Speech and Language Therapy Services for Multilingual Children with Migration Background: A Cross-Sectional Survey in Germany

This study examines the current provision of SLT services for multilingual children following a medical prescription for the specific case of suspected language disorder. Information was obtained from speech-language pathologists (SLPs) representing 28 practices in different districts across one of the moderately largest cities affected by sociospatial polarization. The SLT practices were clustered according to the proportion of minor migrants and minor welfare recipients in the district. The survey included the number and proportion of multilingual children on the SLT caseloads, as well as the age of children by time of referral, physician and SLP diagnoses, application and type of assessment materials, intervention goals, and sociodemographic data of practicing SLPs. Questionnaire responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics and an explanatory interpretive approach. Findings suggest that multilingual children experience later referral compared to monolingual German-speaking children, with approximately half of the multilingual children demonstrating a developmental language disorder (DLD). The SLP ’s level of experience determines the accuracy of differential diagnosis between communication disorders and typical linguistic variations. Consequently, participation in continuing education focusing on service provision of the multilingual and multicultural clientele is essential. This study hig hlights the obstacles and the needs for increased multiprofessional awaren...
Source: Folia Phoniatrica et Logopaedica - Category: Speech-Language Pathology Source Type: research