Greetings!
The current pandemic is creating unprecedented challenges for many individuals and families and I am grateful to our board, advisory panel, and the Autism Research Institute team for their hard work and dedication to continuing our initiatives while providing timely online resources over these past few months.
In addition to live webinars, panel discussions, and printable social stories, we are leveraging online tools to expand our international network with various stakeholders throughout the autism community. Earlier this year, ARI began a collaboration with the
World Autism Organization (WAO)
to distribute evidence-based information to individuals on the spectrum, family members, and professionals.
As always, we are dedicated to continuing to move ASD research forward. We are hard at work this month evaluating research proposals as we prepare to award our 2020 grants. Once we determine which studies to fund, we will post descriptions of them on our website,
Autism.org
, and announce them in our monthly e-newsletter.
Stay safe and stay well -
Stephen M. Edelson, Ph.D.
Executive Director
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ARI recently began networking parent support groups worldwide. The goal is to improve communication among support groups and to inform the international community of the current state of the science regarding the underlying biology of ASD, as well as evidence-based treatments. If you are a representative of a parent network group, please
email our outreach coordinator
. Please include your website address and/or a brief summary of your mission.
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Remembering Edward Ritvo, M.D.
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Edward Ross Ritvo, M.D. was a pioneering researcher in the field of psychiatry, specializing in ASD. Through years of research, Dr. Ritvo was the first to scientifically prove that ASD was a neurological disease with a genetic component, and not a psychological disease, as had been previously thought.
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Sleep problems start early in ASD
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Sleep problems are frequently reported by parents of infants who later develop ASD and are associated with an abnormal growth trajectory of the hippocampus, a new study reports.
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Director's Editorial—
Needed: a standard battery of assessments
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Currently, there is no shortage of assessments for children or adults with ASD. In fact, dozens of such assessments are in use today. However, I believe there is a clear need for a standardized battery of assessments—and I believe that establishing such a battery will benefit researchers, therapists, clinicians, and, most importantly, individuals with autism spectrum disorders.
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Free Webinar 8/5:
Preparing for Back-to-School During COVID-19
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Learn about how to help your loved ones on the spectrum cope with social distancing, distance learning, and ongoing change.
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Free Webinar 8/12:
Sensory Integration Strategies
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Tune in to hear Roseann Schaaf, Ph.D., share sensory integration strategies for supporting individuals with ASD.
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COVID-19 resources and coping stories
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We asked families to share their stories during the COVID-19 pandemic. Listen to their stories about coping with stay-at-home restrictions.
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Coping with COVID-19: ARI's Live Webinars, Social Stories Help Families Cope
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Free presentations offering evidence-based strategies to manage at home during extended school closures
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COVID-19 Social Stories - in English and
Espa
ñol
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Our COVID-19 social stories on hand washing, mask wearing, social distancing, and more are now available in English and Español. Please share.
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Life At Home: Share your Stories of Coping During the COVID-19 pandemic
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Thi
s year, we asked families to share photos during Autism Awareness Month. In this unprecedented time, we shared your snapshots and stories about life at home.
We have truly enjoyed reading your submissions and sharing them with our community. For now, we are leaving the portal open for anyone who still wishes to share their story; we would love to hear from you!
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Making a Difference in 2020 and Beyond
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Research is the Key to the Future
We're moving research forward
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Learn about our efforts to look for common ground for collaboration and spearhead efforts to accelerate progress in autism research and education.
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