Exploring how speech and song can help children with autism develop language skills
Official title: Social Visual Attention and Language Development in Autism: Leveraging Infant-Directed Speech and Song to Identify Multimodal Mechanisms of Communication
Funded at Vanderbilt University Medical Center · NIH-10990364 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how babies, especially those with autism, can learn to talk better by paying attention to both speech and music, and it aims to find out how watching and listening to their caregivers can help improve their communication skills.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $2,383,221 |
| NIH project number | 1R01DC021559-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10990364 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are infants and young children aged 0-11 years who are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.
✕Less likely to help
Children who are typically developing and do not have any communication challenges may not receive direct benefits from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how infants, particularly those with autism, can improve their language development through attention to speech and song. By observing how infants shift their focus from a speaker's eyes to their mouth, the study aims to identify key factors that enhance communication skills. The approach includes analyzing the effects of multimodal signals, such as the combination of visual and auditory cues from caregivers, on language acquisition. The goal is to optimize interventions that support early language development in children with communication challenges.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective strategies for improving language skills in children with autism.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that multimodal approaches, like combining speech and song, can enhance language development in typically developing infants, suggesting potential success for this approach in children with autism.
Where this research is happening
-
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lense, Miriam — Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Lense, Miriam
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding how context shapes speech processing in autism
A study to learn how people with autism process speech differently in real-life listening situations.
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Understanding How the Brain Processes Speech in Autism
This project explores how the brain of individuals with autism processes speech, especially in noisy places or when trying to understand social cues.
-
Understanding Speech in Autism
This project looks at how the brain controls speech in children and teenagers with Autism Spectrum Disorder to help us find better ways to support their communication.
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Understanding and treating speech difficulties in minimally verbal children with autism
This study is looking at how some children with autism who have trouble speaking, especially those with a condition called Childhood Apraxia of Speech, move their mouths when they try to talk, so we can find better ways to help them communicate more easily.
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Understanding how the brain processes speech and sounds in autism
This study is looking at how the brains of adults with autism process sounds, like speech and music, compared to those without autism, to better understand language challenges and help create better support for communication skills.
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Understanding how context affects speech processing in autism.
This study is looking at how people with autism understand speech, especially when there’s a lot of background noise, to help find better ways for them to communicate and connect with others.
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.