Kristy Wessels

Email: KristyW@autismsocietyofwa.org

Kristy Wessels is a mother of a son affected by Autism. Until 2004, she was employed by Group Health Northwest as a certified physician assistant in family practice and urgent care for 11 years. Kristy focuses her time now around her daughter aged 11 and son affected by autism, who is 9. Kristy has been active within the Spokane Chapter of the Autism Society of Washington for 5 years, where she started a focus group and continues to provide leadership for parents with children 6 years and under.

Her own autism related interests are educationally based research intervention for young children with autism, specifically ABA. Kristy used ABA when her son was nonverbal, and now he is currently able to participate in regular education with supports. Kristy has been involved with the Defeat Autism Now organization since 2003 and has attended regular DAN provider trainings for medical doctors and other medical professionals with prescriptive authority.

Kristy assisted with the coordination of the Eastern Washington & N. Idaho NIH Autism Treatment Network research study called ‘Urinary Porphyrins and Autism.’ This study is to be released later in 2009 or 2010 via Dept of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences through the University of Washington. Kristy is well versed in all medical treatments for autism and Asperger’s Disorder. In addition to biomedical/ environmental approaches which are often “off label” with less peer reviews; she is interested in Autism Treatment Network’s latest clinical implications for ASD. Kristy is also aware of current FDA and American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines for ASD. She hopes over time there will be bridging of these two different medical approaches in Autism spectrum disorders. Kristy was elected to the ASW board during the 2008 election.

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