BRIDGE Study (BRain Indicators of Developmental Growth)

What is the study about?
This study is investigating how differences in brain activity affect learning, language and behavior in children with Fragile X Syndrome, Down syndrome, and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Down syndrome is the most common cause of intellectual disability, while Fragile X syndrome is the most common inherited form of intellectual disability. In addition to cognitive and learning difficulties, children with Fragile X syndrome and Down syndrome often struggle with language delays. Many of these challenges overlap with Autism Spectrum Disorder One of our goals is to find brain markers that predict cognitive, language, and behavioral difficulties in these groups. Another goal of ours is to better understand the differences in brain activity between young children with and without Fragile X and Down Syndrome, and whether these differences are similar in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Who can be in this study?

  • Boys aged 24-66 months that have been diagnosed with Fragile X Syndrome (FXS)
  • Boys aged 24-66 months Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and language delay
  • Boys or girls aged 24-66 months with Down syndrome (DS)
  • Boys or girls aged 24-66 months who have no developmental concerns

What does the study participation involve?

  • 2 visits to the lab, spaced one year apart. Each visit will take 2-4 hours.
  • Each visit includes clinical and behavioral assessments that will evaluate your child’s thinking, motor skills, language skills, and social communication. In addition, we will measure your child’s brain activity using electroencephalography (EEG).
  • EEG is a safe and radiation free way to measure brain activity in response to different sounds and pictures.
  • Completion of questionnaires

What will you receive?

  • Families will receive a small toy and a small payment for participating. We will provide free parking and child-care for siblings.
  • Families will receive a written report about their child’s development.
  • Reimbursement for travel is available

For more information contact BRIDGEstudy@childrens.harvard.edu.

Participation details

Who can be in this study?

  • Boys aged 24-66 months that have been diagnosed with Fragile X Syndrome (FXS)
  • Boys aged 24-66 months Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and language delay
  • Boys or girls aged 24-66 months with Down syndrome (DS)
  • Boys or girls aged 24-66 months who have no developmental concerns

What does the study participation involve?

  • 2 visits to the lab, spaced one year apart. Each visit will take 2-4 hours.
  • Each visit includes clinical and behavioral assessments that will evaluate your child’s thinking, motor skills, language skills, and social communication. In addition, we will measure your child’s brain activity using electroencephalography (EEG).
  • EEG is a safe and radiation free way to measure brain activity in response to different sounds and pictures.
  • Completion of questionnaires

What will you receive?

  • Families will receive a small toy and a small payment for participating. We will provide free parking and child-care for siblings.
  • Families will receive a written report about their child’s development.
  • Reimbursement for travel is available


For more information contact BRIDGEstudy@childrens.harvard.edu.

Fragile X Neural Markers Study

What is the study about?
The purpose of this study is to improve our understanding of how differences in brain activity affect learning, language, and behavior in children with Fragile X Syndrome (FXS). Currently there is no effective treatment for FXS. Our goal is to find brain markers that predict cognitive, language, and behavioral difficulties in young children with FXS, and to better understand differences in brain activity between children with and without FXS.

Who can be in this study?

  • Boys or girls 32-84 months old that have been diagnosed with Fragile X Syndrome
  • Boys or girls 32-84 months without developmental concerns

What does the study participation involve?

  • One visit to the lab, lasting 3-4 hours.
  • The visit includes clinical and behavioral assessments that will evaluate your child's thinking, motor skills, language skills, and social communication. We will also measure your child's brain activity using EEG.
  • EEG is a safe, comfortable, and radiation free way to measure brain activity in response to different sounds and pictures.
  • Completion of questionnaires

What will you receive?

  • Families will receive a small toy and a small payment for participating. We will provide free parking and child-care for siblings.
  • Families will receive a written report about their child’s development.
  • Reimbursement for travel is available

If you are interested in participating or would like more information, please contact: FXSNeuralMarkers@childrens.harvard.edu.

Participation details

Who can be in this study?

  • Boys or girls 32-84 months old that have been diagnosed with Fragile X Syndrome
  • Boys or girls 32-84 months without developmental concerns

What does the study participation involve?

  • One visit to the lab, lasting 3-4 hours.
  • The visit includes clinical and behavioral assessments that will evaluate your child's thinking, motor skills, language skills, and social communication. We will also measure your child's brain activity using EEG.
  • EEG is a safe, comfortable, and radiation free way to measure brain activity in response to different sounds and pictures.
  • Completion of questionnaires

What will you receive?

  • Families will receive a small toy and a small payment for participating. We will provide free parking and child-care for siblings.
  • Families will receive a written report about their child’s development.
  • Reimbursement for travel is available

If you are interested in participating or would like more information, please contact: FXSNeuralMarkers@childrens.harvard.edu.

Baby Steps Study

What is the study about?
The goal of the study is to better understand how differences in an infant’s brain activity affect their development.

Who can be in this study?

  • Infants under 4 months old who are seen at the Children’s Hospital Primary Care Clinic (CHPCC)

What does the study participation involve?

  • This study involves 4 study visits.
  • The first 3 visits take place at the CHPCC at the 4, 9, and 12 month well-child visit. The final visit takes place at our lab.
  • At the CHPCC we will measure your child’s brain activity using EEG
  • EEG is a safe, comfortable, and radiation free way to measure brain activity.
  • The final visit includes clinical and behavioral assessments that will evaluate your child's thinking, motor skills, language skills, and social communication.

What will you receive?

  • Families will receive a small toy and a small payment for participating. We will provide free parking and child-care for siblings.
  • Families will receive a written report about their child’s development.

If you are interested in participating or would like more information, please contact: BabySteps@childrens.harvard.edu.

Participation details

Who can be in this study?

  • Infants under 4 months old who are seen at the Children’s Hospital Primary Care Clinic (CHPCC)


What does the study participation involve?

  • This study involves 4 study visits.
  • The first 3 visits take place at the CHPCC at the 4, 9, and 12 month well-child visit. The final visit takes place at our lab.
  • At the CHPCC we will measure your child’s brain activity using EEG
  • EEG is a safe, comfortable, and radiation free way to measure brain activity.
  • The final visit includes clinical and behavioral assessments that will evaluate your child's thinking, motor skills, language skills, and social communication.

What will you receive?

  • Families will receive a small toy and a small payment for participating. We will provide free parking and child-care for siblings.
  • Families will receive a written report about their child’s development.


If you are interested in participating or would like more information, please contact: BabySteps@childrens.harvard.edu.

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