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Autism Speaks announces pilot sites for groundbreaking project linking discovery science and clinical research… $6.15M including a leading gift of $3.5M from the Wise Family Foundation of Toronto, Canada. These generous commitments support the $12 million expansion of PATH, the next phase of MSSNG, to include not only whole genome sequence data but also … of the data and findings. These larger datasets increase the ability for researchers to find patterns and connections in groups of very different people. Due to the broad and variable ways each person is affected by autism, when testing … people.” About Autism Care Network A first of its kind learning health system for autism, the Autism Care Network, with support from Autism Speaks is built on more than a decade of work in improving autism care and a family-centered approach to …
Autism Speaks commends Tennessee as it becomes 50th state requiring that insurance plans cover autism… On August 1, the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance issued a bulletin requiring all individual, small and large group plans to cover medically necessary care for autism, including applied behavior analysis (ABA). "People with autism and … and throughout the life span, for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. We do this through advocacy and support; increasing understanding and acceptance of people with autism spectrum disorder; and advancing research into causes …
Autism and ‘optimal outcomes’… to rethink what we mean by “optimal outcomes” For years, we’ve been using this term to describe a relatively small group of people with autism who, with therapy and support, experience such a marked decrease in autism symptoms that they no longer meet the criteria we use to diagnose the … re-defining “optimal outcome” as the best possible outcome based on each child’s personal characteristics and available supports . We find this as a much more suitable concept for developing autism services and setting goals for each child, …
COVID-19 survey reveals widespread challenges for autism community and wider disparities for minority communities … community are struggling even more, particularly with basic needs.”  Minority respondents, who made up about half of the group surveyed, reported more struggles with a variety of needs related to the pandemic, basic needs, daily routines and education.  The largest disparities were in the areas of food insecurity and receiving distance learning supports, with nonwhite respondents experiencing twice the food insecurity of white respondents and twice as likely to not receive any distance learning supports. Food insecurity was measured as food for the household having run out and families not having enough money to buy …
Expert Q&A: Explaining the conditions that accompany autism… In this Q&A, Amanda Bennett Palladino, MD, MPH, shares some of the most common conditions that accompany autism and offers support and resources to those coping with co-occurring conditions. Amanda Bennett Palladino is a developmental and … their care team. I frequently refer families to the Autism Speaks website to access the free Tool Kits that are designed to support families in addressing some of the most common co-occurring conditions. Families can find resources related to … caring for people with autism. Find local experts and/or advocates, participate in a research study or community advocacy group, find an online community if you can’t find a local one. The resources are there, in one form or another, if you just …
CDC estimate on autism prevalence increases by nearly 10 percent, to 1 in 54 children in the U.S. … a gap remains in prevalence among Hispanic children, indicating a need to expand screening and intervention among this group. Further, black and Hispanic children identified with autism received evaluations at older ages than similar white … guidance of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC), and to advance policies that better provide services and supports for early intervention, education, transition to adulthood, employment and community living.   The CDC report was … of people with autism. To join the conversation, find @autismspeaks on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. For personalized support and questions, contact the Autism Response Team at 1-888-AUTISM2, en Español at 1-888-772-9050 or by email at  …
Pool and Water Safety for Lifeguards … way of communicating, that can help keep them calm them in an unsafe situation or if they have wandered away from their group. This  first-responder toolkit  has communication techniques in addition to a lot of other useful information for … the pool or have other communication differences, so they may not hear the whistle.   Swimming facility owners can support autistic swimmers as well by communicating safety rules in different ways to ensure understanding, … are visual learners understand the rules.   Teaching their lifeguarding and other staff about supporting an autism-friendly swimming experience can help make sure their pool is a safe and comfortable environment for …
Small study finds B12 injections ease autism symptoms in some children… in some children who have the disorder. The researchers found that the behavior improvement occurred primarily in a subgroup of children who showed particular blood chemistry changes after the methyl B12 injections . In these children, the … time. Some earlier research has suggested that the process is impaired in some people with autism . The new study, supported by a grant from Autism Speaks , appears online in the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology . It is … metabolic abnormality – impaired methylation capacity – holds the potential to improve [autism] symptoms.” They call for support of a larger controlled trial to check and clarify their results. For related news and blog posts, also see: Grandma …
Teamwork and time management: Lessons from Autism Speaks intern, Binh… involved data entry and analysis and database management, which I liked. I mostly worked for the Science and Services and Supports group. Much of my work was around the function of the Autism Speaks website. There are a lot of URLS and I could see how the …
Meet Helen P.… expressions often left her feeling like an outsider. But when her family moved to North Haven, Connecticut, she met a group of friends who encouraged her to embrace the unique traits that make her who she is. It was at that point when … was right! I hope one day my work can inspire others to chase their dreams too. How important has it been to have a strong support system of family and friends in your life? My family is very supportive of my dreams of becoming a wildlife photographer for National Geographic and whatever else I want to pursue. …