Recently published research has revealed that people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are more likely to have multiple adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) than neurotypical peers. Little is known however about how such traumas and ASD are associated, the impact of ACEs on people with ASD and their families, and how such comorbidities are best treated. The purpose of the current review was to broadly summarize current literature across disciplines related to adverse childhood or traumatic experiences and ASD. Articles included in this review were: (a) published in peer-reviewed journals between 2008 and 2018, (b) available in English, and (c) included the terms, ACEs, adversity or trauma, and autism. Forty-five articles met search criteria and are presented by theme. Themes include; ACEs and ASD, Trauma and ASD, Trauma and ASD traits, Prenatal Risk, Caretaker Burden and Resilience, and Providing Services. Results indicate that trauma may have cumulative lifelong and intergenerational impacts on people with ASD and their families. Treatment recommendations and adaptations to evidence-based interventions for this population were largely speculative and need further development and rigorous evaluation. Clinical recommendations are cautiously presented, and focus on prevention of cumulative trauma in people with ASD and their families across the lifespan.

Background: The first years following diagnosis may be particularly challenging for parents and peer support from other parents of children with special health care needs may buffer their stress.Methods: This qualitative interview study sought to explore the impact of early access to parental peer support and whether it leads to positive adaptation and improved family well‐being.Results: Five mothers of young children with special health care needs from peer support organizations in two northern US states participated in interviews by telephone or Zoom. Themes of interest included professional scrutiny, going through the motions, someone who understands, learning and sharing, and one size does not fit all. Although most participants attributed positive changes in their emotional well‐being to the support they received, they were wary of extending the impact of peer support to their child and family.Conclusions: Implications for practice include embedding peer support programmes in neonatal care units and children's hospitals, as well as the addition of mindfulness practices to facilitate parental adaptation to disability and promote family well‐being.

Since autism diagnosis is directly linked to the availability of supportive services, identifying best practices for early diagnosis of autism has long been a concern of professionals and families. Meanwhile, studies show persistent racial disparities in autism diagnosis. Although numerous clinical diagnostic guidelines have been published, there is not enough discussion of diagnostic procedures through the lens of culturally diverse families. Purpose. This study focuses on the autism diagnostic experiences that Korean immigrant mothers had with their children. Methods. Eleven first-generation Korean-American mothers of children with autism were included in the study. The data was collected using semi-structured interviews in Korean. Results. The main five factors (i.e., cultural beliefs and values, language barriers, complex emotions, immigration and navigating systems, and facilitators and assets) that mainly influence the diagnosis process were identified through thematic analysis. Conclusion. Dynamics are interactive within and between the factors, influencing the entire diagnostic process by either delaying or facilitating the identification of a child’s autism and the provision of treatment.

Effective peer support is important to the promotion of well-being in parents of children with disabilities or special health care needs, who may suffer from higher levels of stress due to increased caretaking burden and difficulty navigating systems of care (White & Hastings, 2004). Parents from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) communities may bear the effects of additional stressors, such as economic instability, language barriers, limited access to disability-related information, the aftereffects of trauma, and lack of social support (Khanlou, Haque, Sheehan, & Jones, 2015). Unfortunately, when CLD families of children with disabilities reach out, the support they receive may not be culturally sensitive or culturally appropriate (Fellin, Desmarais, & Lindsay, 2015). In this Practice Update...