In this episode of Supporting the Spectrum, Luke Daily, a licensed social worker and Assistant District Supervisor at Vocational Rehabilitation (VR), discusses how VR provides individuals with disabilities support towards employment goals. He provides an overview of the services available through VR, information on how and when to access those services, and additional resources to consider while preparing for transition.

In this episode of Supporting the Spectrum, Dr. Chad Rose, Associate Professor at the University of Missouri and Director of the Mizzou Ed Bully Prevention Lab, discusses bullying, bullying prevention, and response. Dr. Rose shares his expert knowledge, including advice, information, and resources to both prevent bullying and support students who have experienced bullying.

In this episode of Supporting the Spectrum, Shawna Shelton, registered nurse and nurse clinician at the University of Missouri’s Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment, discusses common sleep challenges of children with autism. She provides practical advice to families on both strategies to try and who to turn to for additional support.

In this episode of Supporting the Spectrum, Dr. Benjamin Black, Director of Medical Services and Assistant Professor of Clinical Child Health, discusses what we know about the COVID-19 vaccination, and implications for children with autism. He further dives into explaining where misinformation about vaccines and autism originated from. Additionally, Brittany Schmitz, Board Certified Behavior Analyst, provides helpful tips on how to prepare a child for a vaccination.

In this episode of Supporting the Spectrum, Kerri Nowell, PhD, Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Missouri's Thompson Center for Autism & Neurodevelopment discusses anxiety in children with autism. Dr. Nowell shares the range of symptom presentation and discusses the evaluation process and treatments.

In this episode of Supporting the Spectrum, Michelle Dampf, MA, CCC-SLP and Megan Henzel, MOT, OTR/L, ATP discuss the use of Augmentative, Alternative, Communication (AAC) with children with autism. They share about AAC readiness, myths of using AAC, and what to expect during the evaluation process.

In this episode of Supporting the Spectrum, Jennifer Weyman, PhD, BCBA, LBA, shares about the Severe Behavior Clinic at the Thompson Center.

In this episode of Supporting the Spectrum, Brooke Barnes, MA, Special Educator and Training Specialist and Jena Randolph, PhD, Assistant Professor in Special Education discuss the use of the Autism Program Environment Rating Scale (APERS), an assessment tool developed by the National Professional Development Center to assess the quality indicators of education programs for youth with autism. They discuss the trends in classroom settings and how these patterns have informed the trainings offered by the Thompson Center.

In this episode of Supporting the Spectrum, Dr. Benjamin Black, Director of Medical Services and Assistant Professor of Clinical Child Health, discusses pediatric medical support for children with autism. He provides information on the Thompson Center’s medical clinic, and how it differs from services provided by primary care physicians. Discussion and resources are provided on common medical concerns related to medication, sleep, behavior, and more.

In this episode of Supporting the Spectrum, Lea Ann Lowery, and Occupational Therapist, and Clinical Professor at the University of Missouri, gives advice on how to support difficulties with their homework and written assignments. Taking a strengths-based approach, Dr. Lowery discusses strategies for success.