Caregiver-led early speech help for toddlers with cleft palate
Official title: Caregiver-implemented early speech and language intervention for toddlers with cleft palate
Funded at Vanderbilt University · NIH-11408827 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A caregiver-implemented, telehealth-based program teaches families how to support their toddler’s speech and language development in English and Spanish.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 2, 2025 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $309,508 |
| NIH project number | 5UG3DE035073-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11408827 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Eligible participants are toddlers around 2 years old with NSCL/P and their caregivers who can participate in telehealth coaching in English or Spanish.
✕Less likely to help
Children who do not have access to stable internet or caregiver participation may not benefit from this telehealth program.
What this research studies
This grant supports a caregiver-driven early intervention delivered by speech-language pathologists via telehealth to improve speech and language outcomes for toddlers with cleft palate. The program uses Enhanced Milieu Teaching with Phonological Emphasis (EMT+PE) taught to caregivers to help their child communicate more clearly. The study plans to enroll about 102 children aged 24–26 months and will compare the caregiver-led approach to usual care in a randomized design. The project builds on prior results showing EMT+PE helps language and speech when used by professionals or at home with coaching. It will also evaluate feasibility and acceptability of delivering this intervention across multiple sites and in both English and Spanish.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, children with cleft palate could speak more clearly earlier, with families more empowered to support communication at home.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies show EMT+PE improves language outcomes when coached by clinicians and caregivers, with mixed settings supporting feasibility.
Where this research is happening
-
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kaiser, Ann P. — Vanderbilt University
- Study coordinator: Kaiser, Ann P.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.