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CliniKids blog

This series aims to provide some practical and evidence-based ideas to support your child and family.

Potential role for immune-related genes in autism spectrum disorders: Evidence from genome-wide association meta-analysis of autistic traits

Autism spectrum disorders are complex, with a strong genetic basis. Genetic research in autism spectrum disorders is limited by the fact that these disorders are largely heterogeneous so that patients are variable in their clinical presentations. To address this limitation, we investigated the genetics of individual dimensions of the autism spectrum disorder phenotypes, or autistic-like traits. These autistic-like traits are continuous variations in autistic behaviours that occur in the general population.

Siu Min Tay

Siu Min is a PhD candidate at The Kids Research Institute Australia and Edith Cowan University. Siu Min is a recipient of 2025/2026 Telethon Trust Fellowship with Child and Adolescent Community Health, for her research in nutrition in young autistic children.

Emily Spackman

Emily recently completed a two-year postdoc at Stanford University, following their PhD in Developmental Psychology from the University of Melbourne in 2024.

Professor Mirko Uljarević

Mirko is a medically trained research-focused academic with a background in developmental psychology, psychometrics, and big data science. His research takes a life-span perspective and is driven by the urgent need to improve outcomes for people on the autism spectrum and with other neurodevelopmental and neuropsy

Functional capacity assessments

Functional capacity assessments help families and the NDIS ensure that children receive the right level of support, resources, and funding to achieve their goals.

Cognitive assessments

A cognitive assessment is a valuable tool to better understand how a child thinks, learns, and processes information.

Book a consultation

Consultation appointments are one-off clinical appointments to discuss the best next steps for supporting children’s strengths and support needs. These sessions are available for families and professionals.