Enhanced Language Teaching for Language Disorder
What You Need to Know Before You Apply
What is the purpose of this trial?
This trial aims to test a special teaching method called Enhanced Milieu Teaching-Sentence Focus (EMT-SF) to help young children with language delays improve their language skills. The study will compare children who receive this new teaching method with those who receive regular community services. Participants should be 30-month-old children with language delays who primarily hear English at home and can attempt to mimic 10 words. Caregivers must be willing to attend training sessions over 18 months. The researchers hope that children using EMT-SF will have better language skills by age 49 months.
As a Phase 2 trial, the research focuses on measuring the treatment's effectiveness in an initial, smaller group of participants.
Do I need to stop my current medications for this trial?
The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It's best to discuss this with the trial coordinators or your doctor.
What prior data suggests that the EMT-SF intervention is safe for children with language disorders?
Research has shown that Enhanced Milieu Teaching-Sentence Focus (EMT-SF) is a safe method for helping children with language disorders. Studies have found that EMT naturally improves language skills. Past studies have reported no major negative effects from EMT-SF, indicating that children generally handle it well. EMT-SF is a behavioral approach, teaching caregivers how to support their child's language development through direct interaction and communication, not medication. This reduces the risk of side effects often associated with drug treatments.12345
Why are researchers excited about this trial?
Researchers are excited about the Enhanced Milieu Teaching-Sentence Focus (EMT-SF) because it offers a fresh approach to treating language disorders by directly engaging caregivers in the intervention process. Unlike traditional therapies that might rely solely on professional sessions, EMT-SF empowers parents and caregivers with specific strategies to enhance vocabulary and grammar, which they can use in daily interactions with the child. This method not only focuses on immediate language development but also supports the transition to more complex language use, potentially leading to lasting improvements in communication skills.
What evidence suggests that EMT-SF is effective for language disorder?
Studies have shown that Enhanced Milieu Teaching-Sentence Focus (EMT-SF), which participants in this trial may receive, effectively improves language skills in young children. Research indicates that when parents and therapists use EMT strategies together, children develop better vocabulary and grammar. This method teaches caregivers to support language growth in everyday situations. Early findings suggest that children in EMT-SF programs make significant progress in using language beyond their immediate surroundings. These results make EMT-SF a promising option for helping children with language disorders enhance their language skills.13456
Who Is on the Research Team?
Megan Y Roberts, PhD
Principal Investigator
Northwestern University
Ann Kaiser, PhD
Principal Investigator
Vanderbilt University
Pamela Hadley, PhD
Principal Investigator
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?
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
Exclusion Criteria
Timeline for a Trial Participant
Screening
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial
Treatment
Children receive the EMT-SF intervention or participate in the Business-as-usual control group for 18 months
Follow-up
Participants are monitored for language development and outcomes every 3 months until 49 months of age
What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?
Interventions
- EMT-SF
Trial Overview
The 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.
How Is the Trial Designed?
2
Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Active Control
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.
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
Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
Northwestern University
Lead Sponsor
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Collaborator
Vanderbilt University
Collaborator
Citations
Study Details | NCT03782493 | Maximizing Outcomes for ...
The objective of the proposed study is to evaluate the efficacy of the Enhanced Milieu Teaching-Sentence Focus (EMT-SF) intervention, implemented by ...
Vanderbilt Clinical Trials
The objective of the proposed study is to evaluate the efficacy of the Enhanced Milieu Teaching-Sentence Focus (EMT-SF) intervention, ...
Parent-Implemented Enhanced Milieu Teaching with ...
The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of Enhanced Milieu Teaching (EMT) implemented by parents and therapists versus therapists only on the ...
4.
ctv.veeva.com
ctv.veeva.com/study/maximizing-outcomes-for-preschoolers-with-developmental-language-disordersMaximizing Outcomes for Preschoolers With Developmental ...
The objective of the proposed study is to evaluate the efficacy of the Enhanced Milieu Teaching-Sentence Focus (EMT-SF) intervention, ...
An Efficacy Trial of J-EMT: Enhanced Milieu Teaching ...
This project will evaluate the efficacy of an early social communication and language intervention, the J-EMT, on toddlers with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).
Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Enhanced Milieu ...
Enhanced milieu teaching (EMT) is a naturalistic intervention that supports the language development of children with emerging language.
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