MIND Institute Resources
Autism Resources
According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 1 in 36 children born today have or will eventually have autism. That means that an estimated 1.5 million Americans have a neurodevelopmental disability that can limit a child's lifelong potential for independence. Autism is reported to occur in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups, and it is about 4 times more common among boys than among girls. Autism characteristics differ among individuals with the same diagnosis, yet all affected have impaired communication skills, difficulties initiating and sustaining social interactions and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior and/or interests.
One of the major roadblocks to understanding the causes of and finding effective treatments for autism is that it has diverse outcomes. Some individuals have seizures, but others do not. Some have troubling gastrointestinal problems, but others have none. Some have severe developmental delays, but others have normal or even enhanced IQs. This heterogeneity raises the possibility that there are several types of autism, with a variety of causes. This complexity limits both scientific progress and the development of effective treatments. Thus far, research on autism has not produced precise definitions of autism subtypes based on biomedical and behavioral characteristics.
- 100 Day Kit for Newly Diagnosed Families of Young Children
- 411: Workbook for youth with Disabilities
- ADEPT Training Program: Behavioral skills training for parents of children with autism (English and Spanish)
- American Academy of Pediatrics: Autism
- Autism Self Advocacy Network: Toolkit for Accessing Communication Assessments, Funding, and Accommodations
- Autism Speaks
- Autism Speaks Tool Kits
- California Autism Professional Training and Information Network (CAPTAIN)
- California Department of Developmental Services
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Families for Early Autism Treatment (FEAT)
- Family Resources Network of California
- HANDS in Autism
- Help is in Your Hands (PDF)
- MIND Institute Service Roadmap: What to do after getting a diagnosis (PDF)
- National Autism Center: A Parent’s Guide to Evidence-Based Practice and Autism
- Parent Support Groups in Northern California
- Parents Guide to Autism: National Institute of Mental Health
Centers, networks and associations for autism
- Autism Internet Modules
- Autism Society Society of America
- National Institute of Mental Health
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke - Autism
- The American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.
- The National Professional Development Center on Autism
- UC Davis Extension Autism
Sleep Support
- 3 Day Sleep Solution
- ATN/AIR-P Strategies to Improve Sleep in Children with Autism
- Cleveland Clinic’s Sleep Disorders Center
Videos
The websites and resources listed are independent of the UC Davis MIND Institute and Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities. We do our best to choose sites and resources which reflect inclusion of people with neurodevelopmental disabilities and people with varying identities and positionalities, however, some older material may contain language that is not preferred or is not appropriate so please review with caution. Resources are provided for information only and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of the UC Davis MIND Institute and Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities.