Congratulations, Kathryn! Kathryn Duffy-Greslo has been an undergraduate honors student in the READi lab for the past two years and graduated from UW with honors in early June. Kathryn is originally from Chicago and has enjoyed her time in Seattle the past four years.

During her time at our lab, Kathryn was awarded a competitive research grant to fund her honor’s thesis. Kathryn conducted interviews to assess the cultural sensitivity of a new tool to screen young children with autism that was developed by Dr. Wendy Stone and Dr. Alice Carter. Kathryn presented her work several times, including at the 2022 International Society for Autism Research and Undergraduate Research Symposium. 

Kathryn plans to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology. This summer, she will be traveling and working at a summer camp for children with selective mutism. We wish her the best of luck!

Trent DesChamps has officially completed his training in UW’s Psychology program!  Dr. DesChamps has been a valuable member of the READi Lab, and Wendy had the honor of ‘hooding’ him during the departmental ceremony this past Saturday. He will be returning to Seattle to complete a postdoctoral fellowship at the Seattle Clinic.

Gina Damilano, Med, BCBA, LBA

Gina is a Research Study Assistant in the READi Lab, working on the RISE and Sprout studies. Born and raised in the Central Valley of California, she completed her Bachelor of Arts in Human Development from Sonoma State University. Prior to joining the lab, Gina worked with children with developmental disabilities (primarily ASD) in school, clinic, home, and community settings. She has a Master’s degree in Special Education, with a focus on applied behavior analysis and autism spectrum disorder, from University of Washington. Gina loves watching baseball (Go Giants!), DIY crafts, and spending time on Lake Washington. She is excited for the opportunity to join the READiLab Team and learn more about autism research.

The READi Lab Sprout Study is looking for Part C EI Providers across the country to participate in a project examining the effect of RIT training on your practices and on child and family outcomes. RIT is a play-based early intervention for toddlers with social communication concerns or ASD. Our lab has been providing RIT training in Washington for over 10 years, and we have consistently received positive feedback from providers and families about their experiences. The Sprout study is conducted entirely remotely, so we can accommodate providers and families from anywhere in the country!

Interested in learning more? Please contact us at sproutstudy@uw.edu with questions or to set up an informational meeting to learn more!

Karla Uroza, BA, Research Study Assistant

Karla is a Research Study Assistant at the READi lab. Karla will be working on the RISE study as a bilingual (English/Spanish) caregiver liaison. Karla was born in San Diego and raised in Tijuana, Mexico. At 15 years old she immigrated to San Diego where she completed her bachelor’s degree in Psychology at San Diego State University. Prior to joining the lab, Karla worked as a preschool teacher for Navy child development centers. During her undergraduate career, she worked as Registered Behavioral Technician providing ABA services for children diagnosed with ASD and other developmental disabilities. In her spare time Karla enjoys hiking, traveling, and spending time outdoors. She aspires to earn a Master’s in Applied Child & Adolescent Psychology in the future.

Most children like to explore, play and learn — kids with sensory sensitivities are no exception! KidsQuest Children’s Museum (in Bellevue) has designed a low sensory afternoon for individuals or families with sensory sensitivities. Once per month, the museum offers children with a variety of sensory challenges the opportunity to engage in all of the museum activities, ranging from water play and arts and crafts to climbing structures and outdoor games. To foster a positive experience, the museum offers a “low sensory bag” that includes fidget toys, sunglasses and headphones that can used as needed. They have also created a social story to prepare children for what they will experience during their trip.

Low sensory afternoons occur on the 3^rd Thursday of each month, from 3-5pm. This museum experience is free for the whole family. To learn more visit their website and to reserve tickets follow this link.

 

The READi Lab was well-represented at last week’s annual conference of the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR) in Austin, Texas.  A graduate student, a post-doctoral fellow, a UW undergraduate honor’s student and two research study assistants from the READi Lab all had the opportunity to present their work, support their peers and learn about the innovated autism research being conducted across the country. The conference attendees received positive inquiries and feedback about their work and even identified some areas for future research!  A stellar job by all!

 

Friends can be different from one another, but still have some important things in common – just like Wes and Julia do! Share this @SesameStreetinCommunities printable page with little ones for a fun coloring activity celebrating friendship. https://bit.ly/3KXcp2I #SeeAmazing

We are excited to share new resources from our friends on @SesameStreet for #AutismAcceptanceMonth! These resources were designed to foster autistic children’s sense of belonging, as well as offer support for parents and providers in helping children make friends. Learn more: https://www.ssic.org/topics/autism #SeeAmazing

The READi Lab is thrilled to share news that our leader, Dr. Wendy Stone, has been named a 2022 Fellow (an honor of distinction) from the International Society for Autism Research! Dr. Stone is being recognized by her peers for her sustained international research contribution to autism science and for the effect her work has had internationally on autism science. You can read an overview of Dr. Stone’s career here and more about the INSAR Fellows program here. Those of us who work with Dr. Stone on a daily basis can attest to the dedication she has to her work and her commitment to enhancing knowledge and autism service capacity within community settings.

Congratulations, Dr. Stone!

We are now gearing up for our next wave of trainings for our SPROUT Study and are hoping to enroll additional Early Intervention providers. We have had very positive responses to our first wave of trainings (see above). Please contact us if you would like additional information about this opportunity or have any questions!

Recognized around the world, April is Autism Awareness Month! Whether you or someone you love has autism, join us in celebrating the 15^th annual World Autism Awareness Day on April 2^nd and show your support by wearing blue!

Keep an eye out all month for content providing resources and ways to continue to celebrate all through April!

 

In the course of our research, the READi Lab has talked with many parents who have young children with autism.  We have learned of their successes and struggles, including the financial hardships that are sometimes associated with early diagnosis and treatment of autism. Luckily, there are support systems like Ben’s Fund that are available to support those caregivers.

Ben’s Fund was established in 2012 by John & Traci Schneider to honor their son (diagnosed with autism at age three).  The mission of Ben’s Fund is to provide financial support to families who need help covering costs associated with medical bills, therapies and other expenses that might be incurred while supporting a child on the autism spectrum. The fund awards applicants up to $1,000 per qualifying child and, to date, has raised over $4.6 million and issued 2,700 awards.

Click here to learn more.

Thanh Nguyen is a former research assistant at the READi Lab who is now a doctoral candidate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Massachusetts Boston. For her dissertation, she is looking to interview Asian American adults (18yr+) from an Asian immigrant and Confucian-ethnic background (i.e., Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Taiwanese, and Vietnamese) who have a sibling or siblings with autism (formally diagnosed) to learn about their experience and relationships.

Shana Attar, a graduate student in the READi Lab, recently received a $20,000 award from the UW Population Health Initiative’s Pilot Grant program. This funding will enable her to continue development of a new screening tool called “My Toddler’s Social Communication (MTSC).”  The MTSC (which is fondly referred to as “Mitsy”) was created in our lab to screen for autism in toddlers from diverse cultural, ethnic, racial, and linguistic backgrounds. Unlike other measures, the MTSC combines photos and short written descriptions of specific target behaviors that will be adapted as appropriate for different populations. Her goal is to computerize, validate, standardize, and disseminate the MTSC to frontline providers across the State (and beyond), with the ultimate objective of improving screening so that children at-risk for autism, regardless of their background, may be directed to specialized services in an expedient and equitable manner. Way to go, Shana!

 

 

Although we are approaching the end of Black Futures Month, we hope that the spirit, pride, vision, and positivity that it embodies will continue to endure and thrive.  In the world of autism, there are significant delays in diagnosing Black and African American children with autism relative to other groups. (Find this study here) Relatedly, Black and African American children with autism may not receive specialty care, and for those who do, treatment starts later than for other children. (Find this study here)

Both the collective experience of families and research evidence highlight the importance of an informed and inclusive approach to care.  Ongoing work in the READi Lab contributes to this mission through our research to develop early autism screening tools that are sensitive to cultural differences and family values. We hope to develop resources that can not only address health inequities and disparities within the autism community, but also celebrate the differences that exist from one individual to the next.

 

 

 

In a recent study published by Frontiers in Education, it was found that parents with children on the spectrum were three times more likely to report negative changes in their child due to school closures. Parents also reported seeing regression academically and behaviorally. However, even with the negative impact on behavior, parents are reporting that their children feel happier in comparison to non-autistic children without the social demands that they are normally faced with.

Although no one yet knows the impact that school closures will have long term, it is apparent that educators will need to address these issues and come up with solutions on how to get children back on track. Read the full article here.

 

There has been a recent call for authenticity in the dramatic arts that involves casting actors who have ‘lived experience’ in the roles they play. The new TV series, “As We See It,” has heeded this call. The theme of this show is not novel; it centers around 3 roommates who share an apartment. However, its execution is unique in that all 3 roommates are not only autistic, but each one is played by an autistic actor. The characters are very well developed, each with their unique charm and challenges. The result is a highly engaging ‘dramedy’ that avoids the autism stereotypes that are often portrayed in the media. Kudos to Amazon!

For more information about “As We See It” click here.

Getting vaccines can be scary for children and parents alike. Autism Speaks has created a Vaccine Experience Tool Kit to help make the vaccine process less stressful for individuals with autism. Resources in this kit include a tip sheet and a guide for families to help them navigate the vaccine experience together.

Click here to access the Tool Kit in its entirety.