Hackney parents are being asked to help develop an app used to identify children with developmental language disorders (DLD).
Developers of the first-of-its-kind app created by technology developer Therapy Box say it could save the NHS millions with a fast, cost-effective diagnosis and treatment planning.
Cristina McKean, a Professor at the School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences at Newcastle University said: “Identifying children with language disorders and designing tailored interventions to meet individual needs is a highly specialised and time-consuming process.
“I am excited to be part of the team harnessing the potential of technologies to make access to these specialist assessments more time-efficient and informative.
“Our hope is that more children with language disorders can access the support they need to overcome their difficulties and thrive.”
READ MORE: Hackney and Haringey schoolchildren work hard to develop their literacy skills
Parents of children in Hackney, aged between four and eight, are asked to use the extra family time available during the coronavirus pandemic to download the Language Explorer app and have children retell a story in their own words, complete a quiz and play a game.
Rebecca Bright MBE, speech and language therapist and founder of Therapy Box, explained: “The Language Explorer app has been designed with children to ensure it is engaging, and to make sure the language used is suitable for its audience.”
The research project is a collaboration with Bristol Speech and Language Therapy Research Unit, Newcastle University and it has three NHS sites in Hackney, Newcastle and Bristol.
It is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Invention for Innovation (i4i) programme.
600 children are required for the Language Explorer project, and around 200 have already taken part.
Hackney Learning Trust and Get Hackney Talking are partners in the language technology project.
The app is free to download on iOS or Android devices.
To download the app:
Appstore: https://lnkd.in/gPvPzDE
PlayStore: https://lnkd.in/gmwBAht
Watch this video for further information and instructions https://lnkd.in/gwvrf8c
For updates on Language Explorer follow Therapy Box:
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/tboxapps
Twitter https://twitter.com/TherapyBox
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