Screening for speech and language delay and disorders in children aged 5 years or younger: US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement
Abstract
BACKGROUND: This report is an update of the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) 2006 recommendation on screening for speech and language delay in preschool-aged children. METHODS: The USPSTF reviewed the evidence on screening for speech and language delay and disorders in children aged 5 years or younger, including the accuracy of screening in primary care settings, the role of surveillance by primary care clinicians, whether screening and interventions lead to improved outcomes, and the potential harms associated with screening and interventions. POPULATION: This recommendation applies to asymptomatic children aged 5 years or younger whose parents or clinicians do not have specific concerns about their speech, language, hearing, or development. RECOMMENDATION: 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 (I statement).
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Despite AAP recommendations for universal and repeated screening, and despite evidence that timely services can improve long-term DB outcomes, the US Preventive Services Task Force currently rates the evidence for developmental screening as inconclusive, in large part because an unbroken line connecting screening to outcomes has not yet been demonstrated.
“Despite AAP recommendations for universal and repeated screening, and despite evidence that timely services can improve long-term DB outcomes, the US Preventive Services Task Force currently rates the evidence for developmental screening as inconclusive, in large part because an unbroken line connecting screening to outcomes has not yet been demonstrated.33,34”
From Early Childhood Care Coordination Through 211: A Randomized Clinical Trial (2024) · cites this paper as [34]
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Early Childhood Care Coordination Through 211: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Nelson, B. B., Dudovitz, R. N., Thompson, L. R., Vangala, S., Zevallos-Roberts, E., Gulsrud, A., Porras-Javier, L., Romley, J. A., Herrera, P., Aceves, I., et al. (2024) · Pediatrics · doi:10.1542/peds.2023-065232 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
- Authors
- Siu, A. L.
- Corresponding author
- Siu, Albert L.
- ORCID
- Siu, Albert L.
- Venue
- Pediatrics
- Publisher
- American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
- Published
- 2015-08-01
- Volume
- 136
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- e474-e481
- ISSN
- 0031-4005 (ISSN-L)
- 1098-4275
- OpenAlex
- W1932470223
- Cited by
- 99
- References
- 24
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 7
- FWCI
- 23.48
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- PEDIATRICS (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Language Development and Disorders
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Child and Adolescent Health
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Hearing Loss and Rehabilitation
- Keywords
- speech and language delay, speech and language disorders, preschool children, screening, primary care, child development monitoring, screening accuracy, screening harms
- MeSH terms
- Child, Preschool, Humans, Infant, Language Development Disorders, Early Diagnosis, Early Medical Intervention
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