The IDEAL Study

Baylor universityResearch Studies
Written By Kait Fedro

Language and Communication Development in Latino Children

All about the IDEAL study

The current project will identify and measure the early developmental trajectories of language and communication skills of Latino children and assess and characterize the emergence of autism symptoms among Latino children with a high and low likelihood of autism.

The team will 1) identify and distinguish Latino children's language and communication profiles through a cross-sectional analysis (e.g., data collected from many people at one point in time); 2) assess and characterize the developmental trajectories of language and communication skills (English, Spanish) in Latino children between 1 and 5 years of age, and 3) assess and characterize the developmental trajectories of autism symptoms between 1 and 5 years of age in Latino children.

The results of this study will help identify the developmental points when language and communication diverge between Latino children with a high and low likelihood of autism. Furthermore, the results will help clarify when and how autism symptoms can be distinguished between Latino children with a high and low likelihood of autism.

 

Eligibility & Study Details

To be eligible to participate in the IDEAL study, families must have a child ages 1 to 3 years old with or without developmental delays or an older sibling with Autism. At least one parent must be Latino/Hispanic. Both the infant and the parent must live in north or central Texas.

The study involves evaluating the child’s development every 6 months for a period of 2 years.

 

How to get involved

If you’re interested in more information about the IDEAL Study, please contact Sandra Vanegas. If you’d like to join the interest list to become a study participant, please complete the IDEAL Study Interest Form online.

Kait Fedro

Kaitlin “Kait” Fedro is the System of Care Coordinator with Our Community Our Future, where she develops resources, programming, and collaborative tools to strengthen supports for youth and families across the Heart of Texas region. Her passion for this work is deeply rooted in her lived experience with a mental health disorder that began in early adolescence, her role as a mother to a young, neurodivergent child, and her background as an early childhood development professional. Outside of work, Kait enjoys reading with an extra-large cup of coffee and visiting favorite community spots with her family.

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