Speech and Language Delay and Disorders in Children Age 5 and Younger: Screening

For each of the evidence gaps listed below, research must focus on screening and preventive interventions that can be performed in, or referred from, the primary care setting.

1. Treatment studies are needed of screen-detected populations that follow children over short and longer (>1 y) durations to detect improvement in outcomes such as academic performance, social and emotional health, or child and family well-being. These studies should focus on enrolling children from groups with the greatest burden of speech and language delay and disorders (Black and Hispanic/Latino children and children from households with low incomes). These types of studies would help to understand if changes in speech and language outcomes translate into changes in the broader health and well-being of children and their families, including how children function in school and at home.
2. Standardization of outcome measurement across studies is needed. There was significant heterogeneity in reporting on speech and language outcomes in the treatment studies. Standardization would greatly strengthen the evidence base and improve the ability to pool data.
3. Studies are needed on the potential harms of screening and treatment such as labeling, stigma, parent anxiety, other psychosocial harms, and overdiagnosis.

RESEARCH TAXONOMY: For additional information on research needed to address these evidence gaps, see theResearch Gaps Taxonomytable on the USPSTF website: https://uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/home/getfilebytoken/T6auAz-64DpreTqycmvSJr

The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening for speech and language delay and disorders in children aged 5 years or younger.

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