The Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development is conducting clinical studies that help researchers understand and explore new treatments for a variety of child health conditions.
Participants in these studies can take advantage of new therapies before they are widely available and help others by contributing to research. To find about more about the clinical studies process, and its potential benefits and risks, read this guide to clinical studies.
To learn about the CHBD’s studies, click on a condition below to see a list of studies that are enrolling participants or are underway but not currently enrolling. If you don’t see a study that fits your needs, ask your doctor or nurse for help finding studies that might be right for your child.
Clinical studies by condition:
Adolescent Moods and Behaviors
Adolescent Health Behaviors Study
Medical Condition/Therapy: Mood & health behaviors of adolescents age 12-18
Status: Recruiting/Enrolling
Contact: Email Emily Law, PhD
Description: This study aims to find out more about health behaviors of adolescents age 12-18 and their parents. Teens and parents who participate will complete a brief (30 minute) online survey. Teens will answer questions about their family, their mood, and their health behaviors. Parents will answer questions about their family, their child’s health, and their own health behaviors. Learn More.
Asthma
Improving Asthma Outcomes Through Spirometry Distance Learning (Rita Mangione–Smith, MD, MPH)
Medical Condition/Therapy: Asthma
Status: Active, Not recruiting
Contact: Email Linda Shih
Description: Misclassification of asthma severity occurs when assessment is based on symptoms alone. This misclassification can lead to inadequate treatment, increased morbidity, and increased healthcare utilization/cost.
This study’s goal is to test the effectiveness of a distance learning quality improvement program called “Spirometry 360”, developed by the interactive Medical Training Resources (iMTR) group at the University of Washington Child Health Institute. Spirometry, a simple breathing test that measures lung function, is a recommended component of asthma diagnosis and treatment in the primary care setting, yet few providers routinely use it for children with asthma. The Spirometry 360 Program aims to improve care for children with asthma by enhancing provider knowledge and self–efficacy related to the use and interpretation of office–based spirometry. Learn More.
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Children’s ADHD Telemental Health Treatment Study (CATTS)
Medical Condition/Therapy: ADHD
Status: Recruiting/Enrolling
Contact: Email the CATT Study Team or call 1-800-997-4017
Description: Seattle Children’s Hospital is conducting a study to compare two Telemental Health (TMH) treatment approaches to help children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD/ADD). TMH uses two-way cameras to allow families in underserved areas to meet with a psychiatrist at Seattle Children’s Hospital over the TV. Children 5½ to 12 years old already diagnosed with ADHD/ADD or who might have ADHD/ADD are eligible for the study. Eligible children receive an evaluation at the local TMH clinic (Longview, Olympia, Everett, Wenatchee, or Richland). Participating families will be randomly assigned to one of two study groups: Group A) 6-sessions of medication and behavioral training, or Group B) a consultation session with a telepsychiatrist who makes treatment recommendations to the referring doctor. These sessions are free to families. Both groups will complete research questionnaires 5 times during the study. Learn More.
Autism
SAGE: Study of Autism Genetics Exploration
Medical Condition/Therapy: Autism
Status: Actively Recruiting
Contact: Email Libby Bliss
Description: Seattle Children’s is looking for volunteer families with children ages 2 to 35 who have been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are suspected of having an autism spectrum disorder or who have been diagnosed with developmental disability/intellectual disability (DD or ID) to participate in a research study to Learn More about the genetics of autism. The goals of this study are to identify genes that affect the development of autism. Please contact the study coordinator, Libby Bliss, to Learn More about this study.
Guanfacine and Methylphenidate for the Treatment of Hyperactivity in PDD
Medical Condition/Therapy: Hyperactivity in kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Status: Enrolling
Contact: Email Denise Ward or call 206-884-1168
Description: A treatment study of long-acting guanfacine (Intuniv)for the treatment of hyperactivity in kids ages 5-13 years with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.
- Part 1 (8 weeks): Participants will receive treatment with Guanfacine or Placebo (not active medication) for their hyperactivity.
- Part 2 (8 weeks): Participants who initially receive Guanfacine or Placebo and show a good response to the treatment will take Guanfacine or Placebo for an additional 8 weeks. Participants who were taking Guanfacine in Part 1 and didn’t show a response will not participate in Part 2 or Part 3 and will exit the study and return to clinical care as usual.
- Part 3 (4 weeks); Participants who have a partial response to Guanfacine in Part 1 will continue to take Guanfacine with the addition of Ritalin.
Learn More.
Studying the Physiology of Attention and Regulation in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (SPARCS)
Medical Condition/Therapy: Autism Spectrum Disorders
Status: Recruiting /Enrolling
Contact: Email SPARCS or call 206-884-1267
Description: Dr. Sara Webb is looking for 2- to 4-year-old children who have an autism spectrum disorder or 1- to 4-year-old children with typical development to participate in a study on attention, regulation, and development. We will monitor your child’s heart rate while they watch movies and play games in two or three 2-hour visits to Seattle Children’s Research Institute in downtown Seattle, and parents will be asked to complete questionnaires and interviews. We will do one follow-up visit plus questionnaires and phone calls 6 months and one year later. Free developmental evaluations will be provided and you will receive $25 and parking compensation for each visit.
Cerebral Palsy
Relationship of orthotics to activity and participation in children with cerebral palsy
Medical Condition/Therapy: Ambulatory cerebral palsy
Status: Recruiting /Enrolling
Contact: Email Ana Kobayashi (206-884-2756) or Kristie Bjornson (206-884-2066)
Description:
This study will quantify daily walking and physical activity levels for children with cerebral palsy (CP) with and without use of a solid ankle foot orthotic (SAFO). The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of wearing or not wearing a previously prescribed SAFO on a child's walking ability, participation in common life activities, and gait. Children ages 2-10 years who have bilateral cerebral palsy, dynamic equinus gait deformity, and wear bilateral SAFOs fabricated by Cascade DAFO (Ferndale, WA) may be eligible for participation.
Enrolled children are randomly assigned to either wear or not wear their SAFOs for a 14 day intervention period. After this period is over, children will then do the opposite for a second 14 day intervention period. Children attend three study visits. The first research visit occurs at enrollment at Seattle Children’s. The next two research visits occur in the children’s homes after each of the intervention periods. Learn more.
Children Who Require Complex Care
Improving Care For Children With Complex Needs (I3CN) Study (Rita Mangione–Smith, MD, MPH)
Medical Condition/Therapy: Children with medically complex conditions
Status: Recruiting/Enrolling
Contact: Email Linda Shih
Description: Seattle Children’s Hospital (SCH), in collaboration with several health plans and Washington State Department of Social and Health Services developed the Comprehensive Case Management (CCM) program with the goal to reduce costs of care for medically complex children cared for at SCH as well as improve their health status and the quality of care they receive. The CCM program aims to develop and facilitate a reliable and standardized process that empowers the child’s primary care provider and provides him/her with the resources s/he needs to avoid unnecessary emergency department visits and admissions. Before investing widely in this program however, we wish to prospectively evaluate the program’s effectiveness.
When a child is enrolled in the CCM program, his/her parent and primary care provider (PCP) will work together with the CCM team of providers at SCH to develop a shared care plan for the child. Once the shared care plan is in place, the parent, PCP, and the CCM clinic will follow the standardized processes established by the program and the shared care plan when the child becomes ill.
We are recruiting and enrolling 650 parents of eligible children into the I3CN study. Three hundred twenty five of these parents will have children enrolled in the CCM program and 325 will have children who continue to receive usual care. Enrolled parents complete a survey every 6 months during the study (5 surveys over 2 ½ years) in order to assess study outcomes including parent perceived. Parent participation in the study will be completed 2 ½ years after enrollment. Learn More.
Food and Beverage Choices
Food and Drink Study (FADS) Pilot
Medical Condition/Therapy: Measurement of eating and beverage choices
Status: Recruiting
Contact: Email Keanne Leggett
Description: This study will help us find out the best ways to measure people’s food and drink choices and to make sure our surveys work well for people between 15 and 35 years old. Eligible participants must live in King County but outside the city of Seattle. It takes about two and a half hours over about a week to complete several surveys and recalls of food and beverages for the study. This information will help us provide suggestions to improve the variety of food and beverages that are available.
Fragile X Syndrome
A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of the Efficacy, Safety, and Tolerability of STX209 (Arbaclofen) Administered for the Treatment of Social Withdrawal in Adolescents and Adults with Fragile X Syndrome
Medical Condition/Therapy: social withdrawal in people ages 12-25 years with fragile X syndrome
Status: Enrolling
Contact: Email Denise Ward or call 206-884-1168
Description: A treatment study of STX209 (Arbaclofen) for the symptoms of social withdrawal in people ages 12-25 years with fragile x syndrome. We are doing a research study to Learn More about a medicine called STX209 or Arbaclofen. We want to know if STX209 is safe and if it helps to treat symptoms of fragile X syndrome. We are looking for participants ages 12 to 25 who have a fragile X diagnosis and who show certain behaviors such as indifference and inactivity, isolation from other children and adults, or fixed facial expressions and lack of emotional response.
We will ask participants to come to Seattle Children's six times over the course of about four and half months for study visits. Most visits will last between one and two hours. The last visit may last up to 3 hours. A doctor will talk with participants about how they are doing during the visits. We will check participants’ weight, height, pulse and blood pressure. We will ask you and your parents some questions about your behavior. We will also take a blood sample from at 3-4 visits and we will do an ECG to check heart function during two visits. There will be phone calls with the study doctor every 3 to 4 days between study visits. Learn More.
A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Fixed-Dose Study of the Efficacy, Safety, and Tolerability of STX209 (Arbaclofen) Administered for the Treatment of Social Withdrawal in Children with Fragile X Syndrome
Medical Condition/Therapy: A treatment study of STX209 (Arbaclofen) for the symptoms of social withdrawal in kids ages 5-11 years with fragile X syndrome.
Status: Enrolling
Contact: Email Denise Ward or call 206-884-1168
Description: We are doing a research study to Learn More about a medicine called STX209 or Arbaclofen. We want to know if STX209 is safe and if it helps to treat symptoms of fragile X syndrome. We are looking for participants ages 5-11 who have a fragile X diagnosis and who show symptoms of social impairment.
We will ask participants to come to Seattle Children's six times over the course of about four months for study visits. Most visits will last between one and two hours. The last visit may last up to 3 hours. A doctor will talk with participants about how they are doing during the visits. We will check their weight, height, pulse and blood pressure. We will ask participants and their parents some questions about their behavior. We will also take a blood sample from participants at 4-5 visits and we will do an ECG to check heart function during two visits. There will be phone calls with the study doctor every 3 to 4 days between study visits. Learn More.
Head Injury
AT-REST TBI (Actigraphy to Review and Evaluate Sleep in Teens with TBI)
Medical Condition/Therapy: Adolescents who have had a head injury
Status: Recruiting/Enrolling
Contact: Email See Wan Tham, MBBS
Description: The aim of this study is to look at sleep in teens after a head injury. Parents and teens who choose to participate will complete surveys about the teen’s sleep and health. Teens will also wear a wristwatch like device to monitor sleep and complete a sleep diary for 10 days. Learn More.
Chronic Pain
Web-MAP 2 (Web-based Management of Adolescent Pain-2)
Medical Condition/Therapy: Children and adolescents with chronic pain
Status: Recruiting/Enrolling
Contact: Email Emily Law, PhD
Description: The aim of this project is to evaluate the efficacy of an Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy intervention in a large multicenter sample of children and adolescents, ages 11 to 16 years, with chronic pain and their parents recruited from pain centers across the U.S. and Canada. Learn More.
CHAMP (Changing How we Approach Mechanisms of Pain)
Medical Condition/Therapy: Youth at risk for developing chronic pain
Status: Active, not recruiting
Contact: Email Amy Lewandowski, PhD
Description: The focus of the CHAMP study (“Changing How we Approach Mechanisms of Pain”) is to identify factors that place youth at risk for developing chronic pain. This research project will gather information on the mechanisms of chronic pain, particularly the role of the brain in modulating pain signals. We are studying a combination of factors including results from: 1) a lab-based thermal task that looks at how the brain blocks unpleasant sensations, 2) psychological measures, and 3) parental reports of responses to their child’s pain behaviors. Learn More.
Parental Problem Solving and Child Chronic Pain
Medical Condition/Therapy: Parent caregivers of children and adolescents with chronic pain
Status: Recruiting/Enrolling
Contact: Email Emily Law, PhD
Description: The aim of this project is to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of problem-solving skills training (PSST) as an intervention in parent caregivers of youth with chronic pain, and to conduct a preliminary efficacy trial of PSST in parents of youth with chronic pain. Learn More.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Family Communication and Support in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Medical Condition/Therapy: Reducing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Status: Currently Recruiting/Enrolling
Contact: Email Ross Hays, MD, Principal Investigator, or Erica Bourget, MPH, Project Manager
Description: This project is evaluating the effect of a standardized communication intervention in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) on long-term distress of family members of children in the PICU for 5 days or longer. The study hypothesis is that intervention families will have lower (better) acute stress disorder scores when their child is discharged from the PICU and lower (better) post-traumatic stress disorder scores at 3-month follow-up, as compared to the control group families.
Suicidal Behavior
CARES: Collaborative Adolescent Research on Emotion and Suicide
Medical Condition/Therapy: Suicidal behavior
Status: Recruiting/Enrolling
Contact: Email CARE or Molly Adrian, or call 206-221-CARE (206-221-2273)
Description: Seattle Children’s Hospital and the University of Washington are providing specialty treatment for teens engaging in suicidal behavior. This randomized controlled clinical study seeks to examine the efficacy of psychological treatment of suicidal behaviors in teens age 13-18. The study involves 6 months of treatment and 5 assessments over a 1 year period. We are accepting teenagers (ages 13-18) that are seeking treatment for self-injurious behaviors.
Treatment is typically weekly and includes both individual and group components. Teens and parents also complete questionnaires and interviews. Learn More.
Weight Management
EPICH: Engaging Parents in Child Health
Medical Condition/Therapy: Weight management
Status: Recruiting/Enrolling
Contact: Email Albert Hsu, or call him at 206-884-7563
Description: Health researchers at Seattle Children’s Research Institute want to find healthy ways to help kids and their parents lose weight.
You may be able to take part in this research study if:
- Your child is 7 to 11 years old and is heavy for his or her age and gender.
- At least one of your child’s parents is overweight.
- You and your child speak English.
- Both you and your child are not currently in any treatment that affects weight or growth.
If you and your child decide to take part in the study, both you and your child would:
- Participate in family-based behavioral weight control treatment sessions every week for five months. The sessions are free and run in the evening for just over an hour at our offices in downtown Seattle.
- Get measurements of your body composition (such as weight and height), diet and activity before receiving any treatment.
- Get measurements taken throughout and after treatment (like the ones done before treatment).
Many children and parents have better weight control after getting behavioral treatment. This study does not use medicines or medical procedures.
Families who participate will get $40 at the end of treatment (in 5 months).
The principal investigator for this study is Brian Saelens, PhD, at the University of Washington Department of Pediatrics and Seattle Children’s Research Institute.
Past Studies and Descriptions
Learn more about past studies conducted at the Center for Child Health and Behavior Development.