View clinical trials related to Developmental Disabilities.
Filter by: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 investigators wish to compare the brain distribution of GABA(A) receptors and GABA levels in young adult males with Fragile X Syndrome compared to idiopathic intellectual developmental disorder. The radiopharmaceutical [18F]flumazenil has been used to study GABA(A) receptor distribution in other genetic syndromes with autistic features; however, despite overwhelming evidence supporting the importance of the GABAergic system in FXS, no clinical investigation of this system in human FXS has been reported in the literature. Therefore, this study will provide the first in vivo comprehensive examination of the GABAergic system in FXS using hybrid positron emission tomography/ magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI).
This study's goals are to improve connections between Oregon Women, Infants, & Children (WIC) clinics, primary care providers, and Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education programs (EI/ECSE), in order to help children with suspected developmental delays get the services they need.
the purpose of this current study is to examine the changes in postural stability in adult individuals with developmental disabilities following exposure to a college based integrative dance training course. Integrative dance may be defined as dance that encourages the participation of all individuals, regardless of ability, supporting and celebrating these differences as a community. It is hypothesized that a significantly reduced body sway will be observed in participants following a college based integrative dance training course. Furthermore, in participants that continue dancing in the program over multiple semesters, it is hypothesized that there will be an inverse relationship between body sway and dance participation over time (IE: As participants dance more, body sway will continue to decrease).
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).
This study uses functional brain imaging and noninvasive brain stimulation techniques to study the brain basis of developmental disorders like Autism Spectrum Disorder and Asperger Disorder. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and recently approved FDA treatment of depression, Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) will be used to study the neurocircuitry of certain symptom clusters in developmental disorders.
Background: - Currently, there is no standard method to study suicide risk in youth with developmental delays or intellectual disabilities (DD/ID). Youth with DD/ID are often excluded from studies that are used to develop these methods. As a result, most current suicide risk assessments have not been tested for use with people with DD/ID. Researchers want to develop an effective suicide risk screening tool for children and adolescents with DD/ID. Objectives: - To develop a suicide risk screening tool for young adults with DD/ID. Eligibility: - Young adults between 12 and 21 years of age who have DD/ID and are in mental health counseling. - Participants will be in counseling at Surrey Place Centre, a community health center in Toronto, Canada. Design: - Participants will fill out questionnaires during a 1-hour meeting with a therapist. The questions will ask about mood and current feelings, including whether the participant has been thinking about or planning to hurt or kill him or herself now or in the past. Other questions will ask about participants' understanding of death in general. - Parents of participants may also fill out a questionnaire. It will ask about how the participant has been feeling. It will also ask whether the parent has noticed any signs that suggest suicidal thoughts or actions, now and in the past. - Treatment will not be provided as part of this protocol. However, participants can receive counseling through the regular Surrey Place Centre services.
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.
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.
OBJECTIVES: I. Compare the developmental course (language acquisition, diagnostic stability, predictors of outcome, and restricted interests and behaviors) of childhood disintegrative disorder versus autism and non-autistic developmental delays. II. Collect data on molecular genetics of proband and family members.