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A Message from the Director
I hope you are enjoying the beginning of summer. A spring highlight here at the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development, was our keynote speaker for Autism Awareness/Acceptance Month, Representative Jessica Benham. More than 250 attendees listened to her story of overcoming stigma and channeling her talents to advocate for change. Afterwards, Duke students enjoyed a small-group Q & A session where she shared advice on self-advocacy in a world that she explained is “built for neurotypical people.”
With multiple open studies, our research continues. If you have participated in any of our research studies, we would like your feedback. You can tell us about your experience by taking a short, 3-minute Satisfaction Survey here. Your answers are anonymous and will help us improve the research experience for all our research families. Our research on intervention therapies was included in the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee’s Top 20 Advances in Science, and several center faculty and clinical researchers presented at the 2022 Annual Meeting of the International Society for Autism Research.
Have you visited our new website? Our enhanced site features a more mobile-friendly platform where you can easily access information you need on our research, news, and resources. As always, we thank you for your support and partnership. Wishing you a happy and safe summer!
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Geraldine Dawson, Ph.D.
Director, Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development
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Center's Research Included in IACC's Latest Summary of Advances in Autism Research
A clinical trial comparing the effects of intervention intensity and style on outcomes for young autistic children, which was conducted by center researchers, is among the IACC's latest Summary of Advances in Autism Research. Plain language summaries of the top 20 advances in autism biomedical and services research, as selected by members of the IACC, are included.
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Do Early Therapies Help Very Young Children with or at High Likelihood for Autism? |
In an analysis of reviews assessing therapeutic or educational interventions for very young children with or at high likelihood for autism, researchers led by Duke Center for Autism Associate Director Lauren Franz, MBChB, MPH, found certain types of interventions can provide benefits. Read about the research, "Early intervention for very young children with or at high likelihood for ASD: An overview of reviews," in Science Magazine. Watch Dr. Franz share a brief overview in a Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology YouTube podcast here.
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Center Researchers Share Study Findings at INSAR 2022 Annual Meeting
Several center researchers presented study findings to attendees at the International Society of Autism Research (INSAR) 2022 Annual Meeting in May. INSAR, an international scientific organization, convenes the meeting each year to exchange and disseminate scientific progress among autism research scientists and their trainees from around the world. Kimberly Carpenter, PhD, and Jessica Summers, MA, presented "The Influence of Co-occurring ADHD on Working Memory Skills in Young Autistic Children." Marika Coffman, PhD, presented "The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Challenging and Adaptive Behaviors in Children Diagnosed with Autism With and Without Co-occurring ADHD."
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Rep. Jessica Benham Shares Personal Story, Advice, and Encouragement to Our Autism Acceptance Month Crowd of Nearly 300 |
Rep. Jessica Benham (D-PA), one of only a handful of legislators who self-disclose as autistic, joined our virtual crowd of nearly 300 to share her personal story and how it influences her advocacy efforts, especially toward equitable access to high-quality healthcare and public education for autistic people. After her presentation, “Overcoming Stigma, Not Autism: Why Being Autistic Makes Me a Good Legislator,” Duke University students enjoyed a small group Q & A session, where Rep. Benham shared advice on self-advocacy in a world she said is “built for neurotypical people.” |
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What's 1 Thing?
We asked and you told us!
Our “What’s 1 Thing?” social media posts for Autism Acceptance Month asked for our followers’ input on ways to make the “world more inclusive for neurodiverse people,” “make the workplace more inclusive,” and ways to “help parents of neurodiverse children.” We received answers from all over the world and shared them across our social media platforms. Are you following us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram? It’s a great way to hear about research studies, events, and news.
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Team Works to Promote Neurodiversity at Duke
We were proud that our work with the Duke Office for Institutional Equity, Faculty Advancement, and Disability Management teams to support inclusion and equity efforts for neurodiverse individuals was covered in Inside Duke Health. Tara Chandrasekhar, MD, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at the Duke Center for Autism and member of the team coordinating the university-wide efforts, explained, “Supporting people who identify as neurodiverse is central to meaningful diversity, equity and inclusion work.”
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Spectrum News Spotlights Neurodiversity in the Workplace
Our Duke Center for Autism team member Raghav Swaminathan shined in the NC Spectrum News story, "Duke research shows benefits of neurodiversity in the workforce," highlighting the importance of inclusion in the workplace. Thank you, Raghav!
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We have enhanced our Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development website!
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Connect with us on social media! |
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