is a great idea to open the windows to let in a breeze of cool external air into the bedroom, helping cool the room and to provide needed air circulation.”

This works particularly well if you have windows on both sides of your room or home. Just remember to close them first thing the morning again.

Tascha Rassadornyindee / EyeEm via Getty Images

Curtains and blinds: closed or not?

If the sun shines directly into your home, you should close your curtains to try and keep rooms as cool as possible on the hottest days of the year.

“If your house does experience more sunlight throughout the day, it’s recommended you keep your curtains, shutters and blinds shut to stop the sunlight from beaming into your home,” Lucy Askew, a spokesperson for Hillarys blinds previously told HuffPost UK.

“This will keep things marginally cooler and slightly more bearable during heatwaves.”

Nye adds: “You may even want to opt for blackout curtains to keep windows covered and block the sunlight out completely.”

Should you put foil on your windows?

Putting foil on your windows is the latest heatwave hack doing the rounds on TikTok.

Sunlight usually shines through a window which increases the heat of the sun and makes your house warm. But this hack can help you limit the amount of sunlight that get into your home.

Simply roll out some kitchen foil and apply it on your windows to block out direct sunlight.

This hack is popular in America where some states experience high temperatures all year round. In the video below, @americanredcross suggest cutting cardboard and adding it to the window after you applied to the foil.

And if your home has heated up a bit too much? It may actually be cooler to get outdoors for a bit – though do avoid the hottest part of the day. And if you are heading out, stick to shady spots such as under trees or a sun parasol.

Stay cool, everyone!

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Ghana confirms first cases of deadly Marburg virus

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Two patients in the West African nation have died recently of the Ebola-like virus, officials say.

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Batten disease ‘one of the worst in the world’

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Aimee Tilley says she is fighting to prolong the life of her six-year-old son who has Batten disease.

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Boris Johnson’s Account Of Partygate Was ‘More Fictional Than Reality’ – Tom Tugendhat

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Tom Tugendhat today said Boris Johnson’s account of partygate was “more fictional than reality”.

The Tory leadership hopeful skewered the prime minister over his account of the scandal that led to the downfall of his administration.

However, the MP for Tonbridge and Malling dodged a question about whether he would serve in the cabinet of a prime minister who had broken the law.

In the first TV debate on Friday night, Tugendhat received a round of applause when he flatly said Johnson was not an honest man.

It set him apart from his rivals who were unable to give a straight verdict on the prime minister’s integrity.

Asked what Johnson had been dishonest about on the BBC’s Sunday Morning show, Tugendhat said: “We wouldn’t have been having that debate on Friday night had the others not agreed with me.

“We know very well the others agree with me because otherwise they wouldn’t have resigned from his government, they wouldn’t be standing as leadership candidates.”

Pressed on what Johnson had been dishonest about, Tugendhat replied: “It’s perfectly clear that the alignment of stories that he came to on the partygate scandal seems to have been rather more fictional than reality.”

Asked if he would work for a prime minister who broke the law, Tugendhat said: “I’ve been very clear about my policies on all of this. I think that what we need to be doing is making sure that we bring about integrity into politics.

“And that’s why I’ve spoken about bringing back a ministerial standards commissioner.”

Pressed on the matter, Tugendhat suggested presenter Sophie Raworth was trying to “have a go” at Rishi Sunak who received a partygate fine.

Pushed again, he replied referring to the current prime minister: “Well, I haven’t worked for this one.”

His critics say Tugendhat cannot get the numbers to be PM and is instead in the running for a cabinet position in the next administration.

It comes after the government was accused of hiding how much taxpayers spent on legal advice for officials accused in the partygate scandal.

The Government Legal Department – an in-house legal organisation – has refused to even confirm or deny if their lawyers advised those being investigated by the police.

Meanwhile, Johnson has been told to hand over a huge number of documents including his diaries to MPs investigating whether he lied to parliament over partygate.

Tory MPs hope to have reduced the search for Johnson’s successor, due to be announced on September 5, to two possibilities in the coming days.

Monday will see the third round of voting with the aim of whittling down candidates to the final two by Thursday, before the summer recess.

The final two will then go forward to a postal ballot of party members.

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Jacques O’Neill Brands Love Island ‘Worst Decision Of My Life’ As He Breaks Silence On Exit

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The rugby star said the ITV2 reality show “broke” him and he “couldn’t cope” in the villa.

On Tuesday, it was announced Jacques had left the villa, with fans later seeing him tearfully explaining to partner Paige Thorne and their fellow Islanders that he was leaving the show to “get back to himself”.

In the lead up to his departure, Jacques had struggled to deal with the arrival of former contestant Adam Collard, who had expressed an interest in Paige.

In an interview with The Sun, Jacques also admitted he feared things “could go horribly wrong and I could get physical” with Adam.

“Doing Love Island was the worst decision of my life,” he said. “I was feeling so mentally drained, I just wanted to go home and get myself right.

“It broke me and I was already broken. I was crying my eyes out. I couldn’t cope.

“I was literally feeling awful. It was the worst I’d ever felt in my life.”

Jacques also opened up about his ADHD – which he said he told show bosses about before entering the villa – and the way it impacted him.

“Any little thing in the villa, in the end, started bothering me and I was just getting in so much of a rut,” he said.

“I know the way I spoke to Paige was wrong. I tried to apologise and she kept asking why I did it. ADHD isn’t just about not being able to concentrate. It’s also about feeling anxious quite a lot, being on edge a lot.”

Prior to his exit, Jacques claimed that he told one of the show’s bosses he wanted to leave, but they “calmed him down a bit” and said they didn’t want to see him go.

He then had a welfare chat with producers in the Beach Hut.

“In the end I couldn’t deal with it, I wanted to get out of the place,” he added.

A Love Island spokesperson said: “We cannot comment on any individual’s medical records.

“However, we have rigorous and extensive checks in place to assess Islanders’ physical and mental health in advance of being cleared to enter the villa. This is something we take extremely seriously.

“Jacques made the decision to leave and we respected that decision. We would never put pressure on someone to stay in the villa.”

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TOWIE’s Yazmin Oukhellou ‘Snapped Her Arm’ To Free Herself From Fatal Car Crash

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Yazmin Oukhellou has recalled “snapping” her own arm to free herself after a 70ft cliff plunge car crash that killed boyfriend Jake McLean.

The Only Way Is Essex star, 28, had spontaneously flown to Turkey to reconcile with on-off boyfriend McLean and “things were perfect” before the accident happened.

She told the Sun: “We were just tumbling for what seemed like forever. It felt like I was going round in a washing machine, just round and round.

“Then eventually it stopped and my right arm was jammed.

“The car was upside down. It had an open sunroof and my right arm was just stuck behind my back and under the folded back of the car roof.

“I tried to honk the horn with my foot and I couldn’t do.”

The reality star revealed she had severed an artery in her arm during the crash.

She said: “I could just felt my arm absolutely covered in blood. It was like I was lying in a hot bath, there was so much around me.

“At the same time I was trying to wake up Jake. I didn’t want to admit it to myself that he could be dead.

“So I thought, ’Right, I can either lay still and bleed to death, or snap my own arm to try to save us, I had no choice.

“So I somehow snapped my arm through pure adrenaline and panic. I climbed out of the car, and I was kind of holding my arm together with my left hand.

“I ran up to the top of the bank, I was screaming for help and then all of a sudden I saw a flashlight.”

Oukhellou said there was a man walking his dog who ran over, took off his top and wrapped it around her arm.

Jake McLean was killed in the crash
Jake McLean was killed in the crash

Mark Robert Milan via Getty Images

“I climbed back down and tried to check his pulse but I couldn’t feel anything and then the ambulance came.

“They were helping me. I was like, ‘Please can you just help him’ and they were like, ‘We just need to take him to another hospital’.

“I think they knew, but for me even now I still feel like it’s not real. I still feel like I’m just waiting to wake up from a nightmare and it’s just something that never happens,” she said.

Oukhellou explained she had spent the night at a club with friends in the tourist resort of Bodrum before the couple had decided to drive to a friend’s villa “high up in the mountains”.

She added: “I nodded off in the car. I was asleep and woke up to the car going off the cliff.

“Now I know that if I wasn’t asleep I probably wouldn’t have survived because the doctor said that meant my body was more relaxed.

“I severed an artery and a nerve, that’s why I bled so much. The doctors called me an angel, a miracle, because it’s a notorious spot and people have never survived.

“Now I’m just wondering how the hell did my partner die while I’ve survived? It’s made me look at life totally differently.

“I am definitely going to need therapy for a while, and I’m going to try some in-patient treatment too. I know this will live with me forever, I need to take it slowly.”

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Roman Kemp Is All Of Us As Dad Martin Makes ‘Disgusting’ Sex Confession On Celebrity Gogglebox

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Roman Kemp was every kid who’s ever had to listen to their parents oversharing as his dad Martin made a sex confession on Celebrity Gogglebox.

The father and son duo, who are two of the hit Channel 4 show’s regular contributors, sat down to give their verdict on Netflix’s How To Build A Sex Room on Friday night’s episode.

The raunchy series sees interior designer Melanie Rose helping couples transform a room in their homes for getting intimate in.

The show prompted an X-rated admission from Spandau Ballet star Martin, which left son Roman walking off in disgust.

“I don’t want a room that’s just dedicated to sex,” he said. “Why can’t you have sex everywhere?”

“Oh gross!” Roman said.

“But you do! Me and mum, everywhere!” Martin revealed.

“Oh that’s disgusting,” Roman said, getting up from the sofa.

“No, we do. Everywhere around the house,” Martin, who is married to singer Shirlie Kemp, continued. “There’s not like a special room.”

“No cos now I’m sitting on the sofa,” Roman said as he walked out of the room.

Roman recently admitted that he choses to do the Channel 4 show as it’s a chance to make memories with Martin.

He told Metro: “The reason I chose Gogglebox is that I know that when I’m older and when he’s not here anymore, I can say to my kids and my grandkids, ‘This is the relationship I had with my dad.’ So that’s why I do it.”

However, after Martin’s admission, Roman might just be starting to rethink his decision.

It is not the only awkward parent-child moment that has played out on the most recent series of Celebrity Gogglebox.

Last month, many famous faces were left cringing when they had to watch Fifty Shades Of Grey with their family members.

Celebrity Gogglebox is available to stream on All4.

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Love Island Boss Addresses Speculation Around Jacques O’Neill’s Exit

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A top Love Island boss has addressed speculation as to whether there was producer intervention surrounding Jacques O’Neill’s surprise exit from the villa.

Earlier this week, it was announced the rugby star had left the ITV2 reality show.

Viewers later saw him tearfully explain to partner Paige Thorne and their fellow Islanders that he was leaving the show to “get back to himself”.

In the lead up to his departure, Jacques had struggled to deal with the arrival of former contestant Adam Collard, who had expressed an interest in Paige.

However, the speed at which events unfolded prompted some questions from fans that producers had stepped in behind the scenes.

Asked directly about this during an interview with Deadline, Love Island’s executive producer Mike Spencer insisted it was Jacques’ decision to exit the show.

“Jacques is amazing,” he said. “We love Jacques. When you date, your emotions are naturally up and down. Finding love is not a simple thing, that’s why the show is so relatable. Jacques was on his own journey and he had a strong connection with Paige but sometimes you have to think about yourself and that’s what Jacques did.

“We respected his decision to head home but I think he’s excited to be on Aftersun on Sunday to discuss his journey.”

He added: “I think Jacques felt like his time was up and as producers we have to respect his decision. Adam came in and got on with a lot of the girls. Did that impact Jacques’ decision to leave? That would be something Jacques would have to explain.”

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Prior to his exit playing out on screen, Jacques’ family urged viewers to be kind to him, explaining that some of his behaviour in the villa could have been caused by his ADHD.

“By no means is this a get out clause for his actions but it is to show that he can fundamentally struggle with his emotions at times,” they said on Instagram.

Upon announcing his departure to his fellow contestants, Jacques said in the Beach Hut: “I’d say in the last week, the only thing keeping me in this place was Paige. That’s the only thing I was staying for. I’ve never felt this way for anyone so I just want to get home, be myself again and carry things on the outside.”

He added: “It’s just not fair on the girl she deserves better than me. It’s not the end of me and Paige because everyone knows what she means to me.”

Love Island continues on Sunday at 9pm on ITV2, with Aftersun following straight after.

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