For all the ways you support your loved ones on World Autism Awareness Day and every other day of the year, all of us at ARI wish you and yours the best.

At ARI, we work to support the health and well-being of people affected by autism through innovative, impactful research and education.

We believe that research and education that makes a difference is truly meaningful.

To mark nearly a century of written history of autism, the Autism Research Institute (ARI) has opened the National Autism History Museum—the first historical museum dedicated to autism. The four-room museum is located in the Kensington district in San Diego, California, adjacent to ARI’s main office.

Many of the materials and artifacts in the museum were collected by Dr. Bernard Rimland, one of the true pioneers in research and parent advocacy. In addition to these, the museum exhibits fascinating facts, as well as timelines of important milestones in the field.

ARI's mission, to support the health and well-being of people affected by autism through research and education, has generated a lot of information over the years. Over the next few weeks, we are highlighting recent research and education initiatives we've funded, including advances in research and popular webinars we've hosted, with links to resources on our website at Autism.org.

Since 1995, the Autism Research Institute has worked to connect scientists and clinicians investigating the causes of and potential treatments for autism at our annual think tanks. Attendees spend several days discussing the latest critical questions in treatment and research. The meeting is a cornerstone of our work, facilitated by ARI's Scientific Advisory Board and made possible through generous donor support.

The Centers for Disease Control shared data late last month on 8- and 4-year-olds indicating that more U.S. kids are being diagnosed with autism, and that the pandemic may have delayed care. Data published in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report reported data from 11 communities around the U.S. and found that 1 in 36 eight-year-olds were identified as autistic — a 22% increase over previous estimates of 1 in 44. A separate report found that identification among 4-year-old children was disrupted during the pandemic closures in 2020, which may have implications for future prevalence data.  

Research has documented numerous reasons for self-injurious behavior (SIB). The new tool is designed to assist professionals and parents in identifying treatments that may reduce or eliminate SIB in clients or children. Responses to the survey questions may provide insight into one or more possible reasons why an individual engages in SIB. Links to published studies on causes and appropriate interventions are also provided based on survey question answers.

Watch our newsletter for the new tool launching soon!

Thanks to You,

research is moving forward

Earlier this year, we took time to pause and examine ARI's impact on the autism community. This gave us a chance to take stock of last year's initiatives and share our progress. Our 2022 Impact Report illustrates what we are doing to bring our mission to life. We are grateful for the chance to share the results of last year's work, which was possible through partnership with our donors, funders, families, and volunteers.