Understanding Language Development in Bilingual Children with Language Disorders

Bilingual Children with DLD: A Neurodevelopmental Perspective

['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · NIH-11099802

This project explores how speaking two languages impacts language development in children with developmental language disorders.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_R01']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorUNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR (nih funded)
Locations1 site (ANN ARBOR, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11099802 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

This project aims to understand how speaking two languages affects language development in children who have developmental language disorders (DLD), especially as they begin English-dominant schooling. We want to discover how the interaction between two languages might influence the brain's development of language skills. Researchers will use behavioral tests and a brain imaging technique called fNIRS to observe how bilingualism is connected to specific language abilities like grammar and understanding meaning in children with DLD. This work helps us gain new insights into how the brain develops language in children from diverse language backgrounds.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates are bilingual children, aged 0-11 years, who have developmental language disorders.

Not a fit: Patients who are not bilingual or do not have developmental language disorders may not directly benefit from this specific research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to better ways to support language development in bilingual children with developmental language disorders.

How similar studies have performed: This project builds on existing theories about language development and bilingualism, applying them in a novel way to children with developmental language disorders.

Where this research is happening

ANN ARBOR, 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.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 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.