Improving early language interactions between caregivers and children

Talk With Me Baby: Leveraging Well-Child Care to Enhance the Early Home Language Environment

NIH-funded research University of Kansas Medical Center · NIH-11082480

This study is testing a program called Talk With Me Baby to help parents and caregivers talk more with their little ones aged 0-3 during doctor visits, especially in communities that need extra support, to boost their language skills.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Kansas Medical Center NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Kansas City, United States)
Project IDNIH-11082480 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research focuses on enhancing the early home language environment for children aged 0-3 years by utilizing a program called Talk With Me Baby (TWMB). The program is integrated into well-child care visits, allowing healthcare providers to promote language-building interactions between parents or caregivers and their children. By implementing evidence-based strategies in a primary care setting, the research aims to address disparities in language development, particularly in under-resourced communities. The effectiveness of TWMB will be evaluated through a randomized controlled trial across two sites.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for participation are families with infants and toddlers aged 0-3 years, especially those from under-resourced communities.

Not a fit: Patients who are older than 3 years or those not engaged in well-child care visits may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly improve language development outcomes for young children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown success with similar language intervention programs, indicating a promising approach to improving child language outcomes.

Where this research is happening

Kansas City, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-09 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.