Pediatrics

Official Title

Mother-Child Shared Reading

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine whether children's characteristics are related to the ways that parents read to children and the questions they ask during storytelling. Mothers will read and record a short story with their child (and submit) and complete an online survey. All research activities will occur online and in your own time.

 

Could this study be right for you?

• Mothers (biological or adoptive) and their 4- to 5-year-olds.
• Children must not have a developmental disability,
• Have normal hearing and vision
• Speak English with mothers at home.

Participation is limited to one child per household and to families residing in and completing the study in the United States though participation can occur from anywhere in the United States. We are currently recruiting only Black and White families for this study.

Age Range

4 - 5 years

Official Title

Disrupted eye gaze perception as a biobehavioral marker of social dysfunction: An RDoC investigation

Purpose

This study seeks to understand social functioning across mental health conditions. Social dysfunction is very common in people with mental health conditions; it can negatively impact employment, independent living, and maintaining meaningful relationships. This research is being done to learn if a person's ability to process visual information (including distinguishing other people's eye gaze direction) is a clue to social functioning regardless of diagnosis. This research will identify clinical and brain characteristics in relation to social functioning.

Could this study be right for you?

Patients:

• Diagnosis of a schizophrenia-spectrum disorder or autism spectrum disorder
• Receiving treatment in a mental health or primary care setting
• Experience difficulty in social functioning

Health Volunteers: 

• No history of past or current mental health disorder diagnosis
• Experience no difficulty in social functioning

Age Range

14 - 30 years

Official Title

Booster Seat Features that Influence Pediatric Posture and Comfort During Extended Time Periods: On-Road Assessment

Purpose

This study will help identify how booster seats influence children’s comfort during car rides and their behaviors. Car seat footrests will also be used to see how children engage with them. Data will be collected during car rides in the caregiver’s personal vehicle. 

Could this study be right for you?

Child is currently riding in a booster seat during travel in the car 

Age Range

5 - 12 years

Official Title

Preschooler's Language Use and Media (PLUM) Study

Purpose

This study is designed to investigate media’s role in language development during early childhood. The goal of the proposed work is to examine the relation between the quantity of children’s media use and their language development trajectories, as well as how characteristics of media use (i.e., parent-child joint engagement, interactive media features, and educational content) predict growth in language over time. 

Could this study be right for you?

• Children 3 to 3.5 years of age (36 to 42 months).

 

Age Range

36 - 42 months

Official Title

Shoulder Anthropometry and Reclined Postures of Children on Booster Seats

Purpose

We are seeking child volunteers to sit on booster seats on a mock-up vehicle seat. Measurements will be made of the position of seatbelts, booster seats, and child’s shoulders and hips. We aim to understand how booster seats and vehicle seat settings influence good vs. poor seat belt fit.

 

Could this study be right for you?

• Children between 4–12 years old in good health
• Willing to attend one 3-hour appointment (per child) 

Age Range

4 - 12 years

Official Title

A Single-Stage, Adaptive, Open-Label Dose Escalation Safety Study of Adeno-Associated Virus Encoding Human Aromatic L-Amino Acid Decarboxylase (AAV2-hAADC) Administered by MR- guided Infusion into the Midbrain in Pediatric Patients with AADC Deficiency

Purpose

The overall objective of this study is to determine the safety and efficacy of AAV2-hAADC delivered to the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) and ventral tegmental area (VTA) in children with aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency, and to see if there is a demonstration of effective restoration of AADC function by assays of CSF neurotransmitter metabolites and F-DOPA PET imaging, as allowed by subject’s ability to travel to undergo follow-up visits.

Could this study be right for you?

Inclusion Criteria

• Diagnosis of AADC deficiency from genetic test and CSF/blood enzyme test
• Failed to derive adequate benefit from standard medical therapy as judged by presence of residual oculugyric crises and developmental delay.
• Documented history of motor developmental delay, with inability to walk independently without support by age 18 months.
• Both parents (or legal guardians) must give their consent for their child’s participation in the study parents unless (i.) one parent is deceased, unknown or incompetent; (ii.) one parent is not reasonably available; or (iii.) one parent has responsibility for the care and custody of the child.

Inclusion Criteria varies, please contact Study Coordinator for more information.

Exclusion Criteria

• Presence of other significant medical or neurological conditions that would create an unacceptable operative or anesthetic risk.
• Previous stereotactic neurosurgery.
• Coagulopathy, or need for ongoing anticoagulant therapy.
• Receipt of any investigational agent within 60 days prior to Baseline and during study participation.

Exclusion Criteria varies, please contact Study Coordinator for more information. 

Age Range

2 years and up

Official Title

Understanding the Neurodevelopmental Effects of Youth Tackle Football Participation

Purpose

In this study we are aiming to identify risk factors for higher exposure to football-related neurotrauma in youth tackle football players and to determine the effects of football-related neurotrauma exposure on neurodevelopment in children with no previous tackle football participation.

For this specific posting, we are looking for boys ages 8-12 who are non-athletes or athletes who play non-contact sports to serve as control subjects for our fMRI study. 

Could this study be right for you?

We are looking for boys ages 8-12 who are either non-athletes or do not participate in any contact sports

• Boys must have no metal implanted in the body
• Have no prior history of head trauma
• Have no serious health or mental health diagnoses
• Must not have a fear of enclosed spaces

Age Range

8 - 12 years

Official Title

Exploring the Connectivity and Functional Organization of the Infant Brain

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to investigate how the brain that we are each born with leads to our own unique behavior later in life, and the similarities and differences between maternal and child brains. We are studying infants prenatally and postnatally, following up with them as they grow and develop, and studying their mothers to understand how similar/different they are to their child.

Could this study be right for you?

• Infants under 3 years of age, and pregnant persons who are at least 20 weeks pregnant
• All participants must have no metal implanted in the body
• Have no significant health conditions or history of serious mental illness
• Not suffer froma (fear of enclosed spaces)
• Pregnancies must be without complication.

Age Range

Up to 40 years

Official Title

Dilated Wavefront versus Non-Dilated Wavefront for Metric-Optimized Refraction Procedure for Individuals with Down Syndrome

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine whether we can use an instrument that measures how the eye focuses light to determine the best glasses prescription.

Could this study be right for you?

• Children with Down syndrome age 5 to 17 years
• Able to do vision tests by naming or matching shapes or letters
• Able to look at lights for short periods of time
• No nystagmus (uncontrolled eye movements when trying to look at things)
• Safe to dilate the eyes - we will screen medical history, eye health, and allergies to determine this
• No scars on the front of the eye
• No cataracts
• No eye diseases like glaucoma or retinal problems

Age Range

5 - 17 years

Official Title

Retirement from contact sports after concussion

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to learn about the experiences of children and young adults after they stop playing contact sports due to concussion.

Could this study be right for you?

• Male and females aged 14-22 years old
• Retired from contact sports due to prior concussion

Additionally, a parent may participate if their child enrolls. 

Age Range

14 - 22 years