Newborn Study

Our newborn study follows the development of newborns through the first 3 years of life.

Our team tracks early social, motor, and language skills as infants grow, and provide parents with feedback and tips on supporting their child’s development. Families can earn up to $250 for full participation.

We currently have openings for infants who are:

1. Under 1 month and born preterm (between 24-32 weeks gestation)
2. Under 3 months and have an older full biological sibling diagnosed with autism
3. Under 1 month and have an older sibling who is typically developing with no family history of autism

For the first 3 months, we look closely at babies’ muscle tone, reflexes, and attention to objects. As babies get older, we look closer at their social and language skills as they grow. We also incorporate heart rate monitors that monitor heart rate (if anyone asks, it helps us look at their attention. When a baby is focused on an object/person, heart rate drops. We are specifically looking at “heart defined attention” for this study.)

This study does not involve any intervention – we do not take any blood, or pick or prod… it is an observational study and we primarily assess development and how your child interacts with objects and people.

We study early identification of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the first year of life, which paves the way for earlier interventions and improved outcomes for individuals and families affected by ASD. More broadly, our goal is to serve as a resource for South Carolina families by supporting the needs of our local autism and infant community.