Telehealth tools for assessing language development in people with Down syndrome
Official title: Telehealth-delivered outcome measures for Spanish- and English-speaking people with Down syndrome
Funded at University of California at Davis · NIH-10730307 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is creating an easy-to-use tool for caregivers to help track how well people with Down syndrome are developing their speaking skills at home, whether they speak English or Spanish, and it’s especially helpful for older adults to spot any early signs of cognitive changes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California at Davis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Davis, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $441,250 |
| NIH project number | 1R21HD109597-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10730307 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include individuals with Down syndrome, particularly those who are older adults or bilingual in English and Spanish.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have Down syndrome or those who are not within the age range of interest may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing and validating a telehealth-delivered assessment tool for measuring expressive language growth in individuals with Down syndrome, particularly for both English and Spanish speakers. The Expressive Language Sampling-Narrative (ELS-N) procedure will be adapted for use at home by caregivers, making it more accessible for diverse populations. The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of this tool in tracking language development and early signs of cognitive decline, especially in older adults with Down syndrome.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide a reliable method for caregivers to monitor language development and cognitive health in individuals with Down syndrome, leading to better-targeted interventions.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown success in using telehealth methods for assessments in other populations, but this specific approach for Down syndrome is novel.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California at Davis
Davis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Abbeduto, Leonard J. — University of California at Davis
- Study coordinator: Abbeduto, Leonard J.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Exploring how Down syndrome affects optic nerve health in kids
A study using a mouse model to understand why optic nerve problems are common in children with Down syndrome and how to prevent them.
-
Executive Function Enhancement for Young Children with Down Syndrome
A caregiver-guided program for kids with Down syndrome aged up to 11 to strengthen their thinking skills during early childhood.
-
Silencing an Extra Chromosome to Help Down Syndrome and Related Conditions
A patient-friendly plan to use a gene-based approach to quiet an extra chromosome in cells and a mouse model to reduce disease-related effects in Down syndrome and other chromosomal imbalance disorders.
-
Infant Down Syndrome Brain and Behavior Study
A study of infants with Down syndrome to collect brain imaging and developmental data, creating a large, shared resource to understand how autism and other factors relate to development.
-
DS-ARC: Smartphone-based cognitive check for people with Down syndrome at risk for Alzheimer’s
A smartphone-based cognitive test is being developed and tested for people with Down syndrome who may develop Alzheimer’s disease, to track changes quietly in daily life.
-
Immune and NGF factors in Alzheimer’s for adults with Down syndrome
This grant studies why people with Down syndrome develop Alzheimer’s disease by looking at immune signals and nerve growth factor problems.
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.