Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development

Our Vision:

We will find new ways to promote health and development so that all children can reach their physical, intellectual and emotional potential. We will promote pediatric health care that is equitable, family-centered, safe and effective. We will work with families, communities, schools, providers and health-care organizations to translate research findings into actions that improve the quality of children's day-to-day lives.

Children face many health challenges today:

As many as one in 150 children today will be diagnosed with autism
One in five children will have an episode of major depression before the age of 18.
Nearly one child in three is overweight.
Half of children from low-income households start kindergarten without the basic skills they need to learn.

If you asked health-care providers today to name the major health issue facing children, you’d likely hear "obesity" and "adolescent depression" among the responses. These are just two of the areas being researched by the Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development. Our center brings together a diverse and talented group of research scientists with different backgrounds, but a singular purpose: to work collaboratively to address major issues that affect the health of children everywhere.

New Insights into Improving Children's Well-Being

The Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development is a national leader in conducting innovative clinical and health outcomes research. We are dedicated to improving children's well-being. By collaborating with Seattle Children's Hospital and University of Washington clinicians, we can quickly translate the findings of our research into advanced clinical practices and improved care for children.

Dimitri Christakis, MD, MPH, leads a multidisciplinary team of research scientists who are making advances in a broad range of areas related to child health, including:

Child and adolescent mental health
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders
Autism spectrum disorders
Craniofacial anomalies
Infant and toddler cognitive and social development
Cerebral palsy
Quality of pediatric health care

Learn more about the major studies our researchers have underway.

To learn more about the center and its programs, contact Jane Yoon, program coordinator, at 206-884-7591.