Dr. Susan Bryson

Expanding the Reach of Social ABCs

2023-10-19T10:29:02-08:00

Challenge There are few interventions targeted at children three years of age and under who have early signs of autism or a confirmed diagnosis, despite evidence that early intervention is important. Project Summary Social ABC’s is an intervention co-developed by Dr. Jessica Brian (Holland Bloorview, Toronto), together with Dr. Susan Bryson from Halifax. The intervention [...]

Genomic and Epigenetic Factors That Influence Development and Outcomes in ASD

2023-05-04T06:34:00-08:00

Challenge Parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have long noticed that ASD aggregates within families, but may manifest differently amongst siblings. Researchers wondered how and why this occurred. Project Summary The team set out to examine gene-behaviour relationships of newly diagnosed children with ASD. The team hypothesized that multifactorial causes of ASD are [...]

Social ABCs Community Translation and Dissemination

2023-05-04T06:35:15-08:00

Challenge Once one can confirm the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder, most Canadian provinces and territories offer government-funded interventions. However, because of long wait lists—first for diagnosis and then for treatment—intervening during the early years of life is virtually impossible for many families. Project Summary Network researchers aimed to change this reality when they developed [...]

Extending the Reach of Social ABCs Early Intervention: Community Expansion and Translation

2023-05-04T07:00:46-08:00

Challenge Social ABCs is an intervention for toddlers who are showing social-communication delays or early signs of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This intervention does not require waiting for a formal diagnosis. As a result, it allows a child to make progress during the critical stage when their brain is at its most “plastic” (capable of [...]

The ASD Demonstration Project: Next-Generation Genome Sequencing and Identification of Rare DNA Variants

2023-10-19T10:48:10-08:00

Challenge Autism spectrum disorder often runs in families. For example, identical twins of people with ASD have roughly a 60 percent chance of having it as well while siblings have a 20 percent chance. This statistic points to genetic risk factors. But which gene variants increase susceptibility to ASD? Moreover, how do genes influence the [...]

The ASD Demonstration Project: Identifying Early Behavioural Biomarkers

2023-10-19T10:49:22-08:00

Challenge Kids in Canada with autism spectrum disorder do not usually receive a diagnosis until the age of four, which is unfortunate given that intervening in early childhood is shown to improve outcomes. Project Summary To help families seize this missed opportunity, researchers involved with the ASD Demonstration Project from KBHN worked to find ASD-related [...]

The ASD Demonstration Project: Sleep: A Comorbidity Across Disorders

2023-10-19T10:52:26-08:00

Challenge Upward of 90 percent of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDDs) have sleep issues, compared to just a quarter of typically developing children. The toll on their well-being—and their families’ quality of life—can be severe. Project Summary In 2013, ASD investigators affiliated with KBHN teamed up to guide the national research agenda on this issue, [...]

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