This collection of articles and webinars provides a wide range of perspectives from researchers, clinicians, and parents on how to guide children with autism to help them find their way in the world. It also provides guidance on how parents can take care of themselves along the way.
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Kevin Pelphrey, director of the Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Institute at George Washington University, reflects on how having two children with autism has shaped his scientific career.
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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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In this webinar, Jennifer Krumins discusses how parents can take an active role in their child’s educational planning.
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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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Over the last 20 years, Ann Palmer has helped hundreds, if not thousands, of families get the autism services and support that they need. Palmer has an adult son with autism. She began working in the field when her son, now 33, was about 9 years old.
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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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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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Sunghee Park and her family have a packed schedule. They participated in SPARK because online participation is perfect for her and her son.
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Pam Kattouf and her family want to accelerate research to discover better treatments for people with autism. They know that the more people that participate, the better research can be, and hope that many more will join SPARK.
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Darnell Carr Newsum has two children with autism, each with unique strengths and challenges. By participating in SPARK, she hopes researchers can uncover some of the causes and supports for her children and many others.
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