Cash for kids: can $333 a month boost a baby's brain?

NCT ID NCT03593356

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study is testing whether giving low-income families extra cash each month helps children's language, thinking, and brain development. One thousand mothers of newborns below the poverty line receive either $333 or $20 per month for over six years. Researchers then compare the children's vocabulary, attention, memory, and brain activity at ages 4, 6, and 8.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance

monthly cash gift payments

What this could lead to

If it works, this could show that giving low-income families extra money directly helps children's language, thinking, and brain development.

What could go wrong

This is an observational study, not a treatment trial. Results may not apply to all families, and the cash gifts may not produce clear differences in child development.

Disclaimer Read more

This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • 12 hospitals in the following four metropolitan areas: New York, Omaha, New Orleans, and Twin Cities

    New York, New York, 10027, United States