Shared reading program to boost language and early reading in children with cleft lip or palate
Shared Reading Intervention for Children with Oral Clefts
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · SEATTLE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL · NIH-11184388
This program teaches caregivers of young children with cleft lip or palate to use shared-reading techniques, combining in-clinic sessions with smartphone video coaching to support language and early reading skills.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | SEATTLE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (SEATTLE, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11184388 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
If your child has a cleft lip or palate, you would attend brief in-person sessions timed with regular craniofacial clinic visits where clinicians introduce tailored shared-reading strategies. Between visits you would use your smartphone to record short videos of you reading with your child and send them to interventionists who give encouragement and coaching. The program is delivered at three pediatric craniofacial centers and materials are reviewed for cultural and linguistic fit in English and Spanish. The planning phase finalizes procedures before broader family recruitment, with special attention to making the program accessible to rural and under-represented families.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Children with oral clefts (cleft lip and/or palate), roughly ages 0–11, and their caregivers who attend participating craniofacial clinics are the intended participants.
Not a fit: Children without cleft conditions, older adolescents, or families unable to use smartphone video or who require more intensive individualized speech therapy may not benefit from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could help children with oral clefts develop stronger language and early literacy skills and give caregivers practical reading tools.
How similar studies have performed: Shared-reading approaches have improved language in general pediatric populations, but this is one of the first programs specifically adapted for children with oral clefts.
Where this research is happening
SEATTLE, UNITED STATES
- SEATTLE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL — SEATTLE, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: COLLETT, BRENT RUSSELL — SEATTLE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
- Study coordinator: COLLETT, BRENT RUSSELL
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 below.