Promoting Early intervention Timing and Attention to Language (Baby Sibling Study)
What's the study about?
The goal of this study is to guide families on how to support and promote their baby’s language development. It starts when the baby is 6-9 months old and involves home visits and support via Zoom until they turn 2 years old.
Who can participate?
Babies, under 10 months old, who have at least one sibling with autism.
What will participants be doing?
Participation involves home visits and support via zoom until babies turn 2 years old.
Home visits (six visits, around 2 hours each):
- Parent completes questionnaires
- Parent and Baby are videotaped while they play together.
- Baby completes assessments of language and cognitive skills at each visit, and an additional assessment for characteristics of autism at 2 years old.
- (optional) Baby wears an elastic cap that monitors brain activity (a technique called EEG).
- Baby wears an audio recording device (called LENA) that captures their language environment for one day.
Virtual Language Support (12 sessions, 1 hour each)
- Parent participates in social and communication coaching sessions aimed at improving their baby’s social communication, engagement, and play skills and is guided through strategies to support their baby’s development.
Why is this important?
The goal of the study is to determine the optimal timing of very early intervention targeting communication and language for infants who are at risk for autism by virtue of having an older sibling with autism.
Families might benefit from the support by receiving detailed information about their baby’s language and communication skills. The focus is for the expert team to come alongside the family and offer support as the baby develops, given the known challenges of having an older sibling with developmental challenges.