Note:We now have new inclusion criteria to extend the study to include more children!

We would like to invite you and your child to consider participation in a research study to understand the relationship between brain and behavior in reading differences in children (ranging from skilled to struggling readers). We are currently seeking young children (ages 4-6) with or without family histories of reading difficulty. Please also see our flyer as a word document or as a jpeg image.

We believe that this information will help us to design reading-specific interventions and predict who is more likely to develop reading differences in the future. This study is funded by the National Institute of Health (NICHD 1K23HD054720-01) and Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health (PRF-CHRP). For information about our previous studies, please read our newsletter.

What Does the Study Include?

Participation involves approximately 2 half-day evaluations (annually for 3 years) including the following:

• Neuropsychological/educational testing (for child and some applies to parents)
• Brain scans (non-invasive MRI and NIRS scans to examine brain structure and function)
• Optional genetic testing (for child and parents)

Benefits of participating:

• Free neuropsychological/educational evaluation including report
• $100 honorarium for 1st visit and equivalent on subsequent visits
• Pictures of the participant’s brain

Who Can Participate?

Children of ages 4-6 who meet the following:

• Entering kindergartener or equivalent in Fall 2008 or in Fall 2009
• Native English-speaker
• Can commit  to 2 half-day evaluations taking place annually for 3 years 

Note: Other requirements may apply, and we may be flexible to accommodate your situation; please contact for more information.

Contact Information

If you are interested in participating or learning more about the study please contact:

Dr. Jessica Black

Phone: 1-888-411-BNRC (2672)

Email: jmblack (at) stanford (dot) edu

Last Updated June 2008