I caught a pleasant surprise this morning as I quietly worked from my home office while the rest of the family, all on vacation, slept in. I happened to tune into Good Morning America and caught a heartwarming holiday story about Ralph Hanahan and his kindness to a friend and his family in need.

Read the story, and check out the video

New research seems to back up previous research studies where advanced paternal age increases the risk of having a child with autism.

Prelimary findings are showing that children born to women that took a drug called Epilim during pregnancy are seven times more likely to develop autism. Epilim is a Sanofi-Aventis drug to treat epilepsy, and it's generic counterpart is known as Valporate.

The Radiological Society of North America met recently and researchers unveiled new technology that may assist in assessing the severity level associated with autism by using a method called magnetoencephalography, or MEG for short. This technology will measuer the speed in which an autistic child's brain processes sound and will provide crucial information about the severity on the patient's condition. When tested, children on the spectrum had an average delay of roughly 20 milliseconds compared to those tested that were not on the spectrum.

What many of us may have seen in our child's development may be crucial to future generations of children being diagnosed. Researchers believe that a multitude of clues can point towards autism. One is head circumference. Many doctors believe there may be a link in the skull development and autism. Another red flag is the inability to play with toys in their appropriate manner.

The United Kingdom's National Autistic Society "I Exist" campaign brought awareness to the issues surrounding lack of understanding and training in the network of social care professionals.

See what Pine Crest Elementary School is implementing as a means of relaxation and information processing for their affected students.