Early support for infants and toddlers exposed to alcohol before birth and their families
Official title: 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
Funded at University of Washington · NIH-11169717 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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 start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $244,044 |
| NIH project number | 5R61AA031695-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11169717 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
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.
✕Less likely to help
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.
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.
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 gone: 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
-
University of Washington
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jirikowic, Tracy L — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Jirikowic, Tracy L
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Cellular mechanisms shaping fetal alcohol spectrum disorders
This NIH grant studies how alcohol exposure before birth damages development at the cellular level, with potential to improve understanding and care for individuals affected by FASD.
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Web tools to screen children for effects of prenatal alcohol exposure
This project uses online tools to check children ages 6–17 for physical, thinking, and behavior signs linked to prenatal alcohol exposure.
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Choline Genetics and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders in Children
This study looks at how genetic differences in choline metabolism affect cognitive and behavioral outcomes in children with prenatal alcohol exposure who may benefit from choline supplementation.
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Data coordination for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders research
A national collaboration coordinates data and sharing to help understand and improve care for children affected by prenatal alcohol exposure and FASD.
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Improved FASD screening for kids using BRAIN-online in Spanish
A web-based, Spanish-enabled screening tool helps identify signs of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders in children to guide further evaluation and support.
-
How prenatal alcohol exposure harms hearing development
Researchers are looking at how alcohol exposure during pregnancy changes the brain cells that help process sound in mice, to better understand hearing problems in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
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.