Tackling Acquisition of Language in Kids (TALK)

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Topic Description

Post Date: April 21, 2026

Expiration Date: April 21, 2027

Late talking, also known as late language emergence, is diagnosed when a child, usually over the age of 18 months, is not meeting expressive language milestones. Approximately 10% to 20% of children receive this diagnosis. Children may be at higher risk for late talking for a variety of reasons including, but not limited to, premature birth, exposure to maltreatment or trauma, and intellectual and developmental disorders; and yet other children present as late talkers for no other known reason and with no other symptoms. Outcomes for late talking children are variable, and the unique predictors and developmental sequelae are yet unknown. Understanding developmental trajectories and effectively supporting positive outcomes is even more complex in culturally and linguistically varied children leading to health disparities. Further research is needed to enhance our understanding of the full range of language development from infancy through childhood and adolescence across the array of children who exhibit signs of late talking. There is a critical need to build a more robust knowledge base for this unique population to better inform parents, caregivers, professionals, and other partners regarding the nature, extent, and longitudinal, developmental course of late talking children. It also is critically important to develop new and more effective ways of evaluating and supporting communication success across this broad array of children.

Purpose

This topic demonstrates the NIH TALK Initiative’s continued interest in research to better understand early language learning and delay. Areas of highest priority for this topic are:

  • Understanding longitudinal trajectories

    This priority includes acquiring and analyzing the data necessary to understand longitudinal development in late talking children, with a particular interest in leveraging and building on existing datasets to enrich language measures, increase sample size to support subgroup analyses, and/or add follow-up assessments.

  • Translating research into practice

    This priority includes developing, evaluating, disseminating, and implementing state-of-the-science information and evidence-based practices to effectively guide parents, caregivers, and professionals in supporting the success of late talking children.

  • Developing novel approaches

    This priority includes creating, adapting, or applying novel approaches to the study of late talkers to develop new and more effective ways of understanding and supporting late talking children in research and practice settings.

Participating ICOs

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)

NIDCD seeks applications that focus on late talking associated with known or suspected:

  • speech-motor disorders (e.g., cerebral palsy, cleft palate, childhood apraxia of speech)
  • sensory disorders (e.g., deaf/hard-of-hearing)
  • language disorders (e.g., late talking for unknown reason, late talking as a precursor to developmental language disorder)
  • language disorders associated with developmental disabilities (e.g., autism). 

NIDCD is interested in studies that differentiate developmental trajectories (e.g., language recovery vs persistent language disorder vs persistent minimal speaking) within these populations and leverage this knowledge into more effective prevention, early identification, and treatment. NIDCD seeks tailored assessment and treatment options to better support this heterogenous population. NIDCD is interested in harnessing cutting-edge technology to support effective clinical practice, including augmentative and alternative communication options. 

IC may dedicate funds available to support applications in this Topic area depending upon the availability of funds, the number of meritorious applications, and competing ICO priorities.
ICO Scientific Contact:
Holly Storkel, PhD
[email protected]

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

NICHD seeks applications that focus on understanding the full spectrum of language development trajectories and on understanding the needs of communities supporting children’s early language development, inclusive of but not limited to children identified as late talkers. NICHD has particular interest in studies that can elucidate predictive factors for individual differences and developmental sequelae thereof, within and across domain, and those which involve early childhood learning or care communities or primary care practitioners that serve children across the full developmental spectrum without a specific focus on children with identified language or other developmental delays or disorders.

IC may dedicate funds available to support applications in this Topic area depending upon the availability of funds, the number of meritorious applications, and competing ICO priorities.
IC may give special consideration to support meritorious applications in this topic area.
ICO Scientific Contact:
Virginia Salo, PhD
[email protected]

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