Why this study?
Younger infant/baby siblings of autistic children have a high chance to develop autism or other developmental conditions like language delay. The current study aims at monitoring their development and initiating very early parent mediated intervention.
Who should participate in this study?
Babies between 09 to 18 months of age who have an older autistic sibling.
What assessments will be done?
Assessments will be carried out to evaluate different areas of your baby's development including how you and your baby interact and play with each other. This will be done via online modality (e.g., Zoom), there will be no need to bring your baby to the study site.
Should I pay for assessments and intervention?
No, you need not pay for the sessions. Charges for all assessment and intervention sessions will be taken care of by the study team. However, other assessments which are not part of the study, maybe charged for.
What will the intervention program look like?
The intervention will be parent mediated, i.e., it will be provided to the baby through the parents. We will not directly work with your baby. We will help you understand your baby's communication better and how you can provide meaningful opportunities throughout the day to boost this communication. This intervention will be for a duration of 12 weeks. It will be delivered through an online modality (e.g., zoom). It will not be invasive or harmful to you or your baby in anyway.
How long will I need to participate?
Once you enroll in the study, you will be expected to attend the intervention for 12 weeks after which, we will follow up with you once in three months, until your baby is 2 years old.
If I change my mind, can I withdraw from the study?
Yes, you are free to refuse participation or withdraw from the study at any time. It will not affect any future treatment for your children.
Will my older autistic child benefit from this study too?
Your older child will not benefit directly from this study. However, if you wish to avail services for your older child, the team will conduct a detailed evaluation and provide appropriate intervention.
Contact Information
Malavi Srikar, Ph.D. Scholar
Ph: +91 9886799129
Email: malavi.srikar@gmail.com ; early.intervention.lil@gmail.com
Why this study?
Babies born to mothers with psychiatric illness (especially in the postpartum period- after child birth) may present with language delay. Hence, it is important to assess these babies regularly from a very young age (~3-6 months of age). Mother-baby interaction, among other interactions, plays a key role in language development (i.e., baby's ability to understand, communicate and speak). In this study we are going to assess the interaction between a mother and her baby.
Who should participate in this study?
Babies between 06 to 12 months of age who are born to mothers with and without a psychiatric illness like severe depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia.
What assessments will be done?
Assessments will be carried out to evaluate the different areas of development of the baby. We will also observe how a mother and her baby interact or play with each other.
Should I pay for assessments?
No, you need not pay for the assessments. All assessment charges will be taken care of by the study team.
How long will I need to participate?
Once you enroll in the study, you will be a part of this study for 3 months. Assessments will be done at two time points: one when the baby is between 6-12 months and the other when the baby is between 9-15 months of age.
If I change my mind, can I withdraw from the study?
Yes. You are free to refuse participation or withdraw from the study at any time. It will not affect future treatment for the mother or the baby.
What will I gain?
You will better understand how to interact with your baby in a way that best supports their language learning. You will be informed about your baby's major developmental milestones to watch out for. Finally, a small gift will be given to your baby for participation.
Contact Information:
Why this study?
Younger siblings (brother or sister) of autistic children are at higher likelihood of developing autism or other NDD’s or speech and language delay. In this study we are exploring the early home language environment of these babies. We are also interested to see how babies interact with their family members during different activities throughout the day and its impact on their later language abilities like vocabulary.
Who should participate in this study?
Younger siblings of autistic children between 09-12 months of age.
What assessments will be done?
Assessments will be carried out to evaluate the different areas of the baby's development. To study your baby's early home language environment, a kit containing an audio recorder and a t-shirt will be delivered to your home by the researcher. All other assessments will be conducted online via digital platform (e.g., Zoom, Google meet). You or your baby need not visit the hospital/research center at any time.
Should I pay for assessments?
No, all assessments are free of cost and you need not pay for them. The assessment charges will be taken care of by the study team. However, other assessments which are not a part of the study, maybe charged for.
How long will I need to participate?
Once you enroll in the study, you will be a part of the study for 6 months. The researcher will keep in touch with you and answer any questions during this period. A follow up assessment will be repeated 6 months later from the time of recruitment via online mode (Zoom/ Google meet).
If I change my mind, can I withdraw from the study?
Yes, you are free to refuse participation or withdraw from the study at any time. It will not affect future treatment for the older child, participating baby or family members.
Are there any risks?
The audio recorder has been approved by the US Consumer and Safety Commission. It does not emit any harmful radiation and does not affect the baby’s health in anyway.
What will I gain?
You will better understand the language stimulation your baby receives and how to boost this, if necessary. You will also be informed regarding your baby's current developmental skills. If we identify any challenges in your baby's development, you will immediately be informed and intervention will be initiated without any delay. Your baby will also receive a certification of appreciation for contributing towards science.