Executive Function Support for Young Children with Down Syndrome
Official title: Executive Function Intervention for Young Children with Down Syndrome
Funded at Colorado State University · NIH-11572720 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A caregiver-led program helps young children with Down syndrome build executive function skills during a 12-week period.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Colorado State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Fort Collins, United States) |
| Project start | July 10, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $468,700 |
| NIH project number | 4R33HD115161-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11572720 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are young children (0-11 years) with Down syndrome and their caregivers who can participate in a structured 12-week program.
✕Less likely to help
Children without access to a caregiver-supported program or those with conditions that limit participation may not experience the intended benefits.
What this research studies
This grant is about turning a caregiver-guided activity plan into an adaptive program that strengthens kids’ thinking skills early in life. It focuses on children with Down syndrome ages 0-11 and uses play-based activities to fit each child’s strengths and challenges. The project will gather feedback from families to adjust how the program works so it’s usable and effective in real homes. Over time, the aim is to personalize the approach so more children can benefit as they grow.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, families may see improvements in their child’s everyday thinking, attention, and problem-solving during early development.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary findings suggest the caregiver-mediated approach is feasible and acceptable with some promising early signals.
Where this research is happening
-
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fidler, Deborah J — Colorado State University
- Study coordinator: Fidler, Deborah J
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Exploring how Down syndrome affects optic nerve health in kids
A study using a mouse model to understand why optic nerve problems are common in children with Down syndrome and how to prevent them.
-
Executive Function Enhancement for Young Children with Down Syndrome
A caregiver-guided program for kids with Down syndrome aged up to 11 to strengthen their thinking skills during early childhood.
-
Silencing an Extra Chromosome to Help Down Syndrome and Related Conditions
A patient-friendly plan to use a gene-based approach to quiet an extra chromosome in cells and a mouse model to reduce disease-related effects in Down syndrome and other chromosomal imbalance disorders.
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Infant Down Syndrome Brain and Behavior Study
A study of infants with Down syndrome to collect brain imaging and developmental data, creating a large, shared resource to understand how autism and other factors relate to development.
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DS-ARC: Smartphone-based cognitive check for people with Down syndrome at risk for Alzheimer’s
A smartphone-based cognitive test is being developed and tested for people with Down syndrome who may develop Alzheimer’s disease, to track changes quietly in daily life.
-
Immune and NGF factors in Alzheimer’s for adults with Down syndrome
This grant studies why people with Down syndrome develop Alzheimer’s disease by looking at immune signals and nerve growth factor problems.
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.