Project Description:
The field of D-B pediatrics is challenged by a lack of knowledge of how to best individualize treatments for children with disabilities, including autism, and a dearth of highly effective interventions that address either the core deficits in these conditions or other commonly co-occurring functional impairments. Even with our most effective treatments, such as the treatment of ADHD with stimulant medication, a significant minority do not respond (or have side effects that limit treatment), and many of those who do have improvement in symptoms, do not have large enough improvement to prevent impairment. Furthermore even for the most highly studied interventions there are few factors that have been found to predict response to intervention. When such moderators or mediators of treatment response have been identified, it has required large studies across multiple sites to have a sufficient sample size to identify the factors. Large multi-site studies are needed to identify subgroups that do not respond well to existing treatments, and these same networks will be needed to recruit a large enough sample of subjects in the subgroups to study targeted interventions as they are developed. For many developmental disorders there are no comparative effectiveness studies. The goal of this project is to develop a D-B pediatrics research network to efficiently implement large studies across a variety of neurodevelopmental disabilities, including autism in order to identify factors that will allow us to target the best treatment for a specific patient in order to improve patient care and clinical practice. All 10 of the MCHB funded fellowship programs plus two other large institutions are part of this research network. We anticipate to have at least 2 publications and 2 studies in the first 3 years of operation.
Keyword(s):
Research, network, developmental-behavioral pediatrics, MCH, collaboration
Core Function(s):
Performing Research or Evaluation, Developing & Disseminating Information
Area of Emphasis
Health-Related Activities, Other - Leadership
Target Audience:
Professionals and Para-Professionals, Family Members/Caregivers, Children/Adolescents with Disabilities/SHCN
Unserved or Under-served Populations:
None
Primary Target Audience Geographic Descriptor:
National
COVID-19 Related Data:
N/A
