Sparking Potential — revealing early infant thinking and brain development

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This observational study follows child–parent dyads with infants aged 3–24 months, including healthy infants and those with perinatal brain injuries such as hypoxic‑ischemic encephalopathy, very preterm birth (<32 weeks), or cerebral palsy. Children complete virtual games and structured online assessments while parents fill out questionnaires about behavior and home stress, with all visits conducted remotely over Zoom. Researchers collect these behavioral and caregiver‑reported measures over time to characterize early neurocognitive traits and differences between groups. The goal is to identify patterns that could help recognize early developmental concerns without requiring in‑person clinic visits.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria:

* Child-parent dyads will be recruited to the study.
* Children 3-24 months with and without a history of a perinatal brain injury (PBI) will be included in this study.
* Children with PBIs will include:

  * Children diagnosed during the neonatal period with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy,
  * Children born at a premature gestational age (born at less than 32 weeks gestational age).
  * Children diagnosed with cerebral palsy
* Healthy control participants meeting inclusion criteria will include:

  * healthy infants with no prior neurological (brain disorder) history
* For all parents: the only research inclusion criteria is to be the parent or legal guardian of a newborn with perinatal brain injury or healthy control participant.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Healthy infants to be included in the control group will not have:

  * a prior history of brain injury
  * a diagnosis of cerebral palsy
  * a history of a neurological disorder
  * prior admission to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
* Children with chromosomal abnormalities, genetic syndromes and major congenital malformations will be excluded from both the patient groups and the control group.
* Parents will have no exclusionary criteria.

Where it's running

• University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health
  Madison, Wisconsin, United States Recruiting

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Melisa Carrasco McCaul, MD, PhD — University of Wisconsin, Madison
• Study coordinator: Melisa Carrasco McCaul, MD, PhD
• Email: carrascomccaul@neurology.wisc.edu
• Phone: 608-577-2415

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How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.