Children's speech, language and communication skills and parental knowledge in the growing up in New Zealand cohort

CONCLUSION: Parents can offer valuable insights about their children, but in many cases their level of concern about SLCN did not align with a professional view which reflects a more nuanced understanding of children's speech and language and the impact on future communication skills and needs. Increased awareness through public health messaging specifically regarding lifelong influences of communication challenges will aid in prevention, early detection and intervention.WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on this subject Parent's expectations of child speech and language development will inform how responsive they are to difficulties in their child. Appropriate parental concern is key to recognition of children with speech, language and communication needs that warrant referral to a professional. What this paper adds to existing knowledge Parents are aware of expressive language skills that children acquire and can accurately identify their children's skills but have less knowledge of the ages of acquisition. Some parents are not concerned, do not seek support despite recognisable difficulties, and demonstrate limited understanding of the future consequences for children with communication needs that are unmet. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? Public health messaging should include both skills and age ranges for speech and language acquisition. Additionally, educating the public of the impact of speech, language and communication s...
Source: International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders - Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: Source Type: research