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IACC Releases 2020 Summary of Advances in Autism Research

A clinical trial comparing the effects of intervention intensity and style on outcomes, 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.

Do early therapies help very young children with or at high likelihood for autism?

In an analysis of reviews published between 2009 and 2020 that assessed 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 that certain types of interventions—called naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions, developmental interventions, and behavioral interventions—can provide benefits, but there were significant limitations in the quality of the evidence and many differences in how studies were performed.

The Incredible Impact of Early Interventions: Autism Weekly Podcast

"It's important to get connected early. No one - regardless of where they live or what recources they have available to them - should have to wait extended periods of time to start services that can support child and family quality of life."  Duke Center for Autism Associate Director Dr. Lauren Franz joins Autism Weekly podcast to discuss the power of early interventions, the need for healthcare access, and how our research is making a difference.

New autism clinicians reflect on skill gaps, gains after remote training - Spectrum News

The pandemic has left many clinical trainees feeling isolated from their instructors and classmates. Duke Center for Austism clinician Marika Coffman, PhD, shares her perspective.In an editorial published in Autism Research in December, Dr. Coffman and other trainees offered recommendations on how faculty can support trainees in the remote learning environment and how trainees can advocate for themselves, should future lockdowns arise and some remote instruction stay the norm.