A Sense of Community
When volunteering at events for families with autism, Jose Roman enjoys sharing his own experiences.
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People from all over the country are joining SPARK, and they want to share their stories. From anecdotes about registering for SPARK to accounts of how families dealt with diagnoses, SPARK community members are sharing their experiences with one another.
Meet some of our SPARK participants by exploring this section.
Life with Autism, Times Five
The McBrides, one of the first families to join SPARK, have five family members with autism. SPARK found a genetic diagnosis for one of them.
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The Autism Journey of the Rivera-Padua Family
Despite Hurricane Maria and a move, a family keeps its focus on helping a son, and others, with autism.
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Five Years Along, the Stein Family and SPARK
In 2016, the Steins joined a new autism study called SPARK. What’s happened with them, and SPARK, since then?
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Making a Smooth Transition to Adulthood, with Autism
Although the road to adulthood can be bumpy for people with autism, Joseph Beno has moved smoothly from high school to employment and owning a car.
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First a Cleft Lip, then Autism
More than three years after a genetic diagnosis, Brody Eidam has surpassed doctor’s expectations. But he and his family still face lots of challenges.
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Getting a Genetic Diagnosis from SPARK Answers a Family’s Questions
When Mercedes Riggs opened the email from SPARK, she texted her husband, “You won’t believe this.” Learn how SPARK provided answers to one family’s questions about their son’s autism.
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Collecting Saliva is Hard – Here Are Some Ways to Make it Easier
If you are collecting saliva for SPARK’s research, here are some tips that may help.
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Self-Injury and Affection: In Rare Disorder, a Puzzling Collection of Symptoms
By participating in research, the Manning family hopes to connect with others with the same rare condition as their daughter.
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Extremely Rare Condition Linked to Autism
The King family learned their son had a change in a gene called CUL3.
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