Trial Summary
What is the purpose of this trial?
This trial tests a teaching method called EMT-SF, where caregivers help young children with language delays improve their speaking skills. The study focuses on young children with early signs of language problems. By training caregivers to use special communication techniques, the goal is to see if these children can develop better language abilities as they grow older. Enhanced Milieu Teaching (EMT) has been used in various studies to improve language skills in children with language impairments.
Eligibility Criteria
This trial is for 30-month-old children with language delays who can try to imitate 10 words and have normal non-verbal cognitive abilities. Caregivers must be willing to participate in training throughout the study. The child should only be exposed to English at home, and not have any major medical conditions or disabilities other than Developmental Language Disorder.Inclusion Criteria
Trouble understanding and speaking words
Parent or caregiver (mother, father, grandparent) willing to participate in caregiver training over the full 18 months of the study
I can try to repeat 10 words after hearing them.
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Exclusion Criteria
My caregiver reports I have a major medical condition like cancer or epilepsy.
The caregiver has reported that the baby was born before 37 weeks of pregnancy.
The caregiver reports hearing problems or the results of a hearing test show hearing loss.
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Treatment Details
Interventions
- EMT-SF (Behavioral Intervention)
Trial OverviewThe trial tests Enhanced Milieu Teaching-Sentence Focus (EMT-SF), an intervention by caregivers aimed at improving language skills of preschoolers with developmental language disorders by the time they reach 49 months old, compared to a control condition.
Participant Groups
2Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Active Control
Group I: Enhanced Milieu Teaching-Sentence FocusExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
The study intervention is a behavioral intervention which will include individually teaching caregivers to use the intervention strategies from the Enhanced Milieu Teaching-Sentence Focus (EMT-SF) intervention using a manualized protocol (Teach-Model-Coach-Review). Caregivers will participate in 66 intervention sessions across 18 months, targeting vocabulary and grammar as well as the transition to decontextualized language.
Group II: Business-as-usual controlActive Control1 Intervention
Caregivers in the control group will participate in community-based intervention services and receive the same printed intervention instructions, books, and toys at the same intervals as the treatment group, but will not receive EMT-SF intervention.
Find a Clinic Near You
Research Locations NearbySelect from list below to view details:
Northwestern UniversityEvanston, IL
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, TN
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Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
Northwestern UniversityLead Sponsor
University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignCollaborator
Vanderbilt UniversityCollaborator