As part of Spectrum’s Autism 101 series, the article “Repetitive behaviors and ‘stimming’ in autism, explained” serves as a helpful guide to some of the most pressing questions about this topic.  The author, Sarah DeWeerdt, outlines some common questions, including “What are repetitive behaviors?”, “How does ‘stimming’ relate to repetitive behaviors?” and “Can repetitive behaviors be harmful?” She answers these questions by referencing clear examples, professional input, and scientific findings. If you are interested in learning more about repetitive behaviors, follow this link to read the full article!

The CDC’s “Learn the Signs. Act Early” program helps parents and caregivers track their young child’s development and feel confident in knowing when it’s time to talk to a doctor about missed milestones. Parents can download the new “Milestone Tracker” app on their phones to track social and emotional, communication, cognitive, and physical development milestones for their children between 2 months and 5 years of age. At every age, the app provides illustrated checklists for developmental progress, tips and activities to promote development, and signs that it may be time to talk to a doctor about delays. If you’re concerned about delays, this page  has tips for talking to your child’s doctor about developmental screening, asking for a referral to a psychologist, and taking steps towards getting an evaluation. Printable flyers are available in Spanish and English here! Navigating the world of developmental delays can be overwhelming, and we’re so thankful for the CDC for creating such a clear, comprehensive guide! Follow this link to learn more!

The Seattle Theater Group is hosting a sensory-friendly performance of Disney’s Frozen at The Paramount Theatre this Saturday, February 22^nd! The theatre will make adjustments to their usual protocol in order to be as welcoming as possible to families with children with sensory challenges. These special accommodations include leaving the house lights on during the show, keeping the sound at a lower level, and providing free sensory toys to all guests. Guests are free to get out of their seats and make noise during the show as needed, and electronics are welcome. If the show ever becomes too overwhelming, the theatre will have areas available for quiet breaks! To help prepare for the visit, families may read the Frozen Social Story, which includes pictures and descriptions of the areas and events inside the theatre. To prepare for the show itself, families may read the Scene Breakdown, which describes intense themes, noises, and lighting effects in each scene. To read more about this event, to see the Social Story or Scene Breakdown, or to buy tickets, follow this link!

The Zoomazium is a spectacular nature-themed indoor play space at the Woodland Park Zoo, and every Friday, it becomes even more special! Every week, the Zoomazium hosts “Sensory Friendly Fridays.” In order to make the space as welcoming as possible, the loud climbing area within the play-zone is closed off to create a quieter, more comfortable environment. Exciting sensory activities are also provided so that there’s something fun for everyone, at any ability level. To help families plan ahead for their visit, the zoo has a “Zoomazium Sensory Social Story.” This social story includes photos and descriptions of all the features in the Zoomazium, so families and children can feel ready for every step of their visit. Visit their website to learn more and to see upcoming events!

Spectrum News, a website dedicated to autism-related news and science, has compiled a series of reader-friendly articles addressing some of the biggest questions in the field. The ‘Autism 101’ series includes articles on numerous topics, such as genetics, diagnosis, and early intervention. The most recent article, published last month, explains repetitive behaviors and ‘stimming’ with clear definitions, examples, and quotes from researchers.  These helpful resources are easy to read and understand, yet grounded in current scientific research. Updated regularly, this series is a perfect starting point for those curious about the science behind some of the most important topics in the autism community! To learn something new, click here!

Our Screen-Refer-Treat (SRT) Study was recently highlighted by NIMH Director Dr. Joshua Gordon in his ‘Director’s Messages.’ His message on Wednesday focused on the need to address the significant health disparities that exist for traditionally underrepresented populations in accessing mental health services. The SRT study has aimed to improve access to early detection and treatment for ASD in rural communities. One specific objective has been to reach Hispanic families, as evidence suggests that they are under-identified and experience longer delays in accessing ASD-specialized services relative to other racial/ethnic groups.

Our colleagues in Special Education are conducting a study on reading development that includes children with ASD in grades 1-3. Check out the study flyer and contact form for more information or if you are interested in participating.

Pixar released its newest short film, “Loop,” on January 10^th. As described by Pixar, the animation tells the story of “a non-verbal, autistic girl and a chatty boy [who] are partnered on a canoeing trip. To complete their journey across an urban lake, they must both learn how the other experiences the world.” Available to stream on Disney+, the 6-minute film is a sweet testament to the power of friendship and empathy across ability levels. We are so excited that non-verbal children with autism will be able to identify with a Pixar character! Click here to check out the “Making of Loop” backstory.

We are excited that Sabine Scott, a Research Study Assistant in our lab, will be presenting the results of her undergraduate thesis at the Association for Behavior Analysis International in Washington D.C. this spring. She will participate in a symposium entitled, “Competition Time! Current research in the role of competing stimuli and matched stimulation in the treatment of automatically maintained problem behavior.” Sabine’s project is on the use of sensory toys to reduce children’s motor stereotypies (i.e., “stimming”) during work tasks. Way to go, Sabine!

 

 

 

 

Happy holidays from all of us at the UW READi Lab! We wish you a wonderful holiday season, and a very happy new year.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has just released an updated set of practice guidelines for treating children with autism. These guidelines recommend that pediatricians respond promptly to family or clinical concerns about autism by referring children to community services or specialized therapists as soon as signs become apparent. This recommendation is based on consideration of the long waiting lists for diagnostic evaluations, the importance of specialized early intervention, and the common co-occurrence of other developmental issues that can be addressed while waiting for a diagnostic evaluation.

Holiday travel, especially flying, can be a challenging experience for children with autism spectrum disorder. Advance preparation can often make a significant difference in the experience of your child as well as the rest of the family. Here are some steps you can take to prepare in advance:

• Provide the airline with information about your child, including a document stating his or her diagnosis, allergies or medications, as well as potential challenges the child may face during the trip.
• Bring some of your child’s favorite items with you, and keep them handy. These items – which can include electronics, favorite books, or toys – can keep your child entertained during travel. Some children may also enjoy opening “surprise packages” of small toys that you purchase ahead of time.
• Be sure to bring some of your child’s preferred snacks (or special travel treats!) from home. In addition to providing some distraction during long waits or travel times, they can ensure that hunger doesn’t negatively affect your child’s mood.
• Don’t be afraid to talk to a Security Officer in advance about any special needs or challenges your child might have in navigating the airline screening process.
• Have your child wear some form of identification that is readily visible, such as a bracelet, badge, hat, or shoelace tag.

• Take advantage of the resource links below regarding travel and autism.

TSA: Security Screening!

Autism Speaks Air Travel Resources

Travel Tips for Individuals with Autism

 

While the upcoming holiday season brings excitement and anticipation to many, families with children on the autism spectrum understand the challenges that may occur with celebrating festivities. As you plan your calendar for the next few months, consider some of the events below, which are geared towards children with sensory sensitivities and offer modified levels of light, noise, and number of visitors.

• Sensory-Friendly Santa welcomes people of all ages and abilities. Autism Speaks is collaborating with Cherry Hill Programs this holiday season to provide sensory-friendly Santa Experiences now in more destinations. Space is limited, so be sure to RSVP.
• Springfree Trampoline in Issaquah is also hosting Sensory Sensitive Santa. It is a free family event where families can enjoy a relaxing and calm environment to have complimentary photos taken with Santa. Call (425) 654-1306 for more information.
• Centerstage Theater in Federal Way is presenting a Sensory Friendly Matinee of Robin Hood – a brand new holiday pantomime. Click here to purchase tickets.
• Seattle Theatre Group, Disney Theatrical Group, TDF and community partners offer sensory-friendly performances with modifications such as lower sound, designated quiet and activity areas within the theatre, guidance and sensory supports (fidgets, earplugs, noise-cancelling ear muffs), and specialized therapists assigned to support families. Upcoming performances include A Charlie Brown Christmas, Frozen and 22^nd Annual DANCE.

In addition to holiday sensory friendly events, there are several other options available year-round:

• Seattle Children’s Theater offers a series of Sensory Friendly Performances with special modifications for each performance. For a list of upcoming performances and to purchase tickets, click here.
• In partnership with the Autism Society, AMC has a Sensory Friendly Films program, showing family-friendly movies the second and fourth Saturdays of the month. Click here to see showings and purchase tickets.
• Pacific Science Center offers Exploration for All on one Saturday each month. Admission is free for families with a member who has ASD. The center has specially trained staff along with maps of exhibit spaces rated for noise level, visual stimulation, and strong odors.
• KidsQuest Children’s Museum in Bellevue offers Low Sensory Evenings so children can explore freely without distractions. KidsQuest turns down the noise and lights, limits attendance and offers low-sensory bags for checkout during any visit. These bags include headphones, fidget toys, sunglasses, and “Low Sensory Storybooks” that introduce the child to the museum.

While the Thanksgiving holiday can be a time of joy for many, it can also pose challenges for children with autism who experience sensory sensitivities and/or difficulty adapting to changes in their routine and new social situations. Autism Speaks has shared some helpful tips for addressing some of these challenges and successfully navigating the Thanksgiving holiday. Some tips include using an illustrated teaching story to show children what changes to expect in their routines and also creating a quiet space where they can retreat to when waiting for dinner to begin. Click here to read the full article!

In addition, check out the READi Lab’s list of tips for the holiday season here! We wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!

We are deeply grateful to the parents who participated in our ImPACT intervention study, and are happy to share this initial report of our findings with our READi Lab friends!

In a nutshell, parents’ use of ImPACT strategies with infant siblings of children with ASD was associated with infants’ increased motor imitation, which in turn led to improved language/communication skills. We are excited about these findings, and look forward to sharing additional results as they become available.

Dr. Edmunds is a former graduate student of Dr. Stone’s and a current postdoctoral fellow at Boston Children’s Hospital. She was invited to speak at our annual ASD PEDS meeting in Bethesda, as an early-stage researcher who contributed to our NIMH-funded ‘Screen-Refer-Treat’ research grant. Dr. Edmunds described some of her “lessons learned” and pitched some ideas for future work in the area of implementation science. Way to go, Sarah!

 

A new study from the READi Lab was published this week in the journal, Autism Research! Led by graduate student Trent DesChamps, the study examined levels of parenting-related stress among parents of young children who expressed ASD concerns but had not received a formal evaluation. Trent and the team found that parents of children with ASD concerns experience higher amounts of parenting stress on average compared to parents of children with other types of developmental concerns and parents of children with no developmental concerns. These findings suggest that families of children with ASD concerns experience unique stressors, even compared to parents with other types of developmental concerns, and highlight the need to better support them and their children during the period of time prior to the diagnostic evaluation. To check out the article, click here!

 

Dr. Stone was asked to comment on a new study published in the journal ‘Pediatrics’ that reported a high rate of ‘false positive’ screening results on the M-CHAT/F. In her comments, which appeared in ‘Healthline,’ she describes the importance of conducting universal ASD screening, and of conceptualizing screening as one part of a process that also incorporates behavioral observations, concerns of parents and primary care providers, and shared decision-making regarding next steps. To read the full article, click here!

The READi Lab would like to extend a big welcome to our two new graduate students in the Child Clinical Psychology program at UW, Shana Attar (left) and Hannah Neiderman (right)!

Shana received her undergraduate degree from the University of Connecticut and her master’s degree from Harvard University. She became interested in ASD research while working as a phenotyper in an Autism lab at Boston Children’s Hospital. After this, she further cultivated her interest in ASD through involvement in other research studies, including an early detection study at Total Child Health in Baltimore and more recently, an early intervention study at Drexel University in Philadelphia with Dr. Diana Robins and Dr. Giacomo Vivanti. Shana is interested in researching strategies that improve early detection rates and early intervention utilization in community settings.

Hannah completed her undergraduate degree at UCLA, where she was involved in various research labs and clinical fieldwork focused on developmental psychopathology, which sparked her interest in ASD. Since then, she has further explored her interest in ASD as a research fellow at the Yale Child Study Center under Dr. Katarzyna Chawarska, where she worked on multiple studies including the Autism Center of Excellence grant focused on early indicators of ASD as well as a multimedia ASD screener study within the community. Hannah’s research interests include early intervention for children with ASD and accessibility to diagnostic and intervention services for families in the community.

Yesterday the U.S. Senate unanimously passed the Autism CARES (Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education and Support) Act, which provides federal funding for autism research, services, training, and monitoring. The bill, which authorizes almost $2 billion in funding over the next 5 years, will now go to the President for his signature. The Autism CARES Act of 2019 will continue to fund programs such as LEND and AIR-P, and has an additional focus on supporting individuals with ASD at all ages and addressing disparities in access to quality care. To learn more, click here!

Photo source: New Jersey Autism Center of Excellence