Elizabeth G. Smith, PhD

I’ve always been fascinated by how autistic and neurodivergent individuals experience the world. That curiosity has grown into a commitment to research that supports their developmental outcomes and celebrates neurodiversity. We already know so much about supporting healthy development in infants through methods like shared book reading, environmental enrichment and caregiver attunement. I’m especially interested in how we can adapt the early environment to support children with developmental delays.

I study brain development in infants and toddlers with neurodevelopmental disorders, including genetic conditions like Fragile X syndrome. My work focuses on how cognitive, language and social skills emerge in the first five years of life. These years are a critical window during which the brain is developing rapidly. At the same time, children are interacting with their environment, leading to the emergence of attachment, communication and cognition systems, which are also interacting with one another. Understanding the relation between these systems and how they vary in children with neurogenetic diagnoses is key to supporting their outcomes.

I received National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding for both my graduate (F31) and early career (K23) training. This support allowed me to complete extensive specialized training in my area of expertise, including how to measure both neural activity and developmental abilities in very young children.

My lab at Cincinnati Children’s focuses on Fragile X syndrome, and we’re expanding our work to include children with idiopathic (unknown cause) language delays. We aim to understand how individual differences, like sensory sensitivities, affect learning and development and how we can tailor interventions to each child’s unique profile.

As a clinical psychologist, I am committed to advancing our understanding of early brain development to help children with neurodevelopmental disorders reach their fullest potential. It’s rewarding to collaborate with peers who share this mission.