Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment

03/10/2026

Welcome to the new Thompson Center! 🎊 Our first day of patient care in our new home was filled with laughter, smiles, new adventures, and many curious questions! The joy of our patients is truly what makes this place so special. We are deeply grateful to our generous supporters, especially the Thompson Foundation for Autism & Neurodevelopment, and to all the dedicated teams who made this incredible new facility possible.

All are invited to join us for a public open house and grand opening celebration on May 8! This special event will include tours, demonstrations, and engaging opportunities to explore our extraordinary new space. Please register in advance at https://thompsonfoundation.org/grandopening/

03/09/2026

Our staff got so excited to see our first appointments in our new building tomorrow, they decided to test out the playground! 😄

Reminder: tomorrow is the first day of clinical care in our new building at 701 Veterans United Drive in Columbia, MO (at South Providence Medical Park)! We can't wait! 🎉

03/06/2026

Our first day of patient care in our new building begins THIS TUESDAY! 🎉 All appointments on or after this Tuesday, March 10, will be held at the new Thompson Center at 701 Veterans United Drive (at South Providence Medical Park). We can't wait for our first appointments in our new home!

03/04/2026

Dr. David Beversdorf, neurologist and researcher at the Thompson Center for Autism & Neurodevelopment, recently released a study exploring autism and potential early warning signs of Parkinson's Disease, hoping that future research may lead to the development of preventative measures. Working with student researcher Nanan Nuraini, the team found that some young adults with autism show abnormalities in dopamine transporters, a neurotransmitter involved in numerous body functions, including muscle movement and cognition.

Read the full story from Show Me Mizzou: https://brnw.ch/21x0suu

03/02/2026

Heads up, Mizzou Giving Day is March 11-12! Your gift to Mizzou supports not only the Thompson Center, but countless other life-changing programs that have lasting impacts statewide, nationwide, and internationally. Our giving link is: https://brnw.ch/21x0nOL

02/27/2026

Our first day of patient care in our new building begins in just under two weeks! 🎉 All appointments on or after March 10, 2026 will take place at our new building at 701 Veterans United Drive in Columbia, MO (at South Providence Medical Park).
Follow us for updates about a celebration of our new building in May, including tours, interactive activities, a speaker panel, and opportunities to play on the new playground!

02/26/2026

Congratulations to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Mid-Missouri on renewing their Autism Friendly Business Training! 🎉

The mission of Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Mid-Missouri is to provide a home away from home that gives children a place to play after a long day at the hospital, provides their parents a home near the hospital for a good night’s sleep and a warm meal, and offers families relief from the financial and emotional burdens of traveling for their child’s medical care. Autism Friendly Business training equips them to support neurodiverse guests, employees, and volunteers through practical strategies, personalized tools, and on-going support. Together, we're building a community that celebrates individuals of all abilities.

Interested in the Thompson Center's Autism Friendly Business training? Learn more at thompsoncenter.missouri.edu/afb

02/25/2026

Families, join us for an exciting Sensory-Friendly Carnival hosted by Mizzou Greek Week!

The Thompson Foundation is proud to be the Official Partner of Greek Week! This year, the Sensory-Friendly Carnival will be Saturday, March 14. More details to come!

02/24/2026

This Friday, join us for a FREE webinar to learn more about resources available through Social Security! Register now at https://bit.ly/TEAMFebWebinar

Kirsten Goodwin, Public Affairs Specialist at the Social Security Administration, will cover important eligibility factors for Social Security Disability Programs, as well as benefits available to children and adults with disabilities. This webinar will be held this Friday, February 27, at 12:00 p.m. CST as part of the Thompson Center's TEAM program.

02/19/2026

Check out the Columbia Young Scientists Expo for a sensory-friendly opportunity to make new personal scientific discoveries, thanks to our partners at The Connector!

The Columbia Young Scientists Expo will be a sensory-friendly event! 🥽🪲💫

But what does that mean?

The first hour of the Expo, 1-2pm, will be a sensory-friendly hour, with more consideration for the sensory needs of our attendees.

To become an Autism Friendly Business, The Connector and our expo vendors completed training and consultation on sensory awareness, communication strategies, and inclusive customer service with the Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment. Vendors and staff were equipped with tools and guidance to help ensure that every visitor feels safe, supported, and respected.

We will provide signage and visual schedules that communicate the layout of the rooms, as well as the sensory elements that might be included in a booth (light, animals, touch, sound or smell). Comfort kits with fidgets will be available upon request.

02/17/2026

Congratulations to the Museum of Anthropology, Mizzou on renewing their Autism Friendly Business training! 🎉

The University of Missouri's Museum of Anthropology was established in 1885 and it is the only anthropology museum in the state of Missouri. The Museum's collections of anthropological, archaeological and ethnographic objects have prompted visitors and scholars to broaden their understanding of human behavior, past and present. Located in Ellis Library, the Museum hosts free public events year-round, including lectures, children's workshops, and departmental collaborations. Autism Friendly Business training equips them to support neurodiverse employees & visitors through practical strategies, personalized tools, and on-going support. Together, we're building a community that celebrates individuals of all abilities.

Interested in the Thompson Center's Autism Friendly Business training? Learn more at thompsoncenter.missouri.edu/afb

02/13/2026

Thompson Center researcher Dr. Stephen Sheinkopf and colleagues at Brown University released a new publication exploring possible answers to a common question in the autism community: factors that affect the age of diagnosis in autism. After examining two large independent databases (over 50,000 total participants), the researchers found that children with high co-occurring psychiatric conditions – who are ultimately diagnosed with ASD – experience later diagnosis. Find recently published Thompson Center research at https://brnw.ch/21wZVNc