Active clinical trials for "Developmental Disabilities"

This study explores the relationship between brain development and infants' social emotion and communication ability, as well as the role of genetic factors in it.To provide a theoretical basis for precise intervention of infants' social emotion and communication problems and the overall improvement of brain development.

Children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) often engage in problem behavior, and functional communication training (FCT) is a commonly used treatment for problem behavior in clinical settings. During FCT, children learn prosocial ways to request functional reinforcers (e.g., "their way") instead of using problem behavior. For example, a child who engages in self-injury to escape math instruction may be taught to exchange a break picture card to receive a brief break from the math task as an alternative to self-injury. While the efficacy of FCT is well established, less is known about its effects in school settings when procedures are necessarily adapted for feasibility. The purpose of this investigation is to develop and evaluate methods for implementing FCT for children with IDDs in school settings. The investigators will use single case experimental design, in which each participant will serve as their own control, to address the research questions. First, the investigators will evaluate the effects of providing higher quality, longer duration reinforcement for appropriate requests relative to problem behavior (e.g., 1-minute break with a preferred activity versus 20-s break alone) during FCT compared to providing equal reinforcement for appropriate requests and problem behavior. Next, the investigators will develop a treatment extension to teach children to complete academic work to gain access to their way. The investigators will use visual cues, such as a green and red index card to teach children when it is time to work and when they may access their way. The investigators will evaluate the effects of the treatment extension on academic work completion, appropriate requests, and problem behavior. Finally, the investigators will examine how visual cues influence children's behavior when educators implement intervention across different academic activities. The investigators will measure the extent to which educators implement programmed intervention procedures to inform treatment feasibility.

The purpose of this study is to understand how to prevent COVID-19 spread in a school like the Mary Cariola Center (MCC) in Rochester, NY by answering questions like these: how do activities in the school alter chances of infection? Are there people infected with the COVID-19 virus who have no symptoms? How is spread of COVID-19 affected by vaccination rates? Is there any hesitancy to get the vaccine and what are the reasons? This information will be used to help keep the school open and the students and staff safe. Eligible participants are those that work at the Mary Cariola Center (MCC) and interact with the students at MCC who have a high risk of infection from COVID-19. The study lasts for up to 16 months.

The primary goal of this project is to identify the best messaging and implementation strategies to maximize SARS-CoV-2 testing for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their teachers to help ensure a safe school environment. Additionally, we will understand nationally the perceptions of COVID-19 and identify facilitators and barriers to help with the adoption of testing in other parts of the US and the necessary strategies to address other mitigation strategies including vaccination.

The objective of this study is to evaluate the long-term safety and tolerability of memantine in the treatment of pediatric patients with autism, Asperger's Disorder or Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS).

The purpose of this study is to see if memantine is helpful in managing problematic symptoms in adults with autism, Asperger's disorder, or Pervasive Developmental Disorder not otherwise specified (NOS).

The current study aims at comparing outcomes achieved using the Mifne approach of treating autistic children with results obtained when routine standard treatment is used. A prospective comparative study will be performed comparing the results of 12 children treated at Mifne with 12 children treated with treatment as usual. A child and adolescent psychiatrist using the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) and the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Generic (ADOS-G) will make the diagnostic assessment and a developmental psychologist will make the developmental and psychological assessments using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales-Revised and the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID II) before the child enters the study. Each child will be reassessed following completion of the Mifne intervention, at three and at six months after commencement of treatment. The control child will also be reassessed at three and at six months after commencement of a therapeutic intervention.

This study is working towards gaining a better understanding of the genetic and environmental factors involved in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), which includes autism, pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), and Asperger's syndrome. The investigators hope that information gained from this study will lead to new ways of diagnosing and treating ASDs.

There are two phases to the study. The first will examine serum copper and zinc levels and copper/zinc ratio in children (ages 3-8) who have autism and compare them to levels from same sex and age children who are developing typically. The hypothesis is that there is a significant difference in the copper/zinc ratio between young children who have autism and their typically developing peers. The second phase of the study will evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation using zinc and vitamin C for 16 weeks on selected symptoms of autism. Children with autism will be enrolled on the basis of copper/zinc ratios greater than 2.0, and as determined to be statistically higher than typically developing children. Measurements of serum copper, zinc and unbound copper will be obtained prior to, at the mid-point and end of the trial. Those children whose ratios have not fallen below 1.25, the top of the currently recognized range will have the zinc and vitamin C doses adjusted for the duration of the trial. Detailed evaluation of language skills, and a variety of behaviors will be evaluated prior to and after supplementation. The study will be placebo-controlled and double blind. Those children enrolled in the placebo arm will be offered a full trial of supplements at the end of the their participation in the study. The hypothesis to be tested is whether correction of elevated copper to zinc ratios in children with autism can be accomplished by oral supplementation with zinc and vitamin C and if these children show measurable and significant changes in receptive or expressive language or behavioral parameters associated with autism.

The purpose of this longitudinal study is to examine the ongoing interaction between the domains of cognitive and motor development in infants with neuromotor disability, and to compare outcomes of two groups of infants receiving two different types of home-based, parent-delivered physical therapy intervention, in order to determine which intervention is more effective in advancing cognitive as well as motor development. Knowledge of the effectiveness of two types of intervention will lead to improved early intervention for children with developmental disabilities, as well as future studies to examine ongoing outcomes.