Clinical Research Directory

Effect of a Telerehabilitation-Supported, Family-Centered Early Intervention Program on Neurodevelopmental and Parental Outcomes in Infants at Mild-to-Moderate Risk

The goal of this pilot randomized controlled trial is to learn whether a family-centered early intervention program, delivered remotely to parents and carried out at home, can support the development of infants who were treated in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and are at mild-to-moderate developmental risk (for example, due to preterm birth or low birth weight). The study will also look at whether the program helps parents' stress and well-being. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does the remote family-centered early intervention program improve infants' motor, cognitive, language, and neurological development compared with standard care? Does the program reduce parental stress and anxiety and improve parents' perception of family-centered care? Researchers will compare an intervention group with a control group receiving standard information and routine follow-up, to see whether the program leads to better infant and parent outcomes. The study will include 36 infants (18 per group) with a corrected age of 6 to 10 months. Participants in the intervention group will: Attend weekly online sessions with the research team for 10 weeks Carry out a home-based developmental activity program with their infant Share short videos of home practice and receive feedback, with follow-up via messaging Participants in the control group will receive standard information and routine follow-up. Infant development will be assessed with the Bayley-III and SINDA, and parents will complete questionnaires on stress, anxiety, and family-centered care. Assessors will be blinded to group assignment.

Vestibular and Postural Function in Children Suspected of Balance Disorders

The goal of this prospective cohort study is to investigate the vestibular function in children suspected of balance disorders, and to follow up on their balance progressions after rehabilitation. The main hypothesis of the study is that delayed gross motor development and symptoms of dizziness and balance problems in some children are caused by vestibular dysfunction. The investigators expect that early detection and rehabilitation by a physiotherapist will improve the balance ability for the child. The participants will be children in the age of 6 months to 10 years with delayed gross motor development and/or with dizziness/balance problems. The test protocol consists of questionnaires, hearing screening and vestibular and postural assessments.

Effects of MNRI Therapy on Fine Motor Skills in Children With Developmental Delays.

Developmental delay refers to a child's failure to achieve age-appropriate developmental milestones and may affect multiple developmental domains. MNRI (Masgutova Neurosensorimotor Reflex Integration) therapy is designed to improve sensory-motor integration, motor coordination, and cognitive function in children with neurodevelopmental disorders by integrating impaired reflex pathways. This randomized clinical trial will be conducted at Children Complex Hospital on 34 participants divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group will receive MNRI therapy, while the control group will receive standard care. Reflex integration and upper limb fine motor skills will be assessed over six months, and data will be analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics.

Perinatal Autism Genetics and Epigenetics Study

The University of Iowa's Center for Disabilities and Development is researching how pregnancy, early childhood experiences, and genetic factors influence child development, with a focus on autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Pregnant women are invited to participate in a study that tracks their pregnancy and child's early development, through simple, at-home activities using a cell phone. Participants complete short questionnaires, join an online interview, and videotape their baby's play after birth. They are also sent a kit to swab their baby's mouth to collect cheek cells for genetic testing. The study will explore whether stress and early social experience lead to genetic changes associated with autism or other developmental conditions.

Developmental Intervention for Hospitalized Newborns With Congenital Heart Disease

The proposed study includes a newborn developmental intervention to improve neurodevelopmental (ND) and medical outcomes for infants with congenital heart disease (CHD) with improved parent well-being. Literature documents long-term ND disabilities for children with CHD, caused by the negative effects of the hospital environment on the developing newborn brain. The cardiac intensive care unit (CICU), while necessary to save the life of the infant with CHD, exposes infants to overwhelming stress through painful procedures, invasive lines and tubes, toxic sensory stimulation, and separation from family. The combination of these negative experiences disrupts the infant's brain maturation and subsequent neurodevelopment. Individualized developmental care (IDC) is an intervention that minimizes the mismatch between infant neurobiological needs and the harsh hospital environment, thereby diminishing the frequency and severity of adverse effects. Core components of IDC include support for parent engagement, caregiving provided in a way to reduce infant stress, providing a soothing environment and appropriately positioning to enhance musculoskeletal and motor development. Research shows that IDC improves outcomes for preterm infants with enhanced brain structure and function, cognitive skills, executive functioning, behavioral outcomes, and family satisfaction from infancy to school age. Despite all the positive evidence for IDC, my past research showed most CICUs do not implement IDC due to lack of staff education and no evidence supporting IDC in CHD. The investigators propose the first randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of IDR as an intervention for children with CHD. The investigators hypothesize infants receiving IDC provided in the hospital, compared to those not receiving IDC, will show improved medical outcomes (including shorter hospital stay, improved oral feeding, increased growth), improved developmental competence, and increased parent coping at the time of discharge home and 3 months after discharge. With support from the Children's Heart Foundation, the investigators can demonstrate the feasibility and safety of implementing IDC in the CICU, the potential to improve the ND outcome for infants with CHD and increase parent well-being. This study would serve as the needed pilot study to request funding for a larger multicenter trial which would impact CICU care of infants with CHD and their families around the world.

A Center Based Early Intervention Program For Preschoolers With Developmental Disorders

The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of a 12-week early intervention program that will include 12 weekly hours in an intensive center-based preschool environment or in the home to treat social communication deficits in children with developmental disorders. The study will include children with developmental disorders, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, neurogenetic disorders, or intellectual disability.

Baker Gordon Syndrome Natural History Study

The goal of this study is to conduct a prospective, longitudinal assessment of the natural clinical progression of children and adults with Synaptotagmin1-Associated Neurodevelopmental Disorder also known as Baker Gordon Syndrome (BAGOS). This will be performed by acquiring baseline measurements and developing effective outcome measures and diagnostic tools for the disorder, to prepare the healthcare system for future clinical trials.

Comparative Effects Of Creative Movement & Play Based Interventions On Motor Skills

Children with developmental delay often face challenges in motor skills, balance, and overall quality of life, requiring interventions that are both effective and engaging. The purpose of this study is to improving these areas and investigating comparative effects of both creative movement and play based intervention that can help identify the most effective approach for enhancing motor abilities, balance, and overall well-being in this population

Psychological Correlates of Developmental Delays in Preschool Children

The goal of this observational study is to investigate perinatal, cognitive, linguistic and social-emotional correlates of developmental delays of preschool children. The study group consist of minimal 500 children between 3 and 6 years of age who will be examined by qualified diagnosticians. Participants will be evaluated with tasks related to the studied variables: cognitive functioning, linguistic skills and social-emotional functioning. Furthermore informations regarding social-emotional functioning of children, will be collected from parents. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Is there a relationship between perinatal factors and risk of occurrence of developmental delay disorder? 2. Is there a specific pattern of cognitive functioning in preschool children with indicated developmental delay disorder? 3. Is there a specific pattern of social-emotional functioning in preschool children with indicated developmental delay disorder? 4. Do gender and age moderates specific patterns of cognitive and socialemotional functioning in the studied groups? Researchers will compare the following groups of children between 3 and 6 years old: 1. With perinatal risks factors 2. With developmental delay disorder: 1. children with early intervention 2. children with delayed speech development 3. Control group

Pediatric Powered Wheelchair Standing Devices: An Exploratory Study

For children who use a power wheelchair, a powered wheelchair standing device (PWSD) may be considered for daily use. A PWSD allows a child to electronically move between sitting and standing and can be driven in either position. Existing published PWSD research in pediatrics is limited to boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).(1, 2) While these studies provide some insights into PWSD use in boys with DMD, they do not reflect PWSD use in children with other conditions. The purpose of this exploratory study is to determine the feasibility of a research protocol exploring use of a PWSD in children who have neurodevelopmental conditions other than DMD.

Result Of Karyotyping in Pediatric Patients With Congenital Anomalies and Developmental Delay

The goal of this observational cross-sectional study is to study the results of karyotyping analysis for children presented with congenital anomalies and developmental delay aged 1 month to 12 years, the need for further genetic tastings and identification of parents who are carrier of balanced chromosomal translocations. The main question it aims to answer: What the is the incidence of congenital anomalies tested by karyotyping and the type of chromosomal abnormalities causing the clinical features. Researcher will take detailed clinical history, physical examination and developmental assessment for children and interpret karyotyping results. For participants data will be collected regarding: 1. History will be taken including demographic data of child age, parental age, consanguinity and relevant family history and developmental history. 2. Clinical examination for any fascial dysmorphism, congenital heart disease, skeletal deformities, renal anomalies or any associated features. 3. Clinical assessment of developmental milestones. 4. Investigations done including laboratory tests, ultrasound scan, x-rays, CT scan, echocardiography or any other investigation. 5. Karyotyping results detected if aneuploidy or structural abnormality including chromosomal deletions, duplications, translocations or inversions. 6. Other genetics tests done including Comparative microarray, FISH (Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization), and WES (Whole Exome Sequencing). 7. If parental karyotyping for suspected translocations was done.

Pai.ACT Programme for Parents of Children With Special Healthcare Needs - Phase I

This study aims to determine the feasibility, acceptability and potential efficacy of an individual, video-conferencing based Focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (FACT) on the mental well-being of parents of children with Special Health Care Needs(SHCN). The study also aims to explore the experience of parents after participating in the individual-based FACT sessions offered by the trained FACT interventionists.

Task Specific vs Basketball-Based Balance Training in Children With Developmental Delay

To compare the effects of task specific balance training vs task-oriented basketball training on balance and motor skills in children with developmental delay

Impact of Sulphonylureas on Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in KCNJ11-related Intermediate Developmental Delay, Epilepsy and Neonatal Diabetes (iDEND) Syndrome

The goal of this observational study is to learn about the impact of the diabetes drug glibenclamide (glyburide) on neurodevelopment in individuals with iDEND (developmental delay, epilepsy and neonatal diabetes) due to the V59M mutation in the KCNJ11 gene. The main question it aims to answer is whether initiating sulphonylurea (SU) therapy in the first year of life results in better neurodevelopmental outcomes in affected individuals, in comparison to starting therapy later than 12 months of age. Participants will undergo a neurodevelopmental assessment comprising parental and teacher completion of standardised questionnaires, and where possible face to face neuropsychological testing. Researchers will compare the outcomes of these standardised tests in the individuals who started SU therapy \<12 months of age in comparison to those who started \>12 months of age.