What Makes an Autism Gene?
Scientists are regularly discovering new genes that might be linked to autism. How do they know when they have found a linked gene?
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The articles and webinars below highlight the latest autism research findings made possible by SPARK participants, researchers, and others throughout the world. You can also read about the autism journeys of SPARK families.
To browse through our articles, webinars, and family stories by topic, view our Topics in Autism page.
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Helping Students with Autism Navigate Back-to-School Time
Returning to school after summer vacation can be hard for any child. For a student with autism, this time of year can be especially stressful. Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often have trouble adjusting to change. In fact, “insistence on sameness” and “difficulties with transition” are symptoms of ASD. A new classroom, schedule, teachers, classmates, or new school can trigger distress far beyond the typical back-to-school blues.
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Creating Meaningful Individual Education Plans (IEPs): What Parents Need to Know
In this webinar, Jennifer Krumins discusses how parents can take an active role in their child’s educational planning.
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Tips for Preventing Wandering
Wandering is a huge safety concern for families with autism, particularly during the warm summer months.
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Teaching Safety Skills to Children with Autism
In this webinar, Bridget Taylor, Psy.D., BCBA-D, cofounder and executive director of Alpine Learning Group, a school for students with autism, reviews skills and techniques that help to ensure the safety of individuals with autism. This webinar is 45 minutes long.
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A Father’s Tale
John Smigle says that participating in typical activities, like boy scouts and baseball, has helped his son Christopher, who has autism, develop social skills.
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Autism Research From an Autism Dad
In this webinar, Kevin Pelphrey, Ph.D., a professor and neuroscientist, discusses his experiences as the father of a daughter and son with autism. He also discusses how these experiences have shaped his work as a scientist. This webinar is 60 minutes long.
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Teens and Screens: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Cheryl Cohen discusses the latest research on how teens with ASD use technology in their day-to-day lives. She also talks about the barriers teens with autism encounter using the Web and parents’ concerns about online safety and screen time. Her discussion also includes an update on various technology careers for individuals with autism.
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Autism Treatments: What We Know and Don’t Know
The speaker for our ninth webinar is Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele, M.D., a child psychiatrist and neuroscientist who works at both Columbia University and the Center for Autism and the Developing Brain, in White Plains, New York. In this webinar, Dr. Veenstra-VanderWeele discusses what kinds of medicines and treatments for autism are out there and how researchers identify what works. He also offers practical advice about different medications and their side effects to parents of children with autism and adults with autism. This webinar is 60 minutes long.
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CHD8: A Common Cause of Autism
People with changes in this gene have similar symptoms. Scientists hope this knowledge will lead to new treatments and a better understanding of the condition.
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