Birthday Study (BDAY)
Contact: downsyndrome.research@childrens.harvard.edu or call 617-992-6707
Website: Down Syndrome Research Program
Study participants: 11-13 month olds with Down syndrome
- In-person study visits once a year for 3 years
- Play-based behavioral testing, small blood sample, and caregiver interviews/surveys
Cognitive & Metacognition Training (CoMeT) Study
This project has the primary goal of evaluating whether an intervention targeting the ability to strategically think and respond based on current goals will change the way the brain responds to complex information, change behavior during problem solving tasks, and reduce the impact of autism features. The intervention involves playing computer games and talking to a coach about strategies used during the games.
Contact: cometstudy@childrens.harvard.edu
Who can participate?
- 8–11 year olds on the autism spectrum who use fluent speech to communicate in either English or Spanish
What would you do?
- One visit to Boston Children’s Hospital with activities to evaluate each child’s developmental level, language, and social functioning.
- Two visits will include a series of games to assess each child’s problem solving skills and an EEG, which is a non-invasive recording of brain activity.
- Completion of questionnaires.
- Some children will receive up to 15 one-hour training visits using game-like computer activities led by a coach. If your child is not assigned to the training group right away, they can receive the training about 5 months after joining the study.
What will you receive?
All families will receive a written report with information about their child’s current developmental level and autism features, free parking, childcare for siblings during visits, and a small payment for participating (up to $140 over the course of the study). Children will also receive a small toy at each visit.
ELEVATE
This study is part of a larger, multi-site project that seeks to examine how children’s early thinking, language, and social-emotional skills develop during preschool.
Contact: ElevateStudy@childrens.harvard.edu or call 617-312-6112
Who can participate?
- Children aged 2-5 years old
What would you do?
- Participate in four lab visits (at 2 Brookline Place at Boston Children’s Hospital) over the course of 1 year
- Each visit will last approximately one hour
- Your child will complete a number of short tablet-based tasks to assess their language, mathematics, reasoning, and social skills
- You will also be asked to complete several questionnaires at each visit
What will you receive?
- Receive up to $150 for all study activities
- Your child will receive a small toy at each visit
- We will provide transportation reimbursement, parking, and childcare for siblings if needed
Genomics Study
Contact: doanlab@childrens.harvard.edu or call 617-919-7697
Website: Arnett Lab
Study participants: 4-17 year-old children with ADHD
- Saliva and cheek swab samples will be collected remotely from the child and participating immediate family members
- Complete a short medical history questionnaire
- Compensation: $25 per family
HEALthy Brain and Child Development Study (HBCD)
Contact: hbcd@childrens.harvard.edu or call 617-919-1726
Website: HBCDStudy.org
The HBCD Study will enroll a large cohort of participating families from across the U.S. and follow them and their children through early childhood. The researchers want to better understand how the brain develops and is affected by exposure to substances and other environmental conditions during pregnancy and after birth.
Researchers will collect information during pregnancy and through early childhood, including:
- Pictures of the brain
- Growth measurements
- Samples of blood and saliva (biosamples)
- Medical and family history surveys
- Information about their social, emotional, and cognitive development
Who can participate?
We are enrolling participants who:
- are currently pregnant
- are 18 years of age or older
- use substances or do not use substances
- speak English or Spanish
What about costs and compensation?
All study activities are free of charge. You will be compensated for the time spent participating in the study. Up to $2,000 in the first five years.
Project CAPEabilities (CAPE)
Contact: downsyndrome.research@childrens.harvard.edu or call 617-992-6707
Website: Down Syndrome Research Program
Study participants: 18-21 month olds with Down syndrome
- In-person study visit once a year for 3 years, behavioral testing and caregiver interviews/surveys
- Play-based behavioral testing and caregiver interviews/surveys
SPA (Sensory Processing and Adaptation) Study
Contact: SPAStudy@childrens.harvard.edu or call 617-919-6829
Study Participants: 3-4 year olds with a diagnosis of autism, sensory processing concerns, or typical development
- One in-person study visit (with an optional second visit) for an EEG and assessments
- Questionnaires for caregiver to fill out
SPIN Study
Contact: SPINStudy@childrens.harvard.edu or call 617-355-5200
Study participants: 2-12 year olds with a diagnosis of autism or Phelan-McDermid Syndrome, and typically developing children.
- One 1-2 hour in-person study visit consisting of EEG data collection
- Standardized social communication and sensory profile questionnaires