Abstract
PurposeOur study aims to assess parents’ ability to detect early language delay in their children in association with related demographic and environmental factors to help in predicting its risk.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted at three main primary health care centers at National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Participating parents were asked if they think their children have language delay and if they were able to detect it early. Then, validated age-appropriate screening tools were administered to assess the child’s language development. The parents' answers regarding their child’s language development were then compared to the screening tool assessment results.ParticipantsA total of 250 parents attending a well-baby clinic for their children’s routine vaccinations participated in the study after informed consent was obtained.ResultsLanguage delay was more prominent in the one-year-old age group (26.7%). In addition, children who were not breastfed were significantly more likely to have language delays (P-value 0.014). The parents’ ability to detect language delay varied among the different age groups. Fifty-seven point one percent (57.1%) of children aged two years old and 61.5% of children aged five years old who were found to have language delay were not noticed by their parents (P-value 0.03, 0.02).ConclusionParents showed a lack of ability to detect language delay early. Increasing their awareness of the typical language development milestones and the importance of early intervention is very important to minimize the consequences of late intervention.
Highlights
Language progression and maturation is an essential part of typical development [1]
Fifty-seven point one percent (57.1%) of children aged two years old and 61.5% of children aged five years old who were found to have language delay were not noticed by their parents (P-value 0.03, 0.02)
Our study aims to assess parents’ ability to detect language delays early, measure the percentage of language delays among children attending well-baby clinics, and describe the demographical and environmental factors of parents and their children that could increase the risk for language delay in different age groups
Summary
Language progression and maturation is an essential part of typical development [1]. Language development progresses through cooing, bubbling, and from simple words to phrases and more complex sentences [3]. The rate of this progress may vary from one child to another, standardized screening milestones are used to recognize any delays and determine the need for further assessment [4]. Language delay refers to any late development of age-appropriate language skills in the absence of any other justifiable causes like hearing impairment, emotional problems, or cognitive deficits [5]. Several studies from different countries demonstrated the prevalence of language delay among children. In the US, for example, language delay is estimated to be found in 8-9% of young children [6].
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