A Mother’s Search for Genetic Answers Leads to SPARK
Erin is a mom on a mission. She wants to find out if her son has a genetic change, so she can better manage his health.
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In the following articles and webinars, you can learn how SPARK, the largest autism research study, is advancing our understanding of autism.
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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.
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Spotlight on Ashleigh Warren: Teen ‘Teams Up’ with SPARK
Ashleigh Warren had questions about autism spectrum disorder. Why do relatively few girls and women have autism? Why are many people on the spectrum sensitive to sound or touch?
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Cracking the Autism Services Code: Spotlight on the Stepanians
Finding information about, and services for, autism seemed like a mystery to Cara Stepanian. Her family took steps to shed more light on ASD.
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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.
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SPARK’s Pilot Study Finds Genetic Results for 10 Percent of Families
Genetic analysis from the first 457 families to enroll in SPARK provides new support for several genes linked to autism.
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What Information SPARK Collects, and Why
Dr. LeeAnne Green-Snyder describes what information SPARK collects and why.
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Genetic Diagnosis Tied to Autism Reveals Undiagnosed Heart Condition
Their son’s genetic diagnosis revealed an undiagnosed heart condition.
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Community Spotlight: Autism Advocate Rico Winston
The Marine Corps helped instill in Rico Winston a strong belief in duty. So when his son was diagnosed with autism, he knew what he must do. He immersed himself in learning about autism, and advocating for research and services to help others like his son.
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Unlocking Skills in Autism: Spotlight on the Lurvey Family
Kaylee Lurvey may go years without saying a word, and then speak a complete sentence. Her family hopes researchers will discover ways to unlock speech and other skills in people like Kaylee.
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