Could caregiver strategies boost language growth in toddlers with late language emergence
Official title: Leveraging Extant Data to Characterize Language Growth and Optimize Caregiver-Implemented Interventions for Children with Late Language Emergence
Funded at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign · NIH-11426931 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study using existing data to see which caregiver techniques help toddlers with late language emergence build vocabulary and sentences.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Champaign, United States) |
| Project start | August 10, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $426,559 |
| NIH project number | 1R21DC023848-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11426931 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Young children (approximately 2.5 to 3.75 years old) with late language emergence and their caregivers.
✕Less likely to help
Children outside the late language emergence window or without caregiver involvement may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project analyzes data from nearly 100 caregiver–child pairs to understand how specific caregiver behaviors influence a child’s language growth between ages 2.5 and 3.75 years. It will look at how often caregivers use supportive strategies and how children respond, using video coding and automated transcript analysis. The goal is to identify practical, brief caregiver interventions that could improve language outcomes in real-world settings. The findings could guide early intervention practices for families and clinicians working with young children at risk for language delays.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could inform easier-to-implement caregiver strategies that support kids’ language development.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies show that caregiver interactions can influence language growth, but this project emphasizes analysis of extant data to pinpoint effective strategies.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Harrington, Emily K. — University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Study coordinator: Harrington, Emily K.
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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.