SEED Teen

What is the Study to Explore Early Development (SEED) Teen?

The Study to Explore Early Development (SEED) Teen will look at health and development of teenagers with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities. Read below to learn more about this important study.

During 2018–2021, SEED Teen will recruit teenagers and their families who participated in the first phase of SEED (SEED1) that studied ASD among children ages 2-5 years old. This research study will collect updated health and development information on children who were enrolled in SEED when they were younger. Information gained from SEED Teen will help us understand the needs of teenagers with autism and other developmental delays as well as their parents, caregivers, and siblings.

SEED Teen is a collaboration between CDC and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with assistance from Johns Hopkins University in Maryland and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and will include families from four SEED1 sites located in Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.

Purpose of SEED Teen

SEED Teen is a study on teen health and development. We want to better understand teenagers with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities. Through SEED Teen, we hope to learn more about teenagers’

• Social development
• Health
• Health care needs
• Education needs
• Activities
• Family relationships

We also hope to learn more about their parents’ or other caregivers’ health and needs.

Taking Part in SEED Teen

You may be asked to take part if:

• Your child was born between January 2003 and December 2006.
• Your child was enrolled in SEED1 during 2007 to 2011.
• You previously consented for us to contact you to discuss future research.

Information for Families Who Enroll in SEED Teen

Your participation in this study is entirely voluntary, and you can skip any parts of the study, including specific questions on surveys you do not want to answer. All information that you share will be kept private.

Parents who take part in SEED Teen will be asked to complete two questionnaires:

1. SEED Teen Health and Development Survey
2. Social Responsiveness Scale

These questionnaires give us important information about children’s health, development, education, and current functioning.

These two forms take about an hour to fill out. The questionnaires can be completed at home or over the telephone. Families who take part in SEED Teen will receive a nominal monetary incentive to thank them for participating in the study.

One of the questionnaires asks the parent to measure their teen’s height. We will provide a tape measure to families so they are able to complete this task.

Instructions for Measuring Your Teen’s Height Accurately At Home

1. Remove the teen’s shoes, bulky clothing, and hair ornaments, and unbraid hair that interferes with the measurement.
2. Take the height measurement on flooring that is not carpeted and against a flat surface such as a wall with no molding.
3. Have the teen stand with feet flat, together, and against the wall. Make sure legs are straight, arms are at sides, and shoulders are level.
4. Make sure the teen is looking straight ahead and that the line of sight is parallel with the floor.
5. Take the measurement while the teen stands with head, shoulders, buttocks, and heels touching the flat surface (wall). (See illustration.) Depending on the overall body shape of the teen, all points may not touch the wall.
6. Use a flat headpiece (such as a hard-backed book or other flat item) to form a right angle with the wall and lower the headpiece until it firmly touches the crown of the head.
7. Make sure the measurer’s eyes are at the same level as the headpiece.
8. Lightly mark where the bottom of the headpiece meets the wall. Then, use a metal tape to measure from the base on the floor to the marked measurement on the wall to get the height measurement.
9. Accurately record the height to the nearest 1/4^th inch or 0.1 centimeter on the questionnaire provided to you.