Controversy in Speech, Language, and Hearing Skills

Controversy in Early Identification of Childhood Speech and Language Disorders

My health topic has focused on increasing parents’ awareness of the speech, language, and hearing milestones of young children in an effort to identify children with a speech, language, or hearing disorder and provide early intervention to minimize the effects of the disorder.  Research has shown that 8 to 9% of children in the United States exhibit a speech disorder. Approximately 19% of preschool children are diagnosed with a language disorder and 3 out of every 1000 newborns screened are diagnosed as deaf or hard of hearing (National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders [NIDCD], 2012).

This issue presents controversy among professionals because of the wide range of “normal” and the different opinions that exist about what skills and abilities are considered within normal limits.  As with any skill, at any age, a large range of “normal” exists. It can be difficult to differentiate between what is “normal” and “abnormal” development.  Parents may not be familiar with children’s developmental milestones but they may express concern regarding their child’s development and progress to the pediatrician during their child’s appointments.  The parents may be told that they are “over reacting”, that there is nothing wrong with their child, or their child will “catch up” as he or she gets older.  There are hundreds of disorders that can affect a child’s physical and cognitive development. One such disorder that most parents are familiar with is autism spectrum disorders. Because of increased prevalence of the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders to 1 in 88 children, many parents may indeed be concerned about their child’s abilities (American Speech, Language and Hearing Association, 2012).

In a study by Prelock, Hutchins, and Glascoe (2008), it was found that many primary care physicians did not take parents’ concerns seriously, and promoted a “wait and see” attitude.  Children with a speech, language, or hearing disorder that is not treated have demonstrated increased behavioral issues, reading difficulties, academic challenges, and social and emotional setbacks (Prelock, Hutchins & Glascoe, 2008).  But physicians argue that they do not have screening tools to enable them to reliably identify young children with a possible speech, language, or hearing disorder (Prelock, Hutchins & Glascoe, 2008). Understandably, physicians are reluctant to identify a child with a possible problem who, after further testing, may show skills within normal limits.

So controversy exists between parents and physicians; and among health professionals themselves; in how to accurately identify speech, language or hearing disorders in children in order to provide early treatment.  Speech pathologists continue to advocate for early identification and intervention to lessen the effects of any disorder and to prepare preschoolers for success in school.

American Speech, Language and Hearing Association. (2012). Incidence and prevalence. Retrieved from www.asha.org

National Institute of Deafness and other Communication Disorders. (2012). Statistics. National Institutes of Health. Retrieved from www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/statistics/vsl/Pages/Default.aspx

Prelock, P.A., Hutchins, T. & Glascoe, F.P. (2008). Speech-language impairment: How to identify the most common and least diagnosed disability of childhood. The Medscape Journal of Medicine, 10. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2491683/