Improving early language interactions between caregivers and children
Official title: Talk With Me Baby: Leveraging Well-Child Care to Enhance the Early Home Language Environment
Funded at University of Kansas Medical Center · NIH-11082480 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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 type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Kansas Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Kansas City, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $661,275 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD112446-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11082480 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for participation are families with infants and toddlers aged 0-3 years, especially those from under-resourced communities.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are older than 3 years or those not engaged in well-child care visits may not benefit from this research.
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.
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 gone: Previous research has shown success with similar language intervention programs, indicating a promising approach to improving child language outcomes.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Kansas Medical Center
Kansas City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Salley, Brenda Jeanette — University of Kansas Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Salley, Brenda Jeanette
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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.