Newswise — Chicagoland families and providers with children on the autism spectrum are invited to enroll in a groundbreaking social skills study. The Autism Center at Rush University Medical Center is actively recruiting children ages 8-11 with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to participate in a study evaluating how behavioral therapy and the hormone oxytocin can enhance social thinking skills.

Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: a play group or a social thinking group curriculum combined with oxytocin. Intranasal oxytocin (Syntocinon®) is a hormone shown to play an important role in social behavior. It will be given a few times a week to children in the social thinking group when they practice new skills.

Children with ASD must be accompanied by a parent/caregiver and should be able to participate in fluent conversations in English. There is no cost associated with the study, and participants will receive diagnostic evaluations and follow-up care with licensed clinicians. If you have questions or want to enroll in the study, please contact Anthony Burns at 312-942-6331 or [email protected].

The Autism Assessment, Research, Treatment and Services (AARTS) Center at Rush is dedicated to diagnosing and treating children, adolescents and adults with autism. They work to accommodate those with ASD and their families through expert diagnosis and treatment, transition planning, comprehensive care and research.

For more information on the AARTS program, contact: (312) 942-0819.

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Autism Children's Health
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