How does my family benefit?
In appreciation of your time, your family will receive a gift card after each visit. The gift cards range in value from $50 to $120. The amount received will be based on which components of the study have been completed. Families participating in all phases of the study will receive a total of $300.
Your child will also receive a small prize during the final visit to our playroom.
At the completion of the study, we will send your family a personalized baby book that charts your baby’s growth and development.
What is the brain imaging session?
We use magnetic resonance imaging (or MRI), which is a giant magnet that can be used to take detailed 3D images of the body. MRI technology is noninvasive and safe to use with infants. MRI does not involve radiation or X-rays. Our imaging sessions are conducted while your baby is naturally asleep, and we do not use sedation. MRI specialists with more than 10 years of experience conduct all sessions, and parents have the opportunity to view the images at the end of the session.
How will our information be kept private?
All information from your participation will be kept strictly confidential. Data are stored securely in a locked cabinets and password protected files and are made available only to the project staff. All your information will be marked by identification numbers only, and in this way, research staff will not know which data belong to which person or family.
What is the purpose of the home recordings?
We are interested in the role of language in brain development. A computer program is used to automatically assess your baby’s language development from the home audio recordings. We will also provide you with snapshots of your baby’s language development in the personalized Baby Book that you will receive at the end of the study.
Additional Questions?
If you would like more information about the Infant Development Project, please complete our form or contact us by phone (217-300-1135) or email (ui-infantproject@illinois.edu).