Parent play coaching shows promise for at-risk infants
NCT ID NCT03404505
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026
Summary
This study tested a program called Infant Achievements, where parents of infants at risk for autism or developmental delays were coached on how to play with their baby to boost social and communication skills. 38 families participated, with half receiving the coaching and half getting general child development education. Researchers observed changes in parent-child interactions and infant behavior to see if the coaching made a difference.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Infant Achievements caregiver coaching (play-based behavioral intervention)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could show that early parent coaching helps at-risk infants develop better communication and social skills, potentially reducing delays.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study with only 38 participants. Results may not apply to all families, and the intervention may not produce lasting benefits.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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38 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Nov 2017
- Finished
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Jan 2021
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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8 to 12 months
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Child participants must be between the ages of 8 months and 12 months at the beginning of the study. * Family must speak English at least 75% in the home. * Children must receive an AOSI concern score ≥7 OR * a T-score of ≤39 on either the Mullen Receptive Language or Expressive Language subscale. OR * Score in the Concern range on either the Composite or Total Score of the parent-completed Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales Developmental Profile (CSBS DP) Infant-Toddler Checklist. Exclusion Criteria: * History of head injury, seizure disorder, severe aggression or self-injurious behavior, prenatal illicit drug or excessive alcohol exposure. * Any hearing or visual impairment * Any severe birth trauma * Any birth defects or genetic disorders * Gestational age \< 35 weeks and/or Birth weight less than 1,500g * Cannot be living in foster care. * Location of in-home visits \>35 miles of the Center for Autism and Related Disorders
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Kennedy Krieger Institute
Baltimore, Maryland, 21211, United States