Seaver Autism Center | Mount Sinai Today

92NY and the Seaver Autism Center: Camp Tova 2025 Summer of Impact, Growth, and Inclusion

Updated on Nov 15, 2025 | Seaver Autism Center

Mount Sinai’s Seaver Autism Center and 92NY joined together during the summer of 2025 to create a Camp Tova internship opportunity that blends fun, professional development, and purpose for students interested in working with children with neurodevelopmental disabilities.

Camp Tova is a unique summer day camp hosted by the 92NY and designed specifically for children ages 5-12 with disabilities who have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and/or need additional support.

With a camper to staff ratio of four to one, each camper receives individual attention from counselors and specialists who have special education backgrounds.

Monday through Friday, campers and staff embark on daily adventures on the campgrounds in Rockland County, New York, and enjoy Friday trips throughout the tri-state area.

A Career-Launching Internship Collaboration

Camp counselors play a vital role in supporting the campers’ social, emotional, and recreational needs while ensuring each child feels safe, seen, and celebrated.

The Seaver Autism Center at Mount Sinai collaborated with 92NY to provide a new internship opportunity that offers eligible Camp Tova staff the chance to gain hands-on experience working closely with the Center’s clinical professionals and researchers.

The interns attended team meetings and group supervision at the Center, received training in the diagnosis and treatment of autism, and created tools to support Camp Tova campers, such as sensory kits, visual supports, social stories, and behavior plans.

The interns spent four days per week at Camp Tova, supporting campers, then spent one day each week at the Seaver Autism Center working with experts. At the Center, interns gained broad knowledge and were able to troubleshoot current campers’ challenges with techniques and tools to improve their camp experience.

“It’s critical to provide autism-friendly experiences in the community and allow all kids to experience camp,” says Alex Kolevzon, MD, Clinical Director of the Seaver Autism Center, was himself a former counselor at Camp Tova. “We were so pleased to collaborate with the 92NY this past summer and thrilled to inspire the next generation of clinicians who will support individuals on the spectrum.”

This unique opportunity blends real-world experience in special education and clinical psychology, making it ideal for those pursuing careers in fields such as psychology, psychiatry, social work, special education, and child life.

Feedback From Camp Tova Seaver Interns

The participating counselors found the new collaboration to have a meaningful impact. The internship enabled counselors to feel confident and supported to provide the best camp experience for each child—and also inspired the future career ambitions of many interns.

“The Seaver Center has been providing support in helping campers to sit still for longer by providing positive reinforcement and stimulation, and I’ve been able to use verbal ‘if then’ statements to get him to complete behaviors,” said one counselor.

“Being at the Seaver Center has significantly enhanced my understanding of the campers and given me the tools to support them better,” said another.

Interested in Becoming a Camp Tova Seaver Intern?

Becoming a counselor can provide invaluable experience working with children with autism in a structured and supportive environment. In addition, counselors receive training from one of the top autism research centers in the country.

“Through this collaboration, our Camp Tova counselors received the knowledge, tools, and confidence to better support every camper,” said Lauren Wexler, Executive Director, Children’s Enrichment and Engagement at 92NY. “The Seaver internship not only elevated the quality of care and inclusion at camp but also nurtured the next generation of compassionate professionals dedicated to working with children with disabilities.”

To be eligible you must be at least 18 years old and have completed high school. Experience with and/or passion for working with children with special needs is preferred.

Contact: Rachel Skoff at RSkoff@92ny.org or 212-415-5641 for more information about the program and application process.

What You Should Know About Autism and Medications

Updated on Sep 29, 2025 | Featured, Seaver Autism Center

Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disability. People on the autism spectrum have varied abilities and support needs. Some may have advanced conversation skills and can live with minimal support, whereas others may use few to no words and require 24/7 care.

Autism has been in the headlines recently. On Monday, September 22, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) took two steps that drew widespread interest and prompted criticism from a number of medical and science organizations.

The agency alerted physicians that the use of acetaminophen, the active ingredient in the pain reliever Tylenol and other generic medications, by pregnant women may be associated with an increased risk of neuropsychiatric conditions, including autism. The FDA said clinicians should consider minimizing the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy for routine low-grade fevers, which is already the existing guidance.
The agency took steps to make it easier for clinicians to prescribe an older medication, leucovorin, or folinic acid (a naturally occurring form of vitamin B9), to treat children with autism.

The actions by the federal government prompted many to seek answers. Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions from experts at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai: Joseph Buxbaum, PhD, Director of the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment; Joanne Stone, MD, Chair of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Science; Lisa Satlin, MD, Chair of Pediatrics; and Alex Kolevzon, MD, Chief, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

How common is autism?

The rate of autism in children increased over recent years and is now estimated to be 1 in 31, according to the latest monitoring data released in April by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The survey was conducted in 2022 across 16 sites in the United States, and cases were identified based on school and medical records. Autism occurs among all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. It is three times more common among boys than among girls. Experts say a number of factors have contributed to a rising rate of autism, including expanded criteria for diagnosis, greater awareness, and improved screening and diagnostics.

What causes autism?

There are strong data indicating that genetics are the major cause of autism. However, not all genetic risk is inherited; some genetic changes leading to autism occur as spontaneous mutations in the egg or sperm, according to Mount Sinai’s Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment. Experts also believe some environmental factors may be involved.

What do you advise women about using acetaminophen during pregnancy?

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine continue to recommend acetaminophen as one of the safest options for treating pain and reducing fever during pregnancy when used as directed and emphasize that pregnant patients should always discuss any medication use with their clinicians. The FDA says acetaminophen is the safest over-the-counter alternative for pregnant women. It is also well documented that an untreated high fever in a pregnant woman increases the risk of birth defects and premature birth, and there is some suggestive evidence that fever in a pregnant woman may also be associated with an increased risk for autism in the child.

Did a recent Mount Sinai study demonstrate a connection between acetaminophen and autism?

Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, together with national collaborators, published a systematic review in BMC Environmental Health examining the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy. The research applied a rigorous framework for evaluating environmental health data and analyzed 46 studies involving more than 100,000 participants worldwide. The study found an association, but not a causal link, between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children. As the authors note, these do not prove that acetaminophen use during pregnancy causes these conditions. In fact, several large studies, including one that came out after the BMC Environmental Health study, indicate that acetaminophen does not cause these conditions and that there is likely a shared relationship between the reason acetaminophen is taken and the risk for behavioral outcomes in the child (for example, fever). Careful clinicians and researchers will continue research to optimize management of pain and fever during pregnancy using current or future medications but results to date do not demonstrate a causal relationship.

Can you explain the difference between association and causality?

Association is when two things happen at the same time, but one doesn’t necessarily cause the other. In a very simple example, more people eat ice cream in the summer, and more people get sunburns in the summer, but that doesn’t prove ice cream causes sunburns. There is an independent cause for both more sunburns and more ice cream in the summer: both are due to the warmer weather. In the case of autism, here is an example cited by the Autism Science Foundation: Women take acetaminophen when they are pregnant to reduce fever. Fever during pregnancy is a known autism risk factor. But this question remains unanswered: Could an increase in autism be due to the fever or the acetaminophen? At least one study showed that fever during pregnancy indeed increased risk for autism and that risk was significantly reduced when the mother took acetaminophen.

What are the treatments for autism?

The Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment says treatments include intensive behavioral and educational therapies and possibly medications. Many children benefit from a multidisciplinary team that may include board certified behavior analysts, speech and language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and other professionals. It’s important to recognize that autism is a spectrum, and not all individuals or families view support through the lens of “treatment.” For many, the focus is on providing tools and accommodations that help autistic people thrive, while also celebrating their unique strengths and differences.

What do we know about leucovorin, which has recently been suggested as a treatment for autism?

The data suggesting that leucovorin may improve some symptoms of autism come from five small clinical trials. The Autism Science Foundation says a higher standard of science would be needed to determine if leucovorin is an effective and safe treatment for autism. The Foundation says the science is still in very early stages, and more studies are necessary before a definitive conclusion can be reached. As with all research in this field, experts emphasize that interventions should be considered in the context of each individual’s needs, and that supporting quality of life and respecting neurodiversity remain central priorities.

What about other research into autism?

Autism research is being conducted across many areas, including genetics, neurobiology, behavioral interventions, and targeted medications. One promising area of research seeks to identify autism genes in order to develop new medications, according to the Seaver Center. Some of the most exciting advances in autism are tests of new treatments tailored to the genetics of the patient.

What should I do if I think my child may have autism?

First, have a conversation with your child’s pediatrician. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children be screened for autism at their 18-month and 24-month well-child checkups. If there are concerns, your pediatrician should refer you to a specialist for a more extensive evaluation. The Seaver Autism Center is one important resource for our families.

Learn more about the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Mount Sinai

The Benefits of Social Skills Groups for Autistic Individuals: Improving Communication and Relationships

Aug 7, 2025 | Seaver Autism Center, Your Health

For the last three years, the Seaver Autism Center has offered clinical social skills groups at The Mount Sinai Hospital. These groups are free of charge to families, thanks to generous grant donations from RVC Blue Speaks.

The Seaver Center provides hundreds of free autism-focused diagnostic evaluations each year in the context of research studies. In many cases, Seaver Center clinicians recommend social skills interventions to families.

Jessica Zweifach, PhD

“We are proud to be able to offer this critical support within our own Center,” says Jessica Zweifach, PhD, the social skills group therapist.

“Social skills groups are a place for children on the spectrum to learn and practice social skills with peers.”

In a Q&A, Dr. Zweifach, licensed clinical psychologist, Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Assistant Clinical Professor, Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, explains what a social skills curriculum offers and how these help families, including beyond the clinic setting.

“In addition to learning social communication skills, families involved in our group have told us that they have made lasting connections with the other participating families, which have continued outside of the group,” she says.

She adds, “We want all families of children on the spectrum to have access to excellent care, and we feel lucky to get to work with so many amazing families.”

What is the social skills curriculum?

Seaver clinicians host Seaver NETT (Nonverbal communication, Emotion recognition, and Theory of mind Training) social skills groups. Seaver NETT is a 12-week cognitive-behavioral intervention, which was developed by clinicians at the Seaver Autism Center. The program has evidence that shows improvement in the presenting challenges of those who participate in this manualized social skills protocol;: A randomized comparative trial showed participants who received the NETT intervention displayed significant improvements in social behavior outcomes, including nonverbal communication, empathic responding, and social relations. We also recently added an extension to the NETT group, so that families could continue learning together.

What happens in the Seaver NETT Social Skills Group?

The Seaver Autism Center recruits small groups of children and their parents to engage in the Seaver NETT social skills program annually. Children and parents meet in separate groups, with overlapping intervention goals. Topics include, conversational skills; how to pick up and read social cues; perspective-taking skills; ways to engage and develop friendships with peers; and other relevant skills to enhance social understanding and skills.

How have the Seaver NETT social skills groups helped families?

The Center has received very positive feedback from families who participated in the Seaver NETT groups. Many families expressed interest in continuing to come to the Seaver Center for social skills groups at the conclusion of the intervention.

To continue working with these families, past and current clinicians at the Seaver Center developed additional social skills lessons—guided directly by family feedback—and extended the program to meet the specific needs of these children and families who wanted to continue in the group. The families were thrilled for this opportunity. One mother said her child has been waiting to join the Social Skills group at the Seaver Center again. She said her child felt understood and validated and that the curriculum in the groups was comprehensive, organized, and allowed the child to learn regulation skills.

Review from participating autistic child: “Can we extend the time? Because it is really fun!”

Review from participating parent: “The curriculum and practice exercises from this group should be implemented in schools because it helps our children regulate their emotions, understand themselves and others and find better ways of communicating”

Clinicians at the Seaver Center are very grateful to have funding for social skills groups, so they can provide interventions for autistic individuals in the community regardless of whether they are able to pay for services.

Being able to lead social skills groups that are free of charge to families has been incredibly meaningful to all of us at Seaver. 

If you and your family are interested in learning more about the Seaver NETT Socials Skills Group, or are interested in joining a group, please contact the Seaver Autism Center: TheSeaverCenter@mssm.edu.

Learn more about the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment

When to Seek an Autism Evaluation: Early Signs to Look For and Tips for Parents

Updated on Jun 17, 2025 | Seaver Autism Center, Your Health

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that causes social, communication, and behavioral differences. Early identification can get children the support needed to promote optimal growth and development. Research has shown that early behavioral intervention can significantly improve outcomes.

Autism refers to a broad range of conditions and affects each person differently. The spectrum ranges from those with profound autism who are the most severely affected and use few to no words to those who are highly verbally fluent.

All autistic individuals display differences in social emotional-reciprocity, nonverbal communication, and the development and understanding of social relationships. Restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior are also a core feature of autism and can include sensory differences, fixated interests, insistence on sameness, or stereotyped speech and motor behavior.

“Autism is a constellation of differences in social communication and behavior and there is no single “red flag,” says Paige Siper, PhD, Chief Psychologist of the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Mount Sinai. “Not all autistic children will exhibit these behaviors and not all individuals who exhibit these behaviors are autistic.”

Paige Siper, PhD, Chief Psychologist of the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Mount Sinai

Dr. Siper explains the early signs to watch for and offers tips if concerns arise. “Trust your gut. You know your child best,” she adds. “If you have concerns about your child’s development, seek an evaluation or services to support your child.”

Here are early signs to watch for:

Your child is not meeting some or all developmental milestones. If your child is not meeting early motor, language, or social milestones share your concerns with your child’s pediatrician.

Social difficulties, such as lack of eye contact, lack of social smiling (smiling back when you smile at your child), difficulty directing and understanding facial expressions, and poor imitation or play skills.

Communication difficulties such as not responding to one’s name, trouble understanding and using language or gestures such as pointing, waving, or clapping.

Sensory differences characterized by over- or under-responsiveness (such as sensitivity to sounds or textures or lack of response to pain) or an intense interest in sensory aspects of the environment (such as peering closely at objects or repeatedly seeking out the feel or sound of certain objects).

Restricted or repetitive behaviors and interests, such as insistence on following specific routines, or repetitive speech and behavior.

Here are tips for parents:

Learn the signs, learn the milestones, and monitor your child’s development. If you have concerns about your child’s development (at any age), schedule an appointment with your child’s pediatrician to share your concerns and observations. You can refer to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Developmental Milestones list as a guide. The CDC’s “Learn the Signs. Act Early” website provides resources to track milestones along with suggested activities to promote a child’s development from two months to five years old.

Autism and general developmental evaluations do not require a referral from a health care provider. If you have concerns about autism, an autism diagnostic evaluation by expert clinicians is recommended and can be scheduled at an autism center, such as the Seaver Autism Center at Mount Sinai.

You can obtain services through your state or school district. Early Intervention evaluations are available from birth to age three and will determine whether your child is eligible to receive services such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, or physical therapy through your states Department of Health. For children between the ages of three to five, evaluations can be requested through the Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE) and after age five, through an Individualized Education Program (IEP). If you are in New York, you can request an evaluation to determine whether your child qualifies for services by dialing 311.

Learn more about the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Mount Sinai

What You Need to Know About Participating in Autism Research at Mount Sinai

Oct 28, 2024 | Featured, Research, Seaver Autism Center, Your Health

Clinical research is critical to advance our understanding of the causes of neurodevelopmental disorders and to develop effective treatments. The Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Mount Sinai maintains an active clinical research portfolio with a variety of recruiting studies at any given time.

Individuals on the autism spectrum as well as those with certain related genetic syndromes may be eligible to participate. The Seaver Center’s Rare Disease Program studies Phelan-McDermid syndrome, ADNP syndrome, FOXP1 syndrome, and DDX3X syndrome. Areas of focus include biomarker discovery, natural history studies, and clinical trials.

In addition to valuable contributions to science, the Seaver Center team works hard to ensure study participation is an enjoyable and low stress experience. When reflecting on their experiences, Seaver Autism Center families often recall a sense of warmth and trust.

One parent, Sakia, felt touched by how happy her son is whenever her family arrives for a visit: “As soon as he walks in, he’s running in, running into rooms, and it doesn’t bother anybody. Everyone is very welcoming.”

Paige Siper, PhD

In this Q&A, Paige Siper, PhD, Chief Psychologist of the Seaver Center, explains how research studies are conducted, the benefits of participating, and how you or someone you know can get involved.

What happens at a research study visit?

Research visits include standardized assessments administered by the clinical research team. Our multidisciplinary team spans psychiatry, psychology, and neurology, including a robust training program of psychology and psychiatry students and fellows. For idiopathic autism studies, gold-standard diagnostic testing, including the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, 2nd Edition (ADOS-2) is administered to determine eligibility. For studies in genetic syndromes, results from genetic testing are reviewed to confirm eligibility. Most studies include cognitive and adaptive assessments. Results from clinical assessments are summarized in a research report and include personalized recommendations provided to families free of charge. Many research studies include our biomarker battery which includes electroencephalography (EEG), eye tracking and, in certain studies, brain imaging using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

What are the benefits of participation?

In line with the Seaver Center’s mission, the goal of the clinical research program is to enhance the diagnosis of autism and related disorders, discover biological markers, and to develop and disseminate breakthrough treatments. Research participation is necessary to achieve these long-term objectives.

In addition to helping future generations through medical advancements, as mentioned above, research participants receive results from clinical testing in the form of a research report with recommendations at no cost. These reports may be used to access necessary services both within and outside the school setting.

Who can participate?

Every study has specified enrollment criteria and therefore eligibility varies by study. The Seaver Autism Center has a number of ongoing research studies and encourages you to reach out to the team to discuss studies you or your child may be eligible for.

How do you get involved?

To learn more, call the Seaver Autism Center at 212-241-0961 or email theseavercenter@mssm.edu and one of the clinical research coordinators will provide you with more information.

You may also stay in the know by signing up for the Seaver Autism Center newsletter and by following the Center on social media.

Read and download a special "social story" for kids about the Seaver Autism Center

Learn more about the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment

Clinical Neuroscience Fellowship Explores Links Between Pregnancy Exposures and Autism Spectrum Disorders

Updated on Dec 17, 2024 | Psychiatry, Seaver Autism Center

Mount Sinai’s first recipient of the National Institute of Mental Health’s T32 postdoctoral research fellowship, Training the New Generation of Clinical Neuroscientists: Vahe Khachadourian, MD, PhD.

A large body of research suggests that environmental exposures during pregnancy may be associated with autism in offspring. But those studies barely scratch the surface of the complex task of understanding the cause of autism spectrum disorders. At the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, postdoctoral fellow Vahe Khachadourian, MD, PhD, and his mentor Magdalena Janecka, PhD, are working to solve that intricate puzzle.

Dr. Janecka is an assistant professor of psychiatry and heads the Functional Epidemiology lab at the Seaver Autism Center at the school of medicine. Dr. Khachadourian was Mount Sinai’s first recipient of the National Institute of Mental Health’s T32 postdoctoral research fellowship, Training the New Generation of Clinical Neuroscientists.

With support from this prestigious fellowship and mentorship from Dr. Janecka and others at Mount Sinai, Dr. Khachadourian is helping to paint a more complete picture of the environmental exposures that affect pregnant people and their developing children.

Pregnancy Exposures and Autism: What Is the Connection?
Dr. Khachadourian trained as a physician before receiving a PhD in epidemiology. His current research focuses on the intersection of psychiatric and physical disorders — a topic that fits squarely within Dr. Janecka’s interests. “My lab is focused on early life and parental risk factors for neurodevelopmental disorders,” she said. That focus takes two tracks: “We want to learn how different exposures in pregnancy are associated with future autism risk in the child, and also better understand how different exposures in pregnancy relate to each other,” she added.

Dr. Khachadourian’s first project in the Functional Epidemiology lab focused on the latter of those goals, exploring patterns of co-occurring mental and physical health problems in a population sample of pregnant women in Israel. He found a significantly higher burden of physical problems among pregnant women with a mental health diagnosis than in those without—higher even than the rate of comorbid physical conditions, suggesting distinct links between physical and mental health during pregnancy. The physical symptoms ranged across disease states, including neurological, gastrointestinal, and musculoskeletal diseases. This work, currently pending publication, was presented at the Society of Biological Psychiatry conference last year.

The high co-occurrence of mental and physical symptoms has implications for both pregnancy outcomes and child health outcomes such as autism, Dr. Khachadourian said. In other studies, he has started to dig into the implications for autism risk. One analysis explored a variety of factors that pregnant women may be exposed to, such as preterm birth, hypoxia, infections, and trauma during pregnancy, as well as medical comorbidities, including depression, anxiety, obesity, sleeping problems, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. He and his colleagues looked for patterns among comorbidities in pregnant women and possible associations with autism in their babies. The study also incorporated data from siblings who did not have autism, to tease out which environmental exposures are most likely to contribute to the development of autism.

“If we know women have had [certain] exposures, we may be able to prevent some comorbidities, and we may be more likely to screen for and diagnose autism in their offspring earlier,” he says. “Of course, identifying these unique patterns may also help us to better understand the etiology of autism spectrum disorders.”

In other ongoing work using population samples, Dr. Khachadourian is analyzing health registry data from Denmark and Israel to examine the links between maternal medication use and psychiatric and physical diagnoses and autism in their offspring. “When it comes to autism, there are studies that have examined maternal exposures, but most have focused on one or a few diagnoses rather than systematically evaluating the wide range of diagnoses a mother can have during pregnancy. That is one unique aspect of our work,” he said. “Another aspect is that we use a relatively large sample and combine family design to try to tease out some of the confounding factors and begin to tease out some of the correlation from causation.”

These projects are exploratory in nature. While they are not designed to identify causal relationships between maternal exposures and autism, Dr. Khachadourian and Dr. Janecka hope they will point toward possible clues that warrant further study.

Fellowship Research in Functional Epidemiology
The T32 postdoctoral fellowship is designed to train clinician-scientists to formulate original research questions surrounding the etiology, pathogenesis, treatment, and prevention of neurological disorders, with the goal of bridging the gap between neurobiology research and clinical disease. The structured program includes a number of core training courses and workshops, as well as a dedicated mentoring team. Ultimately, the fellowship aims to translate research into better patient care “Whenever we think about conducting a study, we always think about the implications for both clinical practice and for future research,” Dr. Khachadourian said.

The fellowship has been a rich opportunity for Dr. Khachadourian and for Mount Sinai, Dr. Janecka said, providing dedicated funding and establishing Dr. Khachadourian as an NIH-funded early-career scientist. The research has been so successful, she added, that the fellowship has been extended a third year.

That research partnership is helping to chip away at the complex factors that influence autism risk. “A lot of studies show the association of this or that with future autism spectrum disorder. But we still don’t know why,” Dr. Janecka said. “We are trying to combine several different approaches, and several different data sets, to better understand the role of the environment in autism.”

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