Active clinical trials for "Autistic Disorder"

The primary aim of the project is to develop and pilot a manualized, individually delivered Parent Training Program for Feeding Problems (PT-F) in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to assess feasibility and parent acceptance of the program. The secondary aim of the project is to assess the success of the PT-F program in improving mealtime behavior problems when compared to the wait-list control. Exploratory aims include obtaining preliminary data on the impact of PT-F on child and parent functioning (reducing parent stress and improving parent sense of competency and parent-child interactions at mealtime), assessing the impact of treatment on interfering behaviors around mealtime/snack times, and measuring nutritional improvements after treatment.

Young people between age 15 and 25 with ADHD and/or autism spectrum disorders are offered internet-based support and coaching during eight weeks (chat and e-mail). Data is collected before and after the intervention and six months after end of treatment using self-report questionnaires pertaining to sense of coherence, self-esteem, quality of life, depressive and anxiety symptoms and socioeconomic status. Parents complete an assessment scale for the next of kin. After treatment the young people are interviewed regarding the quality of the intervention. A comparison group matched for age, gender and neuropsychiatric diagnosis is offered treatment as usual and is assessed at the same time points as the intervention group. The individuals are not randomized due to difficulties to recruit if the individuals do not know group assignment in advance.

The purpose of this study aims to investigate the utility of Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT), a behaviorally derived intervention, to improve the quality and frequency of communication and social engagement of toddlers with siblings who have an autism spectrum disorder (SIBS - ASD) and who demonstrate developmental delays and impairments in social interaction between 12 and 15 months of age.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder, more prevalent than previously thought and heterogeneous in expression, though uniformly characterized by severe social disability. The social disability that defines ASD pervades other areas of adaptive behavior, is predictive of secondary mental health problems, and adversely affects long-term outcome. Although ASD is a chronic condition, there has been little research on interventions for adults with ASD. This study proposes to first establish the neural plasticity of specific brain mechanisms underlying difficulties with facial emotion recognition, a core deficit believed to be pivotal in the behavioral expression of ASD-social disability. The investigators will then develop a novel, computer-based intervention using real-time feedback, to the user, to ameliorate emotion recognition deficits.

An examination of changes in urinary metabolites with use of folinic acid in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Investigators will also measure behavioral measures and academic measures monthly at school with teachers and parents report.

There is not a lot of research focusing on Black and African American families raising young children with developmental delays. While the investigators know that early intervention helps children and their families, Black children with developmental delays are less likely to access such services. The causes for these racial disparities are largely unknown. Researchers have recommended caregiver support programming while on waitlists to improve caregiver-provider interactions and caregiver knowledge of the diagnostic process and developmental delays. Once a child is referred to a clinic for developmental concerns, long appointment waitlists contribute to further delays in timely diagnosis and treatment, as well as parental distress. Support programs for waitlisted families can begin to address these challenges. In this study, the investigators will examine a program called Parents Taking Action with families on a waitlist for a specialty developmental evaluation. The investigators will study if the program is feasible in this setting, if participants like the program, and if child and parent outcomes improve after participants have completed the program.

Clinically, infants with Autism spectrum often display gross motor delays in supine, prone, and sitting skills in their first year of life. Delay in crawling, walking, and achieving other motor milestones are frequently observed in toddler hood. In addition, difficulties in fine motor skills are frequent in individuals with Autism spectrum.

This project will address a major challenge to the field of autism research: improving expressive communication in children with autism who have reached school age but have not acquired functional spoken language (non-verbal school aged children with autism; NVSACA). Fifteen children who completed the RO1 ICAN intervention (NCT01018407) at the Kennedy Krieger site and follow-up testing but continue to have minimal functional spoken language will be participants in this study. After eligibility is established, participants will be randomly assigned to a baseline duration of one week, two weeks or three weeks before the start of active treatment. Once the baseline duration is completed, participants begin active treatment one hour of intervention three days per week in the participants' school setting. In month 2, weekly teacher trainings begin. In month 5, weekly parent trainings begin to improve the child's generalization of skills and teach parents the strategies implemented in their child's treatment. Post-baseline and post-treatment assessments will be completed in the lab at a time that is convenient for the participants' families.

The proposed study attempts to deepen our understanding of repetitive behaviors in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and its treatment by examining the changes in key neural circuits associated with risperidone treatment using functional MRI. This study is a substudy of a larger center grant (IRB#07-03-066). Other studies also under this center grant, include: IRB#03-02-085, IRB#95-01-028. All participants will have the option to enter another sub-study, should they meet criteria. The proposed study will address this aim by mounting a controlled trial of 52 children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. After screening assessment, children will enter a three-part study. Phase 1 will be an 8-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled flexible dose trial of risperidone. The extension phase is a 16-week open-label maintenance phase for responders to risperidone or placebo. Non-responders to placebo will be invited to enroll in the eight-week open-label study. 48 of the participants will also undergo fMRI at Week 8 while on blinded treatment, as an optional sub-study. The medication will be dispensed in a liquid suspension and the dose will range from 0.5 mg to 4.0mg.

The purpose of this study is to determine if a treatment by bumetanide presents an efficiency at the level of the neuronal maturation in the autism