Current Projects
Maternal Health Exposures and Autism Risk
We are investigating how in utero environmental exposures may or may not affect autism risk after the child is born. We are further interested in whether women with high estrogen levels may be more sensitive to the effects of environmental pollutants, and, in turn, may be at potential risk for future estrogen-related health issues. This information may help us isolate genetic and environmental risk factors associated with the development of ASD, and may possibly help us to offer important health screening information to mothers of children with ASD.
The survey is now closed. Stay tuned for the results of the study.
Emotion Contagion in Typical Development
Understanding the emotions and perceptions of those around you is a critical step in becoming a socially competent being; and one with which young children with ASD often struggle. The earliest way in which very young children begin to understand the emotions of those around them is through the process of mimicking the facial expressions of those around them and experiencing emotion contagion (for example, you may have noticed that when someone near you yawns, you too will yawn). We are studying the ways in which these processes develop in very young children.
Find the Consent form here.
Can Early Enriched Environments Ameliorate the Effects of Disability?
Some of us become concerned about our child’s development during their infancy or even starting at birth. Perhaps your child was born prematurely or with some type of medical problem such as a seizure disorder. Perhaps you adopted your child and are unsure about the quality of care he received before you brought him home. Perhaps your child has a disorder that was identified early on, such as Down syndrome or hearing loss. Or you know your child is at increased risk for developmental problems because he has an older sibling with autism. Maybe there are areas in which your child seems to be developing slowly or atypically. In any of these cases you may want to ensure that you are providing your child with an enriched environment from infancy onward to maximize his brain development and his chances for attaining a healthy developmental trajectory. My colleagues and I have published a book that seeks to provide mothers of young children with multiple strategies for enriching their child’s environment during daily activities.
To purchase the book follow this link (will be available for pre order in August 2015)
In addition, we will soon be providing a series of video clips online to demonstrate these techniques, and we will be collecting data on how these techniques may improve outcomes for children at-risk.
Characteristics of Restricted and Repetitive Behaviors (RRBs) in Autism Spectrum Disorder. It is widely agreed upon in the autism community that RRBs represent a significant challenge to the learning and social aptitude of the child. However, clinical practices and strategies for treating these behaviors vary widely, as due the range and function of the behaviors themselves. We are interested in whether these behaviors have an “addictive” quality, and whether they activate reward pathways in children with ASD. We believe that answers to these questions could greatly inform clinical treatment recommendations.
Upcoming projects include:
Can parent-mediated intervention decrease autism risk and increase functional outcomes in babies at-risk? Certain parenting practices, such as responding contingently to your child, engaging in joint attention, and providing an enriched environment, have been shown to increase the rate and quality of learning in infancy and toddlerhood. We will be exploring whether training the parents of infants and toddlers at risk to implement and improve these practices may ameliorate the effects of childhood disability.
What are the risks and rewards of having a sibling with special needs? Having a sibling with special needs effects many aspects of the daily life of a child. Whereas a great deal of research has been published on the psychological, behavioral, and physical effects of parenting a child with special needs, relatively little research has examined these same questions in regard to sibling relationships. Through neuropsychological and psychiatric testing, as well as in-depth interviews, we will consider aspects of family functioning in special families, and seek to identify factors that predict optimal health and success in siblings.
We are investigating how in utero environmental exposures may or may not affect autism risk after the child is born. We are further interested in whether women with high estrogen levels may be more sensitive to the effects of environmental pollutants, and, in turn, may be at potential risk for future estrogen-related health issues. This information may help us isolate genetic and environmental risk factors associated with the development of ASD, and may possibly help us to offer important health screening information to mothers of children with ASD.
The survey is now closed. Stay tuned for the results of the study.
Emotion Contagion in Typical Development
Understanding the emotions and perceptions of those around you is a critical step in becoming a socially competent being; and one with which young children with ASD often struggle. The earliest way in which very young children begin to understand the emotions of those around them is through the process of mimicking the facial expressions of those around them and experiencing emotion contagion (for example, you may have noticed that when someone near you yawns, you too will yawn). We are studying the ways in which these processes develop in very young children.
Find the Consent form here.
Can Early Enriched Environments Ameliorate the Effects of Disability?
Some of us become concerned about our child’s development during their infancy or even starting at birth. Perhaps your child was born prematurely or with some type of medical problem such as a seizure disorder. Perhaps you adopted your child and are unsure about the quality of care he received before you brought him home. Perhaps your child has a disorder that was identified early on, such as Down syndrome or hearing loss. Or you know your child is at increased risk for developmental problems because he has an older sibling with autism. Maybe there are areas in which your child seems to be developing slowly or atypically. In any of these cases you may want to ensure that you are providing your child with an enriched environment from infancy onward to maximize his brain development and his chances for attaining a healthy developmental trajectory. My colleagues and I have published a book that seeks to provide mothers of young children with multiple strategies for enriching their child’s environment during daily activities.
To purchase the book follow this link (will be available for pre order in August 2015)
In addition, we will soon be providing a series of video clips online to demonstrate these techniques, and we will be collecting data on how these techniques may improve outcomes for children at-risk.
Characteristics of Restricted and Repetitive Behaviors (RRBs) in Autism Spectrum Disorder. It is widely agreed upon in the autism community that RRBs represent a significant challenge to the learning and social aptitude of the child. However, clinical practices and strategies for treating these behaviors vary widely, as due the range and function of the behaviors themselves. We are interested in whether these behaviors have an “addictive” quality, and whether they activate reward pathways in children with ASD. We believe that answers to these questions could greatly inform clinical treatment recommendations.
Upcoming projects include:
Can parent-mediated intervention decrease autism risk and increase functional outcomes in babies at-risk? Certain parenting practices, such as responding contingently to your child, engaging in joint attention, and providing an enriched environment, have been shown to increase the rate and quality of learning in infancy and toddlerhood. We will be exploring whether training the parents of infants and toddlers at risk to implement and improve these practices may ameliorate the effects of childhood disability.
What are the risks and rewards of having a sibling with special needs? Having a sibling with special needs effects many aspects of the daily life of a child. Whereas a great deal of research has been published on the psychological, behavioral, and physical effects of parenting a child with special needs, relatively little research has examined these same questions in regard to sibling relationships. Through neuropsychological and psychiatric testing, as well as in-depth interviews, we will consider aspects of family functioning in special families, and seek to identify factors that predict optimal health and success in siblings.
