Early support for infants and toddlers exposed to alcohol before birth and their families
Families Moving Forward Bridges: An Early Intervention Enhancement for Infants and Toddlers with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure with or at-risk for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
This project offers a tailored early-intervention program to help infants and toddlers who were exposed to alcohol before birth and to support their caregivers.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11169717 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If your child was exposed to alcohol before birth, this program adapts the Families Moving Forward approach for infants and toddlers during the first three years of life. Trained providers work with families to strengthen parent-child relationships, teach FASD-informed strategies, and connect caregivers to needed resources. The intervention blends proven FMF techniques used with older children and early childhood best practices, delivered through sessions with caregivers and children. The team will follow child development and caregiver outcomes to see how well the approach supports everyday learning, behavior, and family well-being.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are infants and toddlers (birth to 3 years) with known or suspected prenatal alcohol exposure or at risk for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, along with their caregivers.
Not a fit: Children beyond the toddler years, those without prenatal alcohol exposure, or families unable to take part in intervention sessions are unlikely to benefit from this specific program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this program could improve early development, reduce later learning and behavior problems, and lower caregiver stress.
How similar studies have performed: The Families Moving Forward program has shown benefits for preschool and school-aged children with FASD, while adapting it for infants and toddlers is a newer and less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
Seattle, United States
- University of Washington — Seattle, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jirikowic, Tracy L — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Jirikowic, Tracy L
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.