A Mother's Push for Answers Leads to Autism Diagnoses
What do you do when you think your child might have autism, but others don't? How one mother's push for answers led to two diagnoses.
Learn MoreTopic: SPARK family stories
Since 2016, hundreds of thousands of people throughout the U.S. have joined SPARK. Many have shared their autism and research journeys with us. These family stories are about everyday life, triumphs, challenges, and why finding answers through SPARK’s autism research is important.
Browse Topics A-Z
Becoming Amy: Getting a Genetic Diagnosis in Adulthood
Amy Gravino got an email with big news: SPARK had found the cause of her autism. What did that mean for her?
Learn More
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.
Learn More
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.
Learn More
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?
Learn More
Teen Advocate Avery Cormier Likes “Making Friends with the World”
Teen artist Avery Cormier finds community among youth with autism.
Learn More
Extremely Rare Condition Linked to Autism
The King family learned their son had a change in a gene called CUL3.
Learn More
A Genetic Diagnosis Surprises an Ohio Family
When the McGregors joined SPARK, they did not expect to learn the cause of their son’s autism. Then came an email from SPARK about genetic results.
Learn More
At 30 Years Old, a Genetic Diagnosis
Decades after their son was diagnosed with autism, the Jarboe family learned that he has a gene change in one of his chromosomes, structures inside cells that contain our DNA.
Learn More
Family Discovers Cause of Son’s Autism and a Path Forward
A Texas family found a path forward after learning from SPARK that their son has a rare change to his MED13 gene.
Learn More
Spotlight: Trudi Sullivan Raises Awareness of an ‘Invisible’ Generation
When Trudi Sullivan was being evaluated for an autism spectrum disorder, she was ushered into a room that included a child-sized chair. That chair was a reminder that she was getting her diagnosis later than most people — decades later.
Learn More