What Does the Study Involve?
Mothers and infants will be invited to our laboratory playroom at the Beckman Institute on the Illinois campus beginning at 3 or 6 months of age and then again at 9 and 12 months. Visits take between 60 to 90 minutes.
Following each visit, we will provide a special infant audio recorder that measures language development using an automated procedure. We ask that your infant wears the recorder in your home while your family goes about its regular routine.
At 12 months (and optionally at 3 months), we invite you and your child for an infant brain imaging session, which takes place while your baby is naturally asleep. Brain imaging is a safe and non-invasive way to measure the brain (see FAQ for more information).
Mothers and fathers (when available) will be asked to fill out surveys at each age.
Is my family eligible?
Your family is eligible to participate if your child:
- Is between 0-6 months of age*
- was born at term (between 37 and 42 weeks)
- experienced no major complications during pregnancy or birth
*If you are pregnant and expecting your baby in the coming months, we would also love to hear from you!
When are visits scheduled?
Visits are scheduled at your convenience and include weekdays, evenings, or weekends. Free on-site parking is available. We are also happy to provide free child care for older siblings.
We value fathers’ perspectives!
If your baby’s father is living in the home, we ask that he participates too in parts of the study that can completed at home.
