Kindergarten readiness after early brain injury and ICU sedation
Official title: Kindergarten Readiness Assessment Scores after Having Early-childhood Respiratory failure (KRASHER)
Funded at Case Western Reserve University · NIH-11373835 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study follows preschool-age children who had critical illness as babies or toddlers to see how early ICU sedation may relate to later school-readiness using kindergarten readiness scores.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Case Western Reserve University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cleveland, United States) |
| Project start | September 3, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $472,336 |
| NIH project number | 1R21HD119353-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11373835 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children under 3 years old who were treated in the PICU with invasive mechanical ventilation and received benzodiazepine sedation.
✕Less likely to help
Children without a history of PICU admission or without benzodiazepine exposure would not be directly impacted by the findings.
What this research studies
Researchers will link pediatric ICU records with kindergarten readiness data from local school districts to measure long-term brain outcomes in children who required invasive ventilation and benzodiazepine sedation. By using already collected school performance data, the team aims to identify whether early exposure to sedatives is associated with later challenges in school readiness. The study builds on prior pilot findings and seeks to confirm whether reducing sedative exposure could improve long-term outcomes for these children. Participation involves data linkage and analysis of existing medical and educational records, with careful privacy protections.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could inform safer sedation practices in young children with critical illness and identify windows for intervention to improve school readiness.
How similar studies have gone: A pilot study showed lower KRA scores in children exposed to sedation, suggesting potential benefits for larger confirmatory work.
Where this research is happening
-
Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Richter, Francisca Garcia-Cobian — Case Western Reserve University
- Study coordinator: Richter, Francisca Garcia-Cobian
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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.