ongoing projects
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Verb processing and learning in children with posterior fossa tumours and healthy children
Aim
Children treated for brain tumors often experience long-term language problems. In this research we look at how children process verbs and learn new verbs. By comparing children with and without a brain tumor, we gain insight into the problems that children with brain tumors experience with verbs.
Who we are looking for
We are looking for typically developing children without language problems from 4 to 16 years old, who speak Dutch as their mother tongue. We also include children with brain tumours, but they are normally recruited at the hospitals.
What you will do
For the research, children do a number of language and thinking games, such as repeating words and sentences and learning words from an alien language.
A new verb and sentence test battery to diagnose DLD (children without dld can also participate)
Aim
This study aims to assess the quality of a new test battery focused on the processing of verbs and sentences. We developed new tests because the current test batteries for language skills of Dutch children do not consider verbs and sentences in relation to different grammatical properties. We think these new tests may tell us more about why a child may struggle with verbs or sentences.
Who we are looking for
For this study, we have not yet been able to include enough 4 and 5 year olds. So we are now looking for children with and without language problems, aged 4 and 5, who speak Dutch as their mother tongue.
What you will do
The research consists of 2 test sessions of approximately one hour, in which children do a number of language and thinking games, including naming pictures, pointing and remembering words.
MRI and the brains of children with and without dld
Aim
Children with DLD have difficulty learning verbs. Yet little research has been done into how children with DLD learn verbs, let alone where this happens in the brains of children. The aim of this research is to see how children with DLD learn verbs and whether the problems they experience can be linked to differences in the brain.
Who we are looking for
Children aged 8 to 12 years, with and without developmental language disorder (DLD/TOS).
What you will do
For the research, children do a number of language and thinking games, such as repeating words and sentences and learning words from an alien language. This takes three sessions of one hour, with an MRI scan also taking place in the last session. Children will be well prepared for this. So far, children find it exciting, and also a lot of fun (one participant gave a presentation about it at school, for example!).
Read more about this research here!
Narrative speech in children with brain tumours and healthy children
Aim
Children treated for brain tumors often experience long-term language problems. The purpose of this research is to analyze the language children use to tell a story. By comparing the language of children with and without brain tumors, we learn a lot about the language areas that children with brain tumors have difficulty with.
Who we are looking for
We are looking for typically developing children without language problems from 3 to 17 years old, who speak Dutch, Italian or English as their mother tongue. We also study children with brain tumours, but they are recruited from the European CMS study patient database.
What you will do
For the research, children do a number of language and thinking games, such as making figures and telling a story about pictures they see.
And many more projects...! 😉
Experiences of our participants
"Sam really enjoyed participating, he still talked about the games and that he was sad that it was over."
Parent of Sam* (4 year old)
"The children really enjoyed participating in this."
Parent of Joost, Maartje and Tessa*
"The brain scan went well. Thank you for the good cooperation, we found it nice. Tom enjoyed doing it."
Parent of Tom (8 years old)*
"They really enjoyed doing it! They will definitely want to participate again."
Parent of Lotte en Josie (4 years old), Rosa (9) en Danielle (12)*
*Names were changed for privacy reasons.
