Predicting which speech sound delays persist or improve in young children
Official title: Developmental Trajectories Characterizing Speech Sound Disorder Persistence and Recovery
Funded at Purdue University · NIH-11367761 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at 4-year-olds with speech sound difficulty to predict who will still have it at age 7 and how to tailor better therapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Purdue University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (West Lafayette, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $504,483 |
| NIH project number | 1R01DC022608-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11367761 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children around age 4 who have speech sound disorder and can be followed for several years.
✕Less likely to help
Children without speech sound disorder or who do not participate in longitudinal follow-up may not benefit from these findings.
What this research studies
Researchers at Purdue University will follow a large group of 4-year-olds with speech sound disorder every year to see which factors in phonology, speech production, and language best predict recovery or persistence by age 7. The study aims to identify early markers that help clinicians choose the most effective therapy strategies. Children will be assessed across multiple domains to build a predictive model that can guide personalized intervention. The goal is to improve remediation rates and support children’s communication, academic, and social outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could lead to earlier, more targeted therapies for children with speech sound disorder.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work shows some children recover with therapy, but long-term predictors are not well established, making this approach novel and potentially impactful.
Where this research is happening
-
Purdue University
West Lafayette, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Brosseau-Lapre, Francoise — Purdue University
- Study coordinator: Brosseau-Lapre, Francoise
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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.