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CliniKids is a not-for-profit centre integrating world-class research with a clinical service for children with developmental delay and/or autism, and their families. It is the first of its kind for autism in Australia.

At CliniKids, we offer a communication therapy called PACT to caregivers of children who would like some additional support to understand their child’s communication.

News & Events
Is it OK to speak more than one language with my child?Senior Speech Pathologist Marisa Di Lorenzo looks at social communication and language outcomes for bilingual autistic children.

Research
Feasibility of a 2-minute eye-tracking protocol to support the early identification of autismWe tested the potential for Gazefinder eye-tracking to support early autism identification, including feasible use with infants, and preliminary concurrent validity of trial-level gaze data against clinical assessment scores. We embedded the ~ 2-min 'Scene 1S4' protocol within a comprehensive clinical assessment for 54 consecutively-referred, clinically-indicated infants (prematurity-corrected age 9-14 months).
Research
Which emerging autism features at 12 months of age are associated with later parent-child interaction?Parent-child interactions (PCI) in infants with an elevated likelihood (EL) of autism start to diverge from other infants toward the end of the first year. This divergence is often attributed to emerging features of autism impacting infant social interactions in ways that become increasingly amplified. The aim was to identify which, if any, 12-month autism features were associated with later PCI qualities.
Research
Influences of bilingual input on English vocabulary size and academic outcomes: a large-scale longitudinal study following children in Australia from five to ten yearsResearch from large population-based studies investigating the language and academic outcomes for bilingual children is rare. The current study aimed to investigate the influence of dual language exposure on (i) English vocabulary outcomes at 5 years (126 bilinguals, 1675 monolinguals), and 10 years (vocabulary: 92 bilinguals, 1413 monolinguals:), and (ii) academic outcomes at 10 years (107 bilinguals, 1746 monolinguals).

News & Events
News you can use – How you can support your child while you wait for a diagnosisThe Kids Research Institute Australia's Professor Andrew Whitehouse and Sarah Pillar share four things families can do to support their child while waiting to receive an ADHD or autism diagnostic assessment.
Research
Precision pathways for young children at risk of Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Early identification and adaptive intervention starting from the prenatal periodAmy Andrew Carol Deborah Gail Helen Jenny Kandice Martyn Videos Finlay-Jones Whitehouse Watch and listen to Andrew Bower Strickland Alvares Leonard
Research
Targeting intolerance of uncertainty in young children diagnosed with autism: A randomized controlled trial of a parent-mediated group interventionYoung children diagnosed with autism experience high rates of co-occurring anxiety, with uncertainty-related concerns commonly reported. This randomized controlled trial investigated an 8-week parent-mediated group anxiety intervention, “Coping with Uncertainty in Everyday Situations” (CUES-Junior©).