BROOMFIELD, Colo. — Jax Pruett is a typical 7-year-old. He loves to play, joke around, and he’s curious about everything. He’s taken part in several studies at Colorado State University involving kids who, like Jax, have Down syndrome.
“Probably three to four months old we did a little research study with intervention and interacting with objects,” said Jax’s mom, Jessica Pruett. “We've continued to drive up to Fort Collins to do research since then for various projects.”
Jessica said these studies can be empowering. “The research that he can be involved in can help future families.”
“We've had the experience to get to know Jax across several different projects,” said CSU Professor Deborah Fidler.
Fidler is one of the principal investigators on “Project CAPE-abilities.”
"Which stands for communication and play, early abilities in young children with Down syndrome,” said Fidler.
It’s a new $6.2 million study involving kids with Down syndrome across multiple states.
“It'll help us find the right interventions at the right times for young children with Down syndrome in personalized, individualized ways,” said Fidler. “That's going to set them up for success in the transition to preschool, throughout the schooling years, and beyond.”
The goal is to help kids with Down syndrome thrive during early childhood. The university said it’s the first large-scale, comprehensive study looking at how play and communication relate to biomedical and developmental conditions.
“It's been really cool to just form that relationship with people that care about the future generation of people with Down syndrome,” said Jessica.
Jax is too old to participate in this study, but he would if he could. For now, he's staying curious and growing as any 7-year-old would.
The five-year study is funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health. Researchers will evaluate 225 kids as young as 18 months old. Seventy-five of those kids will be from Colorado, and CSU is still looking for participants.
More reporting by Brianna Clark:
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