Researchers, clinicians, and advocates share their knowledge and insight with the SPARK community during these free monthly webinars. They explore the topics that are important to the community—from bullying to romance to genetics to services access.
Listed below are our upcoming webinars and our library of recorded webinars.
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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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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The speaker for our eighth webinar is Kathy Koenig, MSN, director of the Initiative for Girls and Women with Autism Spectrum Disorder and associate research scientist at the Yale Child Study Center. In this webinar, Koenig discusses the complexities of diagnosing girls and women with autism and describes the different challenges for intervention that families face. She also offers some thoughts about how parents can create learning and social opportunities for their daughters. This webinar is 60 minutes long.
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The speaker for our seventh webinar is Wendy Chung, M.D., Ph.D., principal investigator of SPARK. In this webinar, Dr. Chung discusses basic genetic concepts and shares recent scientific progress in autism genetic research. She also talks about the genetic aspect of SPARK. This webinar is 60 minutes long.
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Mary E. McDonald discusses how to prepare children and teens with ASD for adulthood.
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Our fifth webinar, moderated by Alison Singer, MBA, features Ann Palmer of the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities and Patricia Manning, M.D. of the Kelly O’Leary Center. In this webinar, our speakers discuss different approaches to partnering in the autism community. Each speaker brings a different perspective about how developing relationships from within the community enhance program outcomes. This webinar is 45 minutes long.
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The speaker for our fourth webinar is Jed Baker, Ph.D., director of the Social Skills Training Project, a private organization serving individuals with autism and social communication problems. In this webinar, Baker discusses how to manage tantrums and frustration in children and teens with autism. He also offer practical tips for dealing with anxiety and teaching social skills. This webinar is 60 minutes long.
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The speaker for our third webinar is Gary Mayerson, JD, founder of Mayerson and Associates, the nation’s first civil rights law firm dedicated to representing individuals with autism. In this webinar, Mayerson discusses how families can have an effective IEP meeting and make the case for services and assessments. This webinar is 60 minutes long.
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In this recorded webinar, autism expert Catherine Lord, Ph.D. discusses interventions and the types of questions parents or adults with ASD should ask doctors and specialists.
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Children with autism can present with challenging behavior. Problem behavior can significantly interfere with and limit educational and social opportunities, negatively impact family functioning, and if not addressed can limit overall community integration experiences. This talk will provide an overview of the potential reasons why problem behavior exists and practical strategies that parents and teachers can implement to prevent the development of problem behavior. This webinar is 90 minutes long.
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