Child Development News

The Kansas Center for Autism Research and Treatment will host the conference Autism Across the Life Span on April 8 at the KU Edwards Campus BEST Building. For the first time in two years, the one-day conference will be held in person and will feature six breakout sessions on autism research and programs related to behavioral health, interventions, neuroscience and the transition to adulthood.

LAWRENCE — A study from the University of Kansas recently published in the peer-reviewed journal Brain Sciences identifies a new gene target related to Specific Language Impairment (SLI). The discovery of BUD13 for future biological investigation of language acquisition holds potential for researchers to better diagnose and understand the communication disorder.

A new, comprehensive model of autism care and treatment that prioritizes personalized, stepped care approaches is urgently needed, according to a new international report published in The Lancet. The report calls for global coordination to reform research, care, and treatment for autism.

An established KU research program that surveys Americans with disabilities about their health has been awarded a $600,000 grant to document experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, including those of marginalized populations within the disability community, such as LGBTQ+ individuals.

If you’ve ever witnessed the blur of activity that is a typical preschool-age child, it can be difficult to imagine them as disciplined research partners. For more than 20 years, scientists at KU and elsewhere have studied interventions that pair young children with autism with their peers.

LAWRENCE – A national team that includes researchers from the University of Kansas has launched a five-year, $3.5 million project to study the efficacy of a language and comprehension program for elementary-age children.

The American Speech-Language Hearing Foundation has awarded Jena McDaniel, post-doctoral fellow at the Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training, a 2020 New Investigator Research Grant. The $10,000 award will fund research on improving the vocal production and language development for children with autism spectrum disorder, or ASD.

LAWRENCE - Using data to inform decisions or next steps isn’t just the bedrock of boardrooms and business. A team of University of Kansas researchers has shown that it’s also the foundation for improving the language development and communication skills of infants and toddlers.

LAWRENCE – Two previously independent early care and education training programs are collaborating to provide professional development opportunities and technical assistance to childcare providers across Kansas, with a total grant of $2.3 million awarded through the Kansas Department for Children and Families (KDCF).

Two-year-old Baylee Shriner plays with toys like other children her age now, but that wasn’t the case several months ago. Baylee, who has autism spectrum disorder, had trouble interacting with the world around her and could not communicate with her mother, Linzi Shriner, of Tonganoxie, Kan.