The clinical researchers at MEHRI are dedicated to developing methods
of diagnosing and treating developmental disorders.
Early Diagnosis of Social-Communicative Deficits and the Development of Autism
A retrospective home video study is being conducted to identify markers which indicate that a child has social and communicative delays that are a significant risk factor for the development of autistic spectrum disorders. The goal of the research is to identify such markers beginning as early as 6 months of age and continuing into the second year of life.
Behavioral and Neurological Outcomes of Intensive DIR Interventions for Autism The study is unique among autism treatment studies in that it is one of the first to study not only behavioral/cognitive changes that occur as a result of treatment, but also neurophysiological changes that occur as well. 50 children, age 2;1 - 5;3, and diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, are participating in DIR treatment which began October 30th, 2006. Participants were randomly assigned to either an immediate treatment or 12-month delayed treatment group. Children in both groups will complete 24 months of DIR treatment. The design of the study will allow us to determine (1) the effectivenss of 12 months of intensive DIR treatment (2) the magnitute of the gains made by children receiving 24 months of DIR treatment, (3) the neurophysiological changes that occur as a result of intensive treatment for autism.
