For Autism & Neurodevelopmental Disorders June …...In 2015, the Thompson Center for Autism and...

In 2015, the Thompson Center for Autism and

Neurodevelopmental Disorders is celebrating our tenth year

of outstanding clinical service, research and education at

the University of Missouri.

We’ve seen many changes in the last decade. In our first

year, we provided 550 visits for individuals with autism. Last

year, we provided more than 8,500 visits for patients with

a range of neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism,

cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and other developmental

delays.

Our behavioral services recently expanded with the launch

of a severe behavior clinic to treat individuals with autism

who exhibit aggressive or self-injurious behavior, and we

also added practitioners who specialize in assessment and

treatment of other psychological conditions in children.

We’ve expanded our reach with education of not only future

professionals but also experienced health professionals,

educators, and caregivers. We led more than 8,000 training

instances in person and online in 2014, most recently in

Saudi Arabia at the country’s premier autism center.

We have been fortunate to witness incredible growth in our

understanding of autism spectrum disorders. Given the 400

percent increase in autism diagnoses in Missouri since 2010,

this understanding is critical to helping families connect

more easily with services and supports in their communities.

We can offer ways to partner with service providers in

schools, train families in supports in the home, educate

more providers and the community about supporting

children with special needs, and offer the best evidence-

based treatments available.

These 10 years of progress have made a significant impact

on our patients and their families, including Brayden, whom

you’ll read about on page 6. In the community, businesses

now have the opportunity to develop stronger ties with

their customers in the autism community by participating

in our Autism Friendly Business initiative, which you’ll find

more about on page 2. And the leaps and bounds we’ve

seen in autism research continue with the work of our

researchers studying genetics, biomarkers for diagnosis,

new treatments, supports for transition to adulthood and

more on page 5.

We hope you’ll join us for the next 10 years of this

extraordinary work through our endowment campaign to

ensure the continuation of care for families with autism and

neurodevelopmental conditions throughout Missouri and

beyond.

June 2015Newsletter

Give to the Thompson Center Endowment Campaigndonatetomu.missouri.edu/givedirect

Thompson CenterFor Autism & Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Sharing knowledge aboutautism takes a TEAM approach

Thompson Center Newsletter of 8 June 2015

When they joined the Thompson Center

from the Columbia Public Schools

in 2014, Jena Randolph and Karen

O’Connor wasted no time in dreaming

big about sharing autism best practices

throughout Missouri.

“Supporting individuals with autism

and their families requires expert care

coordination across all facets of life,”

said Randolph. “We want to make

certain that training is available for

educators, applied behavior analysts,

medical care providers, and any

additional service providers so that care

can be effective and comprehensive.”

Since the center’s Training and

Outreach Division led by Anna Laakman

launched the Training Experts in

Autism for Missouri (TEAM) project

last year, Randolph and O’Connor have

driven the growth of the program into

school districts, medical facilities and

caregiver networks across the state,

from Lee’s Summit outside Kansas City

all the way to St. Louis.

Training programs for medical

professionals, care coordinators,

families and ABA providers also

launched in succession throughout

2014. Trainings are free to Missouri

participants thanks to a grant from

the state Department of Mental

Health. Topics range from developing

classroom programs and interventions

to supporting patients with autism in

medical offices.

Randolph, O’Connor, behavior

analyst Brooke Burnett and school

psychologist Kim Selders take autism

best practices where they’re needed

most: into communities. They’ve

reached 36 counties throughout

Missouri with evidence-based tools and

strategies to use in provider offices,

classrooms and other settings to

support individuals with autism.

“It is critical to provide training that

builds the capacity for agencies

and organizations to better support

individuals with autism,” O’Connor

said. “This not only increases their

professional expertise but also

improves the outcomes for the

individuals they serve.”

In April, TEAM also began offering free

Autism Friendly Business training for

businesses interested in supporting

customers and employees with

autism. The program provides training

at participating businesses for its

employees, including an overview of

autism as well as tailored strategies to

use in everyday business transactions,

like visual aids and communication

tips. Businesses who complete the

program are designated as an Autism

Friendly Business with a window decal

and marketing materials so individuals

with autism and their families can

easily identify them as an inclusive and

prepared environment.

Through the range of individualized

trainings and follow-up support offered

by TEAM, the Thompson Center is

improving outcomes for individuals

with autism in the doctor’s office, in

the classroom, in the community, and

beyond.

A world of goodAs the center’s expertise is sought by

more centers and specialists in the

autism field, the reach of Dr. Stephen

Kanne’s training takes him to new

communities across the U.S. and the

world. Training on the use of the Autism

Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2,

the primary diagnostic tool for autism

evaluation, is in high demand.

In March, Kanne and Training and

Outreach Administrator Anna

Laakman conducted trainings in

Saudi Arabia at the autism center at

King Faisal Specialist Hospital and

Research Centre. On the domestic

front, Kanne and Laakman have

conducted a series of trainings for

school and community providers in

South Dakota, both in Rapid City and

Sioux Falls, funded by the University

of South Dakota Leadership Education

in Neurodevelopmental Disorders

program with partial funding from the

Sioux Falls School District. In June,

Kanne brought research and clinical

ADOS-2 training to the University

of Houston and Baylor College of

Medicine.

In September, the Thompson Center

will extend the invitation to the world’s

experts in autism research, clinical

services and education to join our 10th

annual Autism Conference in St. Louis.

Featuring renowned researchers Dr.

David Skuse, from University College of

London, and Dr. Raphael Bernier, from

University of Washington, as keynote

speakers, the two days of educational

offerings Sept. 24-25 will include tracks

for health professionals, educators and

applied behavior analysts.

Visit www.thompsoncenter.missouri.edu/training/autism-conference for more details and registration.


Thompson Center health professions faculty grows


Since joining us in October, Dr. Andy

Knoop and Dr. Megan Carney have

been providing psychology services

for assessment and treatment of

ADHD, learning disabilities, and other

psychological concerns in children

while also being trained in autism

diagnostic measures.

A new clinical offering for patients

with severe self-injurious and

aggressive behaviors has welcomed

its first patients under the direction

of Dr. SungWoo Kahng and Applied

Behavior Analyst Annie Doyle. The

Severe Behavior Clinic currently sees

three children for intensive outpatient

intervention with as many as two to

four staff per patient during each visit.

Sessions include conducting an initial

functional analysis to identify the root

of problem behaviors like self-injury

and property damage, followed by

implementing individualized treatment

plans to address causes and reduce

the severe behavior. Referrals currently

come from internal providers, and the

clinic maintains a waitlist for additional

patients that can be added to the clinic

as staffing allows. For more information

about this new program, contact

SungWoo Kahng or Annie Doyle.

In addition to adding more providers,

the health professions division has

developed a number of summer

workshops for professionals and

families. A handwriting camp for 5-7

year olds will meet for six weeks on

Mondays starting June 9. A picky

eaters group for 3-6 year olds will meet

Mondays in July to expose children to

new foods in a playful way. A transition

workshop for professionals working

with and parents of teens preparing

to age out of school-based services

will be held at the MU Student Center

on June 11 with a keynote presentation

by transition expert Dr. Paul Wehman

of Virginia Commonwealth University.

And, we have scheduled a monthly

series of parent workshops through

December on everything from toileting

to puberty. Visit the Thompson Center’s

events page at www.thompsoncenter.

missouri.edu/resources/events for a

complete listing of upcoming events

and workshops.

Health professions faculty at the Thompson Center expanded last fall as the center welcomed two new providers from the Assessment and Consultation Clinic, which was formerly a clinical service in the College of Education.

Sixteen studies presented by Thompson Center researchers at world’s largest autism research meetingAt this year’s International Meeting for Autism Research

(IMFAR), nearly 2,000 of the world’s brightest minds in

autism met in Salt Lake City to exchange findings on causes,

treatments, and diagnoses for individuals with autism.

Among the researchers presenting published work were

faculty and graduate students from the Thompson Center,

representing 16 published studies on topics ranging from

sleep to genetics to video games to drug treatments.

Doctoral student Kimberly Bodner also received a student

travel award to present her work on social cognition and

social behavior in individuals with autism.

“IMFAR is the world stage for presenting cutting-edge

developments in every discipline that conducts autism

research,” said Stephen Kanne, Thompson Center executive

director. “It’s a unique opportunity to broaden our national

and international network of research collaboration with the

world’s best autism researchers.”

What’s new in research?Researchers at the Thompson Center explore questions regarding many facets of health for individuals with autism and neurodevelopmental disorders. Some major findings since 2014 include:

• Dr. Judith Miles and colleagues found three distinct

subgroups of autism patients who shared statistically

significant patterns of facial structure measurements

as well as similar symptoms. Grouping autism patients

into subtypes that associate biological differences with

behaviors or symptoms could help lead to tailored

treatments for these distinct groups.

• Dr. Miles partnered with a researcher at the University of

Michigan, Dr. Neera Gaziuddin, to track the prevalence of

catatonia as a form of regression in patients with Down

syndrome as well as treatments that help alleviate the

regression.

• Dr. Chris Engelhardt explored a commonly held

perception that violent video games are linked to

aggression in adults with autism with a study published in

March. His findings concluded that in adults with autism,

exposure to violent video games did not lead to increased

aggression compared with typically developing adults.

• Thinking of a companion pet for your child? Consider all

your options, suggests the work of Dr. Gretchen Carlisle,

a researcher with the Thompson Center and the Research

Center on Human-Animal Interaction. Her study linked

improvements in assertive behaviors in children with

autism when there was any kind of pet in the home – a

stronger link than for those households who had a dog in

the home. Carlisle said this suggest that finding a best-fit

pet for your family might mean looking at pets other than

dogs, such as rabbits, fish, cats, or another pet suited to

the needs of your child and family.

• Dr. Brooks co-authored a study showing the

effectiveness of a behavioral intervention to reduce

relational aggression among teen girls. The intervention

was tested among female students ages 12-15 using a

school-based model that included group counseling and

training for their caregivers.


Thompson Center celebrates 10 years of growth for patients, centerClinical providers at the Thompson

Center are serving more patients than

ever before – more than 2,500 last

year. One patient who has been with

the Thompson Center since it formed,

Brayden Stallons, has transformed from

a nonverbal 4-year-old to an industrious

and kind rising sophomore at Rock

Bridge High School.

In the past 10 years, Brayden has had his

share of challenges and breakthroughs

with the help of his provider teams,

including learning specialists at school

and caregivers like Dr. Tracy Stroud at

the Thompson Center.

“She was so supportive and

encouraging,” Salmon said. When they

considered medication, her thoughtful

approach helped them find the right fit.

“Brayden came home from school and

said, ‘Mom, my smart is ON! I love this

medicine!’ And we have never looked

back,” Pam said. “It was a major turning

point for him. He was able to take in

and utilize so much more of the help he

was receiving. It dramatically changed

his life.”

As Brayden grew and changed, the

Thompson Center evolved alongside

him. After benefactors Bill and Nancy

Thompson donated a gift of $8.5

million to endow the center’s formation

in 2005, the center began adding

providers and expanding its reach into

education and cutting edge research

projects.

“We all started with this vision to create

a place that families could come to

answer as many needs as they could

in one place,” said Dr. Stephen Kanne,

executive director of the Thompson

Center. We knew we could better serve

families with a combined approach.”

Coupled with two prestigious grant

awards to collect genetic data for the

Simons Simplex Collection and to serve

as a model of autism care in the Autism

Treatment Network, the center’s funding

was secured so that providers could

continue giving specialized care to

young children like Brayden.

Last year, Thompson Center providers

saw 2,560 patients, trained more than

8,000 health professionals, educators,

and caregivers in person and online,

and received funding for $4.2 million in

research in nearly every discipline that

touches individuals with autism and

neurodevelopmental disorders.

This growth has meant a bigger impact

on families, and it has extended the

center’s reach across the Midwest and

around the world as far as Saudi Arabia,

where Dr. Kanne recently conducted a

diagnostic training workshop.

“We never dreamed that it could have

turned into this, at this level,” Dr. Kanne

said. “We planted the right seed. The

timing was there, but we also had the

right people who did the most amazing

job to get us where we are.”

One constant thread over Brayden’s

journey is the hard work he has put in to

achieving his goals.

He was honored by his Boy Scout troop

with nomination to the Order of the

Arrow, the Scouting honor society, and

he recently closed the book on an Eagle

Scout project in about 10 weeks, from

start to finish, that ordinarily would take

about six months to complete.

His goal? Feed 40 families a turkey

dinner for Christmas. His final tally? 150

turkeys.

“When Brayden was in second grade, I

was told to plan that he would live with

us the rest of his life. Today, in ninth

grade, Brayden is taking a dual-credit

college course,” Salmon said proudly.

“We talk openly about his autism and his

struggles. He knows it does not define

who he is or what he is capable of. ”


Thompson Center hosts Autism Awareness Month activities throughout the community

Watch now on YouTube: https://goo.gl/HFcrC9

Autism Awareness Month in April is

always a busy time of year in the autism

community. The Thompson Center

participated in and hosted a number

of events throughout the month to

celebrate the successes of our patients

and their families.

We kicked off the activity with Light

It Up Blue on April 2, World Autism

Awareness Day, at the MU Student

Center with the help of seven other

partner organizations. More than 150

attendees, plus Truman, TJ and the

Columbia Chamber of Commerce

helped spread the concept of autism

awareness on campus by wearing blue

and joining us for a blue-lit walk with

glow sticks from the Student Center to

Memorial Union.

To cap off the month, Alicia Curran and

her family brought the house down

at the It’s In the Cards fundraiser in

St. Louis, sharing their personal story

of caring for Samuel, Alicia’s 14-year-

old son with autism. Gov. Jay Nixon,

MU System President Tim Wolfe,

MU Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin, and

Cardinals General Manager John

Mozeliak were just a few of our special

attendees, in addition to honorary

event co-chairs Matt and Mackenzie

Carpenter. Several families were

featured in a video unveiled at the

event, which raised $560,000 for the

Thompson Foundation through a live

auction, centerpiece auction, fund the

need and ticket sales. We also shared a

brief glimpse at the Thompson Center’s

first decade to honor the center’s 10th

anniversary and encourage support for

the next 10 years.

Mizzou ATO chapter raises $25,000 to endow patient scholarships for autism services

In addition to setting a new record tally for the event’s

second year, nearly 300 participants lined up to break the

Guinness World Record for most high-fives in one minute

with the help of Rye Shade, a local 11-year-old boy with

autism.

With a GoPro camera strapped to his chest, Shade easily ran

the length of the drive around the Columns in 37 seconds,

high-fiving the 287 hands as he ran.

“Next year, I think we can shoot for even more participants,

because we know we have the time,” said ATO Signature

Event Coordinator Zach Carmichael.

Participants last year tried to break the record, too, but the

entry lacked the necessary video evidence, Carmichael said.

With the help of one stationary and two mobile cameras,

Carmichael said he hopes this year’s attempt will officially

topple the standing record of 260.

Festival proceeds helped the chapter fulfill its pledge

to endow $25,000 to fund patient scholarships at the

Thompson Center to help families afford necessary autism

services.

“Our Mizzou ATO chapter has been a dedicated partner in

helping individuals touched by autism in our community,”

said Thompson Center Executive Director Stephen Kanne.

“The funds they raised at Sunday’s festival will help countless

families get medical and other services that they couldn’t

otherwise afford.”

The University of Missouri’s Alpha Tau Omega chapter raised more than $5,300 at its annual family festival fundraiser for patient scholarships at the Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders, fulfilling a $25,000 endowment pledge made a little over two years ago.


Meet Rhett!In May, the Thompson Center welcomed a new facility dog, Rhett.

As a facility dog, Rhett will work as a therapeutic tool with staff

handlers to help initiate a response from clients. These dogs have

exceptional patience and temperament for working around all

types of individuals.

Rhett can be found working around the center with one of his

handlers. He spends evenings and weekends with his primary

handler, Anna Hogg, and backup handlers Krista Hughes and

Tammy Hickman take care of him as needed. All of Rhett’s

activities at the center in therapeutic settings will also be

measured for research use to help evaluate the effectiveness of

various techniques.

Rhett graduated from the facility dog training program at Support

Dogs, Inc., in St. Louis on April 24. He is a black Labrador retriever,

and his birthday is July 19.

If you have any questions about Rhett or his work at the

Thompson Center, contact Dr. Gretchen Carlisle with the University

of Missouri Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction at

[email protected].

Upcoming EventsJune 6-July 14: Handwriting Camp

July 8-10: ADOS-2 Clinical Training

July 21 @ 10-11:30 a.m.: Addressing Feeding Concerns and Selective Eating

July 28-July 30 @ 9 a.m.-3 p.m.: Summer Institute Series for Educators

July 30 @ 1-4 p.m.: Family Fun Fair

Aug. 7 @ 9 a.m.-2 p.m.: Summer Institute Series for School-Based Evaluators

Aug. 11 @ 9 a.m.-2 p.m.: Summer Institute Series for Speech/Language Pathologists + Special Educators

Aug. 19 @ 3-4:30 p.m.: Meaningful Collaboration for your Child’s IEP Process

Sept. 10 @ 3-4:30 p.m.: Addressing Your Child’s Behavior Challenges

Sept. 24-25: 10th Annual Autism Conference @ DoubleTree in Chesterfield

Oct. 15 @ 10-11:30 a.m.: Addressing Puberty and Sexuality for Children with Autism

Nov. 10 @ 10-11:30 a.m.: How to Prepare and Have Successful Holiday Breaks from School

Dec. 8 @ 10-11:30 a.m.: Toilet Training

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