SPARK Community Update: Diagnosis Stories
We asked SPARK participants to tell us about how they or their family members were diagnosed with autism and what it means to them.
Learn MoreTopic: Autism research
Autism is a complex condition. Researchers across a wide variety of disciplines, from cell biology to education, are providing insights through their work. The articles listed below discuss what autism researchers are learning with the help of all of the research participants in the autism community.
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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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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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Tips for Preventing Wandering
Wandering is a huge safety concern for families with autism, particularly during the warm summer months.
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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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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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Q&A with Kathy Koenig
Kathy Koenig describes the programs that she has developed tp help girls with autism learn to socialize and form friendships.
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In Genetic Diagnosis, a Path Forward
Discovering their son’s genetic diagnosis helps one family in many ways.
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Girls and Women on the Spectrum: Challenges with Diagnosis and Intervention
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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