COLUMBIA, MO (May 31, 2016) — Since joining the Thompson Center in April 2015, Thompson Center facility dog Rhett has helped clients in medical and behavioral clinics make great improvements.
In the fall, Rhett helped nurse Tammy Hickman with a blood draw for a young girl who was screaming just at the mention of it. When Rhett sat by her chair, the girl was able to pet him and eventually calm down.
“I think she will look forward to coming back to the clinic because even though the blood draw wasn’t fun, she will look forward to possibly seeing Rhett,” said Hickman. “She kept telling Rhett he did a good job, and ‘You did it, Rhett.’”
Rhett also helped Dr. Connie Brooks with a long-term therapy patient who she had trouble getting through to for some time. When she decided to introduce him to Rhett, she had more of a breakthrough with him than she had in a long time. Rhett is slated to join them again for future appointments.
Research study leads to “blitz” of 48 diagnostic appointments
COLUMBIA, MO (May 31, 2016) — Staying on the cutting edge of research is one of our values, and in December, the Thompson Center launched a new research project testing a video screening tool, Cognoa, in an effort to reduce waitlist times for families referred to the Thompson Center.
As part of this effort, the Thompson Center’s autism diagnostic providers completed a pilot “blitz week” for four days April 25 through 28, during which the regular clinic schedules were rearranged to accommodate 48 diagnostic visits in four days. In a typical week, only eight autism diagnostic appointments are available.
Families participating in a blitz week appointment also agreed to test the Cognoa technology. Cognoa is an online screening tool that allows parents to upload videos of their children using an iPhone or Android smartphone. Upon analysis of the video by Thompson Center staff, parents will receive a personalized estimate of their child’s risk for autism and developmental delay. Using Cognoa’s mobile app, parents can find peace of mind knowing that they’re taking active steps to support their child’s development, according to Cognoa’s website.
The video screening tool is not meant to replace an in-person evaluation, but rather to fast-track the screening process for children at high risk for developmental delay and match families with the correct services quickly and more efficiently.
“Sometimes it’s very hard to verbally explain what you’re seeing in your child, and this app allows parents to videotape what they’re seeing, which is very impactful for us to see,” said Clinical Services Manager Krista Hughes. “It provides us with a better idea of the child’s development path – pictures speak louder than words.”
Thompson Center Joins Launch of SPARK, Nation’s Largest Autism Research Study
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri’s Thompson Center for Autism & Neurodevelopmental Disorders, today helped launch Simons Foundation Powering Autism Research for Knowledge (SPARK), an online research initiative designed to become the largest autism study ever undertaken in the United States. Sponsored by the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI), SPARK will collect information and DNA for genetic analysis from 50,000 individuals with autism — and their families — to advance scientists’ understanding of the causes of this condition and hasten the discovery of supports and treatments.
The Thompson Center is one of a select group of 21 leading national research institutions chosen by SFARI to assist with recruitment. The SPARK effort is being led locally by Thompson Center Executive Director Stephen Kanne and his team at MU.
“The Thompson Center was one of three sites to pilot the study beginning in December 2015,” Kanne said. “We earned recognition as a model site for the Simons Simplex Collection in 2007 – the largest genetic family study of autism to date – and due to the high caliber of our work, we have continued to partner with the Simons Foundation’s autism research arm ever since. We were honored to be selected to pilot this study for the last six months in preparation for this national launch.”
Autism is known to have a strong genetic component. To date, approximately 50 genes have been identified that almost certainly play a role in autism, and scientists estimate that an additional 300 or more are involved. By studying these genes, associated biological mechanisms and how genetics interact with environmental factors, researchers can better understand the condition’s causes, and link them to the spectrum of symptoms, skills and challenges of those affected.
“SPARK empowers researchers to make new discoveries that will ultimately lead to the development of new supports and treatments to improve lives,” said Kanne. “Which makes it one of the most insightful research endeavors to date, in addition to being the largest genetic research initiative in the U.S.”
SPARK aims to assist autism research by inviting participation from a large, diverse autism community, with the goal of including individuals with a professional diagnosis of autism of both sexes and all ages, backgrounds, races, geographic locations and socioeconomic situations.
SPARK will connect participants to researchers, offering them the unique opportunity to impact the future of autism research by joining any of the multiple studies offered through SPARK. The initiative will catalyze research by creating large-scale access to study participants whose DNA may be selectively analyzed for a specific scientific question of interest. SPARK also will elicit feedback from individuals and parents of children with autism to develop a robust research agenda that is meaningful for them.
Anyone interested in learning more about SPARK or in participating can visit www.SPARKforAutism.org/MUTC, or call Amanda Shocklee at 573-884-6092
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About SPARK
SPARK (Simons Foundation Powering Autism Research for Knowledge) is a national autism research initiative that will connect individuals with a professional diagnosis of autism and their biological family members to research opportunities to advance our understanding of autism. SPARK’s goal in doing so is not only to better understand autism, but to accelerate the development of new treatments and supports.
SPARK was designed to be easily accessible to the entire autism community and was fashioned with input from adults with autism, parents, researchers, clinicians, service providers and advocates.
Registering for this first-of-its-kind initiative can be done entirely online and at no cost. DNA will be collected via saliva kits shipped directly to participants. Once the SPARK participant’s family has returned their saliva samples and provided some medical and family history information, the SPARK participant will receive a $50 gift card. SPARK will provide access to online resources and the latest research in autism, which may provide participants and families with valuable information to help address daily challenges.
For researchers, SPARK provides a large, well-characterized cohort of genetic, medical and behavioral data, and will result in cost-savings for researchers by reducing start-up costs for individual studies.
SPARK is entirely funded by the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI).
Nixon proposes $5 million more for MU’s Thompson Center
From The Maneater, Jan. 25, 2016
MU’s Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders could serve more families in the 2017 fiscal year with a $5 million appropriation proposed by Gov. Jay Nixon. These funds are part of an additional $131 million in state and federal funding for the Department of Mental Health’s Division of Developmental Disabilities.
The Thompson Center will search for a new building to expand its research, training and diagnosis and treatment practices. Spokeswoman Adrienne Cornwall said the center will be glad to perform more diagnoses and provide families with more support and programs with the funding.
“When families are awaiting a diagnostic appointment or services, it can be a difficult time,” Cornwall said. “So being able to help more families and help them faster is what it’s really all about. I think that’s what the governor had in mind, is that more families will get services and see an improvement in their children’s development by coming to see our providers.”
In his State of the State address Jan. 20, Nixon spoke of the origins of his passion for mental health.
“My mom taught kids with developmental disabilities,” Nixon said in the address. “She worked hard at a job she loved, cared deeply for others and always stood up for what she knew was right … She passed away before I became a state senator. But I am still trying to live up to her expectations and ideals.”
The proposed $5 million will go toward both acquiring a property sensible for training, research and offices and outfitting the space with equipment.
Transferring the center’s training and research functions to a new building will potentially allow an additional 2,000 clinical visits to the current location per year, Cornwall said. In 2015, the Thompson Center provided 9,392 visits to 2,082 distinct patients. Their clients include primarily kids 0-18 years old, but also some adults seeking support throughout their lives.
At the new facility, the center hopes to expand its large group training capabilities, vetting 28 new care providers per year over the next five years. The trainees include interns from a diverse array of health disciplines who will be taught how to use diagnostic tools and perform best practices.
Cornwall said the Thompson Center is one of few centers in the country that excels in all three primary areas of autism care: training, treatment and research. The Thompson Center research core collaborates with medical disciplines but also with engineering, computer science and genetics to stay innovative in the field.
Beyond research and treatment clinics, the center has robust training programs not only for future providers but for families, health professionals, teachers and the business community. It facilitated more than 8,000 instances of online and in-person professional and parent trainings in 2015, Cornwall said.
The center’s strength is recognized locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. Clients come from counties as far as five to six hours away. Executive Director Stephen Kanne is an independent trainer of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule II, or ADOS-II. He and the training staff are sought by school districts regionally and at centers internationally.
“We are very grateful for Gov. Nixon’s ongoing support for the Thompson Center,” said Thompson Center pediatrician Dr. Kristin Sohl. “And we are grateful to the state of Missouri for providing resources to be on the cutting edge of autism care and for providing best practices.”
The Thompson Center’s accolades are part of a larger story where Missouri, and Columbia specifically, have fixed themselves as front-runners in autism awareness and care.
Organizations like the world-class developmental medical care and the many research teams streaming from MU make Columbia an inclusive community that rallies around individuals with all sorts of disabilities, Cornwall said.
The Thompson Center does its part in facilitating awareness by training in Columbia Public Schools and teaching businesses about autism through their Autism Friendly Business programs.
“I think Columbia just has such great care and a lot of organizations in the community to support people with disabilities, so it makes it a great place for families to thrive,” Cornwall said.
The governor’s proposed budget, by Missouri law, will be reviewed and approved by Legislature by May. Nixon doesn’t expect much friction on the mental health issues, according to Columbia Missourian coverage.
Autism, developmental disabilities get big budget recommendations from Nixon
From St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Jan. 20, 2016
COLUMBIA – Gov. Jay Nixon’s final budget recommendations as the head of the state’s executive branch will include significant investments in developmental disabilities.
Nixon, a Democrat, announced Friday he is recommending lawmakers drop $131 million of state and federal funds into the Department of Mental Health’s Division of Developmental Disabilities for the 2017 budget year that begins July 1.
On Wednesday, the governor will present his budget recommendations to the Legislature at the annual State of the State. It will be Nixon’s eighth and final time recommending a state budget because he is termed out as governor.
This increase includes $5 million to expand the University of Missouri’s Thompson Center to allow for 2,000 more visits each year and the training of 100 more providers over the next five years.
“Here in Missouri, we believe that all children — including those with autism — deserve the opportunity to live up to their God-given potential,” Nixon said Friday at the center.
His recommendations also include $1 million to launch an autism clinic at Truman State University and $500,000 to expand services at the Mercy Kids Autism Center in the St. Louis region.
It also includes $14 million to keep the waiting list for in-home Medicaid services for developmentally disabled individuals at zero.
Nixon already has proposed a $55.7 million increase for colleges and universities across the state.
Lawmakers will have to sign off on all of Nixon’s budget recommendations for them to become a reality.
Gov. Nixon announces disability services investment to include $5 million expansion of Thompson Center
COLUMBIA, Mo. (Jan. 15, 2016) — Gov. Jay Nixon announced today his Fiscal year 2017 budget will include historic investments in developmental disability services for Missourians, including a $5 million expansion of the Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders at the University of Missouri.
“Here in Missouri, we believe that all children – including those with autism – deserve the opportunity to live up to their God-given potential,” Gov. Nixon said. “From passing landmark autism insurance legislation to expanding access to in-home services through the Partnership for Hope, we have made Missouri a nationally-recognized leader in caring for our most vulnerable citizens. This year we will build on this legacy with historic investments in services for Missourians with developmental disabilities, including a major expansion here at the Thompson Center.”
The expansion, announced before an audience of patients, families, providers and community leaders, will allow the Thompson Center to accommodate an additional 2,000 visits per year by expanding dedicated research and training space, and train 100 more providers over the next five years to alleviate the shortage of autism services in Missouri.
“Our researchers come from many disciplines across the university, from medicine to psychology to genetics to engineering. Bringing all their labs under one roof will make it easier for individuals with autism to participate in our research studies and foster even more innovative collaboration among our faculty,” said Thompson Center Executive Director Dr. Stephen Kanne. “We’ll also be able to expand our clinical services to accommodate more than 2,000 additional clinic visits each year, getting more children the diagnostic and treatment services they need.”
Read the Governor’s full news release here.
Columbia takes off as a progressive city that understands autism
From Columbia Missourian, Jan. 6, 2016
COLUMBIA — Karen O’Connor remembers why she came to Columbia. Almost a decade later, she feels vindicated.
O’Connor, now a member of the training and outreach division at the Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders at MU, moved to mid-Missouri from Cleveland in 2006. She wanted a place where she could teach and belong to a community that specialized in helping with disabilities.
As others have done in recent years, O’Connor found Columbia to be the place for her. While the city provides many resources for individuals with disabilities, its growth as an autism-friendly community has been particularly evident.
“I don’t think there are many places out there that can provide as much as Columbia can when it comes to our efforts and what we can offer,” O’Connor said. “There are so many more opportunities and ways people with autism can get the help they need.”
Although a number of factors have led to Columbia’s newfound status as a prominent autism community, three general themes tie everything together: the Thompson Center, new business practices that accommodate people with autism and the city’s overall appeal.
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder of which understanding is still new and public perception hasn’t yet developed into fully nuanced opinion. The disorder is characterized by compulsive behavioral patterns and difficulties with social interactions; those who have it typically display intense passions in specific interest areas.
In 2014, approximately one in 68 Americans fell somewhere on the autism spectrum. That spectrum works on a scale that ranges from severe autism on one end to high-functioning conditions such as Asperger Syndrome on the other.
Regardless of where an individual with autism appears on the spectrum, anyone who does is considered to have an autism spectrum disorder.
Like most widespread conditions or diseases, the public is aware of autism. They have a general idea of what it is, and they know people with autism or autism spectrum disorders need assistance and are a growing voice.
They don’t, however, always know how to provide assistance to those who need it.
“There’s been some hesitance in the past because people don’t know what they can do to help others,” said Anna Laakman, a team member of the Thompson Center’s training core and outreach division.
“That’s where we’ve come in. … We want to help Columbia and Mizzou become places people turn to and can look to for the resources they need.”
Thompson Center: Columbia’s autism hub
Despite its enlightened reputation, Columbia wasn’t particularly involved in autism research and development until 2005. Then, a gift from MU graduates Bill and Nancy Thompson helped establish the Thompson Center.
The center’s mission is to “improve the lives of individuals and families affected by autism and neurodevelopmental disorders through world class programs that integrate research, clinical service delivery, education and public policy.”
Its existence has been a starting point for research and autism-related programs that have helped Columbia accommodate those affected by the disorder on a daily basis.
“It all starts with research,” Laakman said. “So many people think of autism as this scary thing that we don’t know much about yet.
“Making a community better for those with autism will always be an important goal, but we also want to find out more about how autism affects the brain and development.”
Close affiliation with a well-funded research university has helped the Thompson Center. In addition to the center’s own staff and faculty members, it also has a wide variety of university professors as collaborators.
For example, Thompson Center staff member Judith Miles and biological engineering professor Gang Yao have been working for years with children to track eye pupil movement — individuals whose pupils take longer to react to specifically designed flashing lights are more likely to exhibit autistic tendencies.
Through his professional expertise, Yao recently developed a device that can track eye movement in ways that don’t require children to sit still throughout the testing.
Conducting such research, however, comes down to more than spending money and developing research strategies or equipment. It also requires a staff that can find willing children to participate in such research efforts, and that can be a difficult subject for parents.
“It’s the question of how we can get people to believe in what we’re doing,” Laakman said. “Some parents don’t know much about autism, so how do you come across them and say, ‘Hey, we think it would be beneficial if we tested your son or daughter?’
“That’s not always an easy sell, but the fact we’re able to do it says a lot about Columbia and the staff we have (at the Thompson Center).”
Although those on the spectrum face lifelong battles with social skills and other difficulties, being able to diagnose it at a young age can help them develop the proper skills.
For O’Connor, Columbia is the ideal place to do so. She knows countless families who have moved to the city from near and far, many citing the Thompson Center’s reputation for working with and accommodating children.
“When you’re dealing with any disability, that’s (children) often going to be what you focus on most,” O’Connor said. “Autism is no different. If you can identify and really get a plan to how you approach the problem, it makes the process so much easier.”
Autism and Columbia’s business environment
One of the Thompson Center’s newer initiatives trains local businesses to accommodate those on the spectrum. In July, the center took a big step when it launched its Autism Friendly Business program. Four businesses have completed the program’s training — MU Athletics Department , KCOU, Focus on Health Chiropractic and The Broadway Hotel.
For businesses, autism-friendly practices train employees to help patrons with autism by creating courses of action for various situations. Although O’Connor and Laakman, both involved in training and outreach, believe such efforts have been successful, they know the program still a work in progress.
“As time goes on, you’re probably going to see more demand for this type of training,” O’Connor said. “We’ll also have to take a look at the methods we use as we learn more about autism.”
The Broadway, a DoubleTree hotel owned by Hilton downtown, completed the training in October. Although Chesterfield Hotels, its parent chain, owns other hotels throughout Missouri, it chose Columbia as an autism-friendly location because of medical opportunities and progressive approaches.
“It’s a city that really keeps up from a medical and disability standpoint,” Chesterfield Hotels General Manager Bob McDonald said. “There are so many hospitals and people here who can give you the opportunities you need to this.
“It’s also a community that’s forgiving and gravitates toward sensible people, which is what you need to make this work.”
Under the Thompson Center’s training guidelines, The Broadway has taught its staff members to accommodate people with autism and their families. This includes suggesting locations for visitors who are unfamiliar with the city or looking for specific social environments.
Employees know that certain rooms and areas throughout the hotel are better suited to meet the needs of those with autism. Noise might be an issue, for example.
“If a parent says they have a child with autism that could be at risk of a tantrum or might be uncomfortable, the staff is able to accommodate and suggest a different room,” McDonald said.
In hotels, where it’s easy to find privacy and develop a staff that can help people seeking a particular environment, the task may not be difficult. In larger environments, such as sports venues, for example, that’s not necessarily the case. Football and basketball games have thousands of people concentrated in a large, rowdy crowd, a setting where people on the spectrum may not feel comfortable.
In early October, the athletics program at MU announced a business partnership with the Thompson Center to bring autism-friendly practices to Mizzou Arena for the 2015-16 men’s and women’s basketball seasons.
The objective is to prepare those with autism for the arena’s atmosphere on game days. As does The Broadway, the arena offers tote bags to help those with autism feel more comfortable. Among the items are earbuds and a three-ring booklet that explains where to go for assistance, what happens during games and when to expect loud noises.
“There’s a lot that can catch people by surprise at a basketball game, and our goal is to make sure that nobody with autism feels like they’re discriminated against for any reason,” MU Associate Director of Event Management Krissy Ellis said.
“If we can take places with so much commotion and turn them into positive places for people with autism, there’s really no place that can’t be done.”
That change is something many autism awareness activists hope to bring to other businesses in Columbia. Al Eberhard, a former Missouri basketball player who is now on the Thompson Center Foundation Board, said the center hopes to engage more local businesses.
“When a place or atmosphere or something else you love takes on added meaning like that, it’s special,” Eberhard said. “Everyone should be able to enjoy those games, but that’s harder for people with autism sometimes. This can really be the start of something.”
An aware and growing community
Other factors have helped Columbia become a haven for those on the spectrum. The Columbia Public Schools has taken a step forward, for example, by giving its students with autism a better chance to succeed.
Lukin Murphy, an autism support specialist for Columbia Public Schools, said the district has more than 100 students with autism. The district offers classrooms designed for middle-school students who have autism-related communicative skills and students who have a combination of autism and other learning disabilities.
“I’ve done autism work in tons of different cities, five different states and even internationally in India and Bulgaria, and none of them compare to here,” Murphy said. “In terms of education, this is the best and most well-rounded support system I’ve been around.”
Elsewhere, the city’s demographic composition has also played a major role in developing its newfound reputation as an autism-friendly community. With at least 35,000 college students living in the community, Columbia’s median age (27.2 years) is nearly 11 years younger than the state average (38.1 years).
Since many autism awareness efforts and cultural advances have taken place within the past 15 years or so, younger generations are growing up with a stronger grasp of what autism is and what they can do to support those on the spectrum.
“I think college students and other young people, they’re really learning to understand things more and be more open about them,” Laakman said. “That’s not only true with autism, but it’s also true with depression and mental illness. It’s a benefit that comes with being in a place where people are younger.”
One of the next frontiers in Columbia’s quest for an autism-friendly atmosphere could be the city’s involvement.
Although O’Connor said Columbia has worked well with organizations such as Special Olympics and has emphasized autism programs through Boone County’s family resources and case management opportunities, she feels more can be done to help the city accommodate those on the spectrum.
“That’s probably our next step, it’s working with the city closer and helping Columbia to become even more inclusive than it already is,” O’Connor said. “We’re learning more and more about autism every day, and we owe it to people with autism to help them in any way we can.”
Thompson Center Santa visits bring Christmas magic to children with autism
By Adrienne Cornwall
COLUMBIA, Mo. (Dec. 16, 2015) – When it came time for Averie Gomel to decide where to bring her family for a visit with Santa, there was no question that she would bring son Roman Rassmann, 6, and daughter Ivy Dupree, 2, back for a second year to the Thompson Center, where Roman receives care for his autism spectrum disorder.
“He went home last year beaming and told everyone about it,” Gomel said. “There’s no downside.”
Twenty-nine children from 16 families joined Santa and his helper, Jovie, for private visits with Santa, who brought them each a gift from their wish list, coordinated ahead of time by Thompson Center Development Coordinator Miriam Cullimore.
“Our goal is to give families that special experience that lots of families get to have at the holidays but that our families often struggle to participate in,” Cullimore said.
Dakota Reyes, a 10-year-old girl from Fulton, received a new book about a Santa’s North Pole neighbor: a polar bear, currently her favorite kind of animal.
Rather than the long lines and very quick transitions at retail locations they’ve visited, Dakota’s parents, Steve and Corrie Reyes, said the private visit makes for a more meaningful experience for their daughter.
“She just gets overwhelmed with everything else going on, and she starts to freak out sometimes,” Corrie said. “Then, other people don’t know what to do.”
Since the children are familiar with the environment at the center and many of the staff who volunteer for Santa’s two-day stop in Columbia, the whole family can relax.
“It helps that she had an appointment in November, so she’s been here recently,” said Denise Hayworth, whose daughter, Samantha, brought her wish list to Santa. Samantha had taken the time to write it out on her own by hand to show him while Thompson Center nurse Tammy Hickman took portraits for the family to take home.
Spreading the Christmas magic is the work of Thompson Foundation Board member Lora Hinkel, who plays Jovie the Elf, while her dad, Vince Eversgerd, plays Santa.
Hinkel knows firsthand how much it means to be able to participate in these kinds of holiday traditions. Her older son, Blake, has autism, and the long waits and sensory overload of a typical Santa visit have been too much for him to handle since he was very young.
“I enjoy seeing the parents’ reactions as much as the kids’ reactions,” Hinkel said. “It’s one of my favorite things to do the entire season.”
Hinkel, a speech-language pathologist in Columbia, also helps the children with their communication needs, including sign language and using their electronic communication devices to tell Santa what they want for Christmas.
“This is special for both of us,” said Eversgerd, who has played St. Nick for three years now at the center. “The first year, I had parents cry because they’ve never gotten to do this with their children before. There’s nothing like it.”
Roman, a shoe-in for the nice list who had received a letter from Santa the day before, made sure to bring a handmade Christmas card in return to deliver by hand at his visit Sunday. He left beaming once again this year, ready to tackle assembling his new Lego pirate set.
“He has sensory issues and is shy. This allows him to be more at ease with the situation rather than being thrown into it,” Gomel said. “It’s so much more personal.”
Photos by Mikala
Cheak-Zamora honored by public health group
Congratulations to Dr. Nancy Cheak-Zamora for receiving the Young Professional Award from the Maternal & Child Health section of the American Public Health Association (APHA).
The award honors professionals age 40 or younger who have made a significant contribution to the field of maternal and child health. Further, the recipient must show potential for making a sustained and meaningful impact on the field in years to come.
Dr. Cheak-Zamora will receive the award at the APHA annual conference on Nov. 2, and the following day she will present her recent Photovoice research project which she conducted at the Thompson Center. Nancy utilized Photovoice methods to engage young adults with autism in documenting and talking about their transition to adulthood.
The project used a series of photographs taken by the young adults, interviews, group activities and a public exhibit of the photographs to provide insight on their perceptions of adulthood, their goals and the services they need to succeed.
Miles publishes review of new uses for existing genetic tests
Thompson Center researcher, geneticist and pediatrician Dr. Judith Miles recently published an invited editorial in the Journal of the American Medical Association reviewing a study of molecular diagnostic tests in children with complex autism.
The techniques used in the study, chromosomal microarray analysis and whole-exome sequencing, allowed researchers at the University of Toronto to attribute complex autism symptoms of participating children with a known genetic mutation in 37.4 percent of cases. Less severe cases of autism, classified as “essential” autism, were only linked to a genetic mutation in 4.2 percent of cases.
Miles said the use of these genetic tests in a new application to autism diagnosis may be as much as seven times more informative than traditional chromosomal testing.
“Foremost, the data indicates that physicians responsible for diagnosing children with autism spectrum disorder should arrange genetic evaluations using techniques that have the best chance of determining a conclusive diagnosis,” Miles said in the editorial. “It is undeniable that precise diagnoses pave the way to better medical care, improved surveillance, better functional outcomes and informed genetic counseling, often with the possibility of prenatal or preimplantation diagnosis.