Have you ever wanted to learn more about how to participate in READi Lab research, or enroll as a participant in one of our studies? If so, we have great news for you!  Our new “READi Registry” will enable us to maintain updated information about families and their interests, and to communicate more effectively with families who would like to participate in our ongoing and future studies. Families can join the registry by completing a 10-minute web-based survey or a paper-based interview either via phone or in person.

Why join the READi Registry?

• You will receive notifications about studies your family may be eligible.
• You will have access to READi Lab tip sheets and other guides/manuals.
• You will stay updated on latest research findings.

Your participation in the READi Registry can make a significant scientific contribution to our understanding of how autism develops, how it can be identified by community service providers, and how to improve outcomes for children as well as their families.  If you are interested in joining the READi Registry, please click here or call 206-221-3595 to learn more and enroll.

Show your support for autism awareness and join Autism Speaks and the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field on Sunday, April 10^th at 1:10pm.  A sensory-sensitive area will be available if you or your child needs a break from the action. If you haven’t brushed up on your autism facts lately, no worries—information about autism will be displayed on the big screen! Tickets can be purchased on the Mariners’ website using the promo code “AUTISM,” which will earn you a free Mariners Autism Awareness Hat (while supplies last) that you can pick up at the ballpark. To get your tickets, click here!

First “See Amazing” Autism Webinar Airs Tomorrow!

Sesame Street is holding two free webinars this month to share information about their “See Amazing in All Children” autism initiative. Both webinars will provide interactive discussions from the creators of the project and will describe the numerous free resources that have been developed to spread a message of respect, empathy, and kindness to all children. The first webinar is designed for providers, and will occur tomorrow, March 16^th, from 11:00 am -12:00 pm PST(click here to register). The second webinar is designed for educators and will occur next Wednesday, March 23rd, from 12:00 pm -1 pm PDT (click here to register).

In a recent podcast, Michelle Dunn, a neuropsychologist, and Larry Harris, an opera singer, describe a new method they have started using with individuals with autism to help them communicate more effectively. This unique breathing technique integrates principles of opera singing to help individuals with autism take the time necessary to think about what they want to say before they say it. Many individuals with autism have difficulty articulating what they want to say; however, this breathing technique may help people slow down and take a moment to organize their thoughts before speaking. Listen to this interesting podcast by clicking here.

On Friday, the Washington Autism Advisory Council (WAAC) brought together service providers, stakeholders, parents, and individuals with ASD to examine issues associated with the transition to adulthood. Presentations throughout the day described challenges to healthcare access, highlighted model programs for residential living and support for vocational training and higher education, and discussed state resources for transition services. One of the highlights of the day was the panel of adults with ASD who shared their personal experiences–both challenges and triumphs—with the highly engaged WAAC audience.

 

Parents! If you have a child who is transitioning from school to work, the King County Department of Human Services Developmental Disabilities Division is hosting their 9^th Annual Transition Resources Fair on two days and at two locations this month: Saturday, March 19^th 9 AM – 3:30 PM at Highline College and Thursday, March 24^th 9 AM – 3:30 PM at Microsoft.

The event will feature transition workshops, Microsoft job site tours, and an employer fair where parents, caregivers, teachers and students can meet representatives from over 40 organizations. For more information, to see a list of supported employment agencies and to register, follow this link.

ASD looks different to everyone, because it can manifest itself in a variety of ways. This Fall, TEDx Rainier 2015 was host to many inspirational and passionate speakers, but one lecture began unlike the rest. Xolie Morra and The Strange Kind took to the TEDx Stage with instruments in hand, and played a brief interlude before Xolie—a Seattle native and the band’s lead singer/ founder—spoke candidly to the audience about her journey with ASD. Prior to being diagnosed at the age of 30, she struggled with her unique differences and how people related to her. Now, her music has given her a voice with which to speak about living with ASD, and she is spreading her message of autism awareness and neurodiversity worldwide. To watch the TEDx Rainier talk, click here.

Often times, individuals with ASD may struggle to make eye contact with the people around them. In an effort to better understand what it is like for someone with ASD to make eye contact, The Mighty, an online publication, asked its readers with ASD to share what they might find difficult about this experience. Sixteen readers shared their thoughts and feelings about making eye contact, which captured a wide array of sentiments including fear and disgust. To read more about their personal experiences, click here.

Approximately 80 percent of adults with ASD are unemployed, but Microsoft is doing something to change that. Last year Microsoft announced a pilot program for hiring people with ASD, and has revamped its interview process to focus more on practical, applied work skills and less on social interview skills. In order to put applicants at ease and tap into the rich talent pool of individuals with ASD, Microsoft developed a four-week “academy” that is part workshop and part interview. Microsoft has hired 11 new employees with ASD since launching the program, and is currently seeking to hire more in areas related to science, technology, engineering and math. To learn more about the pilot program and one of their latest hires, read the Microsoft article here.

Four teens with ASD, from Langham Creek High School in Houston, TX embarked on a creative endeavor of the big screen, with a message and a vision for their audience. They shot a documentary about what it’s like to have ASD. The short film, Through the Eyes of Autism, and its four creators are finalists in the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival. Their film joins 25 others in the category of “Texas High School Short Films.” The film will be showcased at the SXSW Film Festival from March 11^th – 19^th.  Click below for links to interviews with the teen producers. 

ABC 13 News Interview

CW39 TV Interview 

All sides weigh in on the screening debate in a recent article by CNN.

Earlier this week, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) issued a report concluding that the scientific evidence is insufficient for recommending ASD screening for children under 30 months in cases where ASD concerns have not been expressed by their parents or a clinician (i.e., universal screening). The task force report acknowledges there is “adequate evidence” that screening is effective for identifying ASD and that its associated risks are low. However, the report states that “there are no studies that focus on the clinical outcomes of children identified with ASD through screening.” Thus, the report does not advocate for or against screening, but rather highlights the need for more research examining whether groups of children with ASD who are identified through universal screening have more positive outcomes than those who are not.

Responses to the USPSTF Report

In response to this report, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has re-stated their recommendation that universal ASD screening be conducted at 18 and 24 months, in accordance to their practice guidelines that were established in 2007. Many other professional and advocacy groups have objected to the design and findings of the USPSTF report as representing an overly rigid and narrow interpretation of existing data.

USPSTF recommendations are based on an evaluation of both the benefits and harms of the topic at hand – in this case, universal ASD screening. But what about the potential benefits and harms of the task force recommendations themselves? In this case, a significant benefit of their recommendation might be the call for more research — but only if it results in a shift in federal funding priorities, as this research is quite expensive. In contrast, a significant harm of this recommendation may be decreased use of universal screening by healthcare providers – which may result in the failure to identify many children with ASD at young ages, when the benefits of specialized intervention are likely to have the greatest impact for both children and families. Which way does the scale tip for you?

Relevant READi Lab research

The READi Lab is fortunate to be participating in an NIMH-funded research network that has the capacity to follow the same children from the screening process through intervention, consistent with the task force recommendations. Our Screen-Refer-Treat (SRT) study is evaluating an innovative healthcare service delivery model designed to expedite earlier access to intervention for toddlers with ASD. For more information, and to see if your county is participating in the SRT study, click here.

Self-stimulatory behavior can involve repeating certain sounds over and over, engaging in repetitive body movements, or moving objects in a repetitive manner. Most of us engage in activities like these, whether it’s tapping our heel during the morning bus commute, or flipping our pen between our fingers during a late afternoon meeting. Self-stimulatory behavior is also one of the defining features of ASD. As we have learned from individuals with ASD, these behaviors (also known as “stimming”) may be used to manage the overwhelming amount of sensory information they receive from the environment.

The Mighty is an online publication that recently asked its readers with ASD to share some of their personal perspectives on why they use stimming. The stories these individuals shared are as varied and unique as the person who shared them. One person expressed, “Sometimes the sensory input gets too much, and I feel like I might explode. Stimming releases the tension and makes me feel a lot calmer.” Another stated, “Stimming is like breathing… just as natural, just as important.” Click here to read more personal stories about stimming from The Mighty.

Researchers used state-of-the-art brain imaging techniques (MEG and structural MRI) to examine how the brains of children with ASD and typically developing children process sounds. They played a series of very faint beeps through headphones and then mapped the location and activity of the neurons that responded to the sounds. Results revealed a very slight, but significant, delay (on the order of milliseconds!) in the response of neurons in the ASD sample compared to the typically developing sample. The researchers also found that gamma rhythms (high frequency brain waves) were slightly harder to detect in children with ASD compared to typically developing children. Finally, they found that children who are typically developing begin to respond more quickly to beeps played in their right ear compared to their left; this difference in response time was not present for children with ASD. These findings suggest that children with ASD may process sounds in the environment differently, which could have significant implications for how they develop language!

To read the Spectrum Article, click here. 

To read the research study publication, click here. 

Washington Autism Alliance & Advocacy (WAAA) is hosting a full day workshop about special education law and the process of Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) on Saturday March 12^th from 9:30 AM until 3:30 PM at Holy Spirit Lutheran Church in Kirkland. Some topics to be discussed include understanding your and your child’s rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the right to Free and Appropriate Education (FAPE), how to handle disputes, and how to negotiate with school districts for your child’s IEP. The workshop is being presented by specialized attorneys in the Puget Sound area, and scholarships are available for Medicaid and eligible families. To learn more, or register to attend the workshop, click here.

Seattle Children’s Autism Center is offering their “Autism 200″ series again this year. This series covers a range of topics, including strategies for addressing challenging behaviors, managing the transition to adulthood, and improving eating behaviors. Classes are held on the third Thursday of each month, from 7:00-8:30pm.  All classes are free and teleconferencing is available. The next class, on managing disruptive behaviors, is on February 18th! For more information, and the full class schedule, click here. 

Seattle Children’s Hospital will be hosting a lecture presented by ASD researcher Dr. Helen Tager-Flusberg this Friday, February 5^th from 8:00 AM – 9:20 AM in Wright Auditorium, River Entrance, 4800 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle WA. Dr. Tager-Flusberg is a professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Boston University, and directs the Center for Autism Research Excellence (CARE). In her lecture she will discuss the latest research on early behavioral and neural predictors of language development in infant siblings at risk for ASD.

A movie called “Life, Animated” made its world premiere this weekend at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah. This documentary is based on Ron Suskind’s same-titled book, which details his experience learning how to communicate with his son, Owen, through the Disney movie “Aladdin.”  Stay tuned for more information about when and where you can see this film locally. In the meantime, check out this clip from the film by clicking here.

Once thought to be rare in people with ASD, research over the past few years suggests that savantism may be more common than previously expected. Exactly how and why some people develop extraordinary talents remains a mystery, but researchers are beginning to put together missing pieces of the puzzle, from genes to neurobiology.

In a recent article in “Spectrum News,” researchers characterize the prevalence of savant abilities in the ASD population and discuss the latest findings in genetics and neurobiology, which suggest a potential link between the two.  Some neurological evidence suggests a compensatory effort by the brain to enhance hemisphere specific function as a result of lost or diminished function in other areas of the brain. This may involve a functional reallocation and/or recruitment of cognitive resources, leading to remarkable skills in working memory and heightened perception. In addition, genetic findings point to a potential link between prodigies and people on the autism spectrum.  To learn more and read the entire article, visit Spectrum News.

Over the weekend, NPR presented a “For the Record” two-part series in which parents of children with autism describe their experiences with the diagnostic process and how their lives have been changed. The series concludes with comments from an adult with autism, who is a self-advocate. Click to listen to part 1 and part 2 of their stories. More information for and from parents of children with newly-diagnosed autism is available (in English and Spanish) from the READi Lab DVD/webcast, “Understanding Autism: Reflections and Insights from Parents and Professionals.” Click here to view the videos on our website.

 

We are happy to announce that the Personalized Story templates we made available last Fall are now available in Spanish!  These PowerPoint templates can be used by parents and therapists to explain social situations to children with autism. Families can customize these story templates with their own photos or pictures to help their child know what to expect and how to act in a variety of everyday situations. Topics covered are: Going to a Restaurant, Going to the Store, Handling Bullying, Having a Play Date, Potty Training, and Taking Turns. The original version of these templates were developed in collaboration with Autism Speaks and Microsoft Office.

The Personalized Story templates (both Spanish and English versions) can be downloaded from our Tips & Resources/Tools & Materials page. 

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¡Las plantillas para los Cuentos Personalizados ahora están disponibles en Español!

¡Nos alegra mucho poder anunciar que las plantillas para los Cuentos Personalizados ahora están disponibles en Español! Estas plantillas de PowerPoint pueden ser usadas por los padres y las terapeutas para explicar situaciones sociales a niños con autismo. Familias pueden personalizar estas plantillas con sus propias fotografías o imágenes para ayudar a su niño a saber lo que él o ella debe esperar y cómo debe actuar en una variedad de situaciones cotidianas. Temas incluidos son:  yendo al restaurante, yendo al mercado, manejando el acoso, jugando con amigos en casa, como usar el baño, y tomando turnos. Las versiones originales de estas plantillas fueron desarrolladas en colaboración con Autism Speaks y Microsoft Office.  

Las plantillas para los Cuentos Personalizados (en Inglés y Español) pueden ser descargadas desde nuestra Tips & Resources/Tools & Materials página.