How we talk about autism within academia — and as a society – has evolved greatly and continues to do so. Spearheading this movement are autistic scientists who are integrating their real-world experiences with research methodologies.

Rachel Nuwer with Spectrum News interviewed several autistic scientists to learn how they’re tackling challenges and ensuring future research truly captures the strengths and needs of autistic people. Read the interview here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Published by Spectrum, the leading site for autism research news.

 

 

April is #AutismAcceptanceMonth! Our friends on @SesameStreet are sharing new resources around managing changes, practicing flexibility, and building resilience. Learn more: www.sesamestreet.org/autism #SeeAmazing

 

Ryan Lowry, an autistic adult with ambitions to work as an animator or in IT, recently wrote a letter to his future employer with one clear goal: “take a chance on me.” The letter details Ryan’s struggles with communication because of his autism – but it also highlights his strengths in math and in using technology as well as his humor.

The letter was uploaded to LinkedIn and has received more than 7 million views per the Washington Post. Ryan’s letter did help him secure a position, but its impact reverberates well beyond that accomplishment. It has brought considerable attention to the limited supports and employment opportunities for autistic adults.

See the full letter below and follow this link to watch Ryan’s “thank you” video.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meet Lisa, associate director of the READi lab and senior research scientist. She has played an integral role in study development and implementation for over a decade! She has developed a line of research that revolves around identifying deficits in infants at risk for ASD and improving screening and intervention practices in the community. Learn a bit about her and her dedication to enhancing early autism identification and interventions below!

1. Will you tell us a bit about your role in the READi Lab?

 

I am the associate director of the READi lab and a senior research scientist. In my role, I manage not only day-to-day tasks, but I’m also heavily involved with developing research questions and goals for the lab as well as study design and action plans for implementation.

 

2. What motivated you to join – and to stay with — the lab?

 

I joined the lab in 2010 as a postdoctoral researcher because it allowed me the opportunity to build upon my graduate school experiences. I was motivated to work on early detection studies with baby siblings of children with autism.

 

I stayed because of the challenge to engage in more translation research. Specifically, we were able to pivot and transition to working with real-world early intervention providers to better improve the early identification process and access to ASD-specialized intervention.

 

3. What accomplishment are you most proud of?

 

I’m most proud of earning the opportunity to train medical and early intervention providers, but to also have the opportunity to learn from them and build upon their recommendations.

 

4. You’ve been in the field since 2005. That’s an impressive career! What advice do you have for aspiring autism researchers?

 

It’s going to be counter-intuitive, but make sure you read and learn about other conditions and methods from other fields. These novel perspectives may inform how we approach current problems that autistic people and their families face.

 

Looking to other fields is a great way to build associational thinking and creativity. This may help us to avoid reinventing the wheel, so to speak.

 

5. What is your favorite R Color Brewer palette?

 

I’m a “YlOrRd” kind of gal.

 

6. What’s your favorite dinosaur?

 

Brachiosaurus! I like the exceeding long neck. Their long necks evoke a sense of power, yet they seem as if they’d still be friendly.

 

7. Two truths and a lie! (Scroll down to see Lisa’s fib)

 

I was on my high school swim team.

I won the 4^th grade Math Bowl competition.

The fastest mile I’ve run has been 6 minutes and 39 seconds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was never on my high school swim team. I’m a bad swimmer! In fact, I can barely swim.

We are proud to celebrate #AutismAcceptanceMonth with our friends on @SesameStreet! Find new resources supporting children with autism and their families here: www.sesamestreet.org/autism #SeeAmazing

Happy Spring! As the weather becomes consistently nicer, it’s the perfect time to get outside and shake-off the rainy season blues. PBS Kids’ Outdoor Explorer Bingo is a hybrid with a traditional scavenger hunt. The goal is to reach bingo by racing to find things that crawl, are heavy or scratchy, and more!

Download your free bingo cards here.

The Autism Science Foundation will be hosting its 8^th annual Day of Learning on April 22, 2021. Six researchers throughout the United States and Canada will speak on varied yet important topics currently affecting the autism community. Presentations will be 15-min TED talk style, and all are welcomed. This free, online event will occur between 8 AM – 12 PM PST.

Learn more – and register for the event – here!

The READi Lab is excited to share some wonderful news! Dr. Sarah Edmunds, former UW student of Wendy’s and significant contributor to the mission of our lab, has landed a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in the Department of Psychology at the University of South Carolina, with a joint appointment in the Department of Educational Studies. Her research will focus on behavioral and psychosocial interventions that support autistic children and teens: how they work, for whom they work, and how we can increase equitable access to these interventions within community and school settings. Sarah’s new position is part of an effort to build an Autism Excellence initiative at USC. She is very excited to be a part of a wonderful new group of researchers, advocates, and clinicians!  

 

Meet Carol, our hardworking, part-time research coordinator. Family brought her to Seattle, but her budding interest in early autism identification and intervention brought her to UW! Learn a bit about her below.

 

1. You’re relatively new to the team! What motivated you to join the READi Lab?

I relocated from Pittsburgh, PA to the Seattle area in late summer 2018.  I moved to the area to join my daughter, son-in-law and 3 young grandchildren (ages 4, 2 and 10 months).

I joined the READi Lab on a part-time basis in October, 2020.  I have had a long research career in Pittsburgh prior to my move and enjoy working and learning in a research environment. I was intrigued by the types and quality of research undertaken by the READiLab and fully embrace the “mission” to improve outcomes for youth diagnosed with autism.

 

2. What is your role in the lab?

As a Research Coordinator in the READi Lab, I am working with the team to carry out a variety of tasks needed to move the studies forward. My overarching goal is to be of use!

 

3. Will you tell us a bit about your time at the University of Pittsburgh?

My entire post-college career was spent with the Law & Psychiatry Program at the University of Pittsburgh/Western Psychiatric Hospital. During that time, I was part of the team carrying out research primarily in areas where mental health and the justice system intersect.  I had a lot of opportunities to develop professional skills related to research study management but perhaps the most long-lasting effect of this work was the opportunity to talk with hundreds of study participants whose lives are very different from my own in many ways.  Talking with these individuals in their homes opened my eyes to the fact that, despite some differences, there is a lot that we share as humans.

 

4. So, you’re a Steelers fan, huh?

Oh, yes!  Like most Pittsburghers (a.k.a., “yinzers”), I have a special place in my heart for the Steelers, Penguins and even the Pirates.  If there is not a Pittsburgh team in the competition, then you will hear me cheering on the Seattle team!   But sports are not my primary source of entertainment. I have even more fun playing with my grandkids and exploring the outdoors here in Washington!

 

5. Two truths and a lie! (Scroll down to see Carol’s fib!)

I spent a year living on the Navajo reservation (in AZ) and teaching in a Special-Ed Preschool

 

I jumped from an airplane at 20,000 feet (with a parachute of course)

 

I come from a large family with 8 siblings, 25 nieces/nephews, 50 first cousins and 19 aunts/uncles (not counting their spouses).  Family reunions are crowded!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I parachuted one time, but it was only from 13,000 feet…. still pretty cool.  Checked off a bucket-list item!

 

Typically, a young child suspected of having an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) would engage with a clinician(s) in a series of play-based activities as part of the diagnostic process. As the COVID pandemic has rendered in-person interactions less feasible, clinicians and researchers have developed assessment activities that can be administered remotely. Our READi Lab team, along with researchers from Rush University Medical Center, Boston University, and Michigan State University compiled a list of some new approaches that can be implemented during a tele-assessment for early identification by experienced clinicians. You can access the article here!

We hope this information will be useful for our community partners and research colleagues who are involved in assessments with toddlers during these socially distanced times.

 

One of the primary goals for our READi lab team is to enhance early intervention (EI) outcomes for toddlers at risk for or with autism. But what exactly does that mean? Emma Bryce and Lottie Kingslake with Spectrum created a 4-minute video to answer just that! They share how researchers (like us!) are attacking problem areas from all angles and how we can build upon current practices to reach more families.

 

 

 

 

 

Photo credit: Spectrum News

Published by Spectrum, the leading site for autism research news.

 

 

As the COVID pandemic extends into 2021, families may still have concerns about attending healthcare visits in-person. Autism Speaks’ Autism Treatment Network/AIR-P has shared a free toolkit designed to promote successful tele-health visits for autistic people of all ages. This kit was created with the help of the Family Advisory Council and it has tips and tricks for families and providers alike! Follow this link to download!

 

Say “Hi” to Sabine, who has been integral to the development of our new RISE study. Learn a bit about her and her motivation to reduce disparities in early autism care below.

 

What motivated you to join the READi Lab?

I knew I wanted to pursue a career in clinical psychology after graduating college, and I wanted more research experience to be better prepared for graduate school. The READi Lab caught my attention because of how committed they were to addressing access disparities, and I wanted to be a part of a lab that cared deeply about its participants!

 

What is your role in the lab?

I’m the research coordinator for our UW site for the new RISE study, a study focusing on improving access to quality care within Part C Early Intervention services throughout the United States. I have loved being part of a team of researchers across the country, and I’ve learned so much from watching a study get built from the ground up. Back when we were doing in-person assessments, I was the primary assessor for the Pathways study, and I miss working with our adorable participants.

 

You’ve been learning Spanish to connect with more of our participants. What’s that been like?

I was very proud of my (now lost) 200-day Duolingo streak, but I’m slowly working my way back up! Eventually I would like to take a real class, because I think providing multi-lingual care is key to making sure as many families as possible feel included in both research and clinical services.

 

You’ve hiked to the top of mountains and volcanoes,  and you frequently rock climb. How cool! What has been your boldest adventure?

This is the best part about living in Washington! My favorite adventure here so far has been climbing in the Washington Pass area in the North Cascades. On my first trip there, I was so excited to climb that I ended up at the entirely wrong rock, halfway up the wrong climb. It could have ended badly, but a friendly stranger helped me out. I’ll never make that mistake in that area again!

 

Where in the world would your ideal adventure take you?

I would love to go mountaineering in Nepal. I studied abroad there during undergrad, and I met so many friendly people who I would like to visit. I’ll never do Everest, but there are plenty of other amazing mountains there!

 

Two truths and a lie! (Scroll down to see Sabine’s fib!)

• A bear once stole my backpack, and I couldn’t find it for hours
• I’ve been stung by a stingray
• I’ve been rained on by leeches

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have not been rained on by leeches (thankfully!!!!)

A new READi Lab study was published in a special issue of the journal Pediatrics, which highlighted current autism research. In this article, we describe parent perspectives about communicating early autism concerns to care providers. We held three 2-hour focus groups during which 23 parents shared their experiences. They described what went well in their conversations with providers and also brought light to areas of concern. Interested to see if your experiences align with other Washingtonian families? Follow this link. Interested in learning about other autism research published in this issue? Follow this link to view the other 16 articles that were included.

 

It’s no secret that life has become quite complicated. Being kind is one of the easiest ways to help move onto bigger and better things in 2021. Join Elmo in playing Kindness Bingo, offered by Elmo’s World from PBS Kids and Sesame Street. Each square holds a kind act that you can do for someone else, such as writing a thank you note or making a phone call. How quickly can you and your family reach Bingo?

For one of our new grants, we are developing a screening tool to identify toddlers who may have delays in social communication.  The tool is called “My Toddler’s Social Communication” and will illustrate pictures of toddlers engaged in 12 common social communication behaviors. We are looking for photos of toddlers from diverse backgrounds, so that all families will be able to see their child in the images and recognize that this measure was created with their family in mind. We are interested in photos of children between 16 and 30 months of age.

The behaviors we hope to represent with photos are:

• Pointing to objects to let you know what s/he wants
• Pointing to objects to share his/her interests with you
• Holding up and showing objects to share his/her interests with you
• Looking at you and smiling to share his/her enjoyment with you
• Imitating the things you do
• Playing back-and-forth and turn-taking games with you
• Looking at objects when you point to them
• Using his/her face or body gestures to show you how s/he feels
• Using toy objects as if they are real
• Playing with other children around the same age
• Getting your attention to show you something that s/he is proud of
• Bringing you objects when s/he needs help

If you have photos of your own child that you are willing to share, please send them to readilab@uw.edu.  We will treat them with love.

The Autism Science Foundation (ASF) highlighted the major themes in autism research last year in an article titled, “2020: A Year Like No Other”. In this article, Dr. Alycia Halladay, Chief Science Officer at ASF, breaks down how the COVID-19 pandemic and other major events have affected autistic people and their families. The latest research is also summarized from major themes such as Earlier Detection & Diagnosis, Sex & Gender Differences, and New Interventions & Telehealth. What areas of autism care are you most eager to build upon in 2021?

Get to know Trent, one of READi lab’s diligent and hard-working graduate students. Learn a bit about his ongoing efforts to enhance early intervention provider trainings and to improve the quality of services for toddlers with or at risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) below!

1. What made you want to study in the READi Lab?

Prior to graduate school, I worked in a different lab at the UW focused on ASD research. During that time, Dr. Stone gave a presentation for our lab on the very cool and impactful research being conducted by the READi Lab. When I decided to apply to child clinical psychology doctoral programs, I knew that the READi Lab would be an awesome place for me to continue collaborating on important ASD research that is focused on directly improving the lives of children with ASD and their families.

 

2. What are the implications of your dissertation?

My dissertation is looking at changes in family satisfaction with the ASD-related health care they receive and other indicators of family wellbeing following the introduction of Screen-Refer-Treat (SRT) into local Washington State counties. SRT was specifically designed to train primary care providers and early interventionists in evidence-based tools for early ASD detection and intervention. The hope is that such trainings increase community capacity for ASD-specific services and improve the quality of care received by families of young children who are showing early signs of ASD.

 

3. What do you want to be when you grow-up?

Well, I’m not sure I will ever grow up. In part, this is because I am a child at heart despite all my gray hair, but I also try to view growing as an action and not an achievement. My hope is that I am growing a little every day in terms of becoming a better partner, friend, researcher, clinician, and advocate for others.

 

4. Do you have any pets?

Yes, I have a 1 year-old mini Australian Shepherd named Harper who is super fun and very smart.

 

5. So, you’re a sailor, huh? Where all have you sailed to? What was your favorite trip?

Yeah, my wife and I have been sailing (racing and cruising) for about 5 years, but not as much this past year because of the pandemic. We have been fortunate to sail all around the Puget Sound region including many trips to the San Juan Islands. It’s hard to pick a favorite trip, but the biggest trip we did was from Vancouver BC to Seattle via the Gulf Islands. It’s pretty magical up there.

 

6. Please share two truths and a lie about yourself. (Scroll down to discover Trent’s fib!)

 

1. I had a close encounter with orca whales while kayaking (Lie – I WISH!!!)
2. I have been a student or an employee at the UW for 10 years
3. During quarantine, I learned how to cut my own hair

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trent has not (yet) had a close encounter with orca whales while kayaking.

Parent Map, an online magazine tailored to families in the PNW, shared a list of kid-friendly celebrations to help ring in 2021. Virtual celebrations hosted the morning and afternoon of New Year’s Eve are available to accommodate sleep routines. Events include activities such as creating family time capsules, drinking celebratory mocktails, and crafting. There is even a mini-concert and countdown to Noon Year’s Eve with children’s singer Nancy Stewart! For night-owls, there’s also information about New Year’s at the Needle, a digital effect show that will begin at 11:35 pm. How will your family celebrate?