Speech and language delay in children: a case to learn from

Br J Gen Pract 2018; 68 (666): 47-48. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3399/bjgp17X694373 

Speech and language delay in children is a common presentation to primary care either directly to the GP or through the health visitor, affecting approximately 6% of pre-school children. Young children, particularly those with speech delay, can be difficult to examine. Differentiation between an isolated pathology and those with concurrent global developmental delay is crucial. This article presents an example of a common case, considers the learning points, and highlights management principles.

UHCW Research: Nicola Wooles and Emma Hoskison

Online Speech Therapy Can Be as Effective as In-Person Treatment

Rehabilitation services delivered over the Internet and through other telecommunication networks allow health care professionals to reach more patients in need, but there has been some concern that so-called telerehabilitation doesn’t offer the same quality of care as in-person treatment.

Now a new study by Canadian researchers at Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care shows there is no need to worry.

The findings, published in the journal Aphasiology, show that stroke patients who received speech language therapy over the Internet saw significant improvements in their communication skills, similar to those of patients receiving in-person treatment.

Survey finds children with communication problems are not getting the support they need

The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) is calling on the government to guarantee that local authorities and clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) commission speech and language therapy services for children and young people as many are not getting the support they need.

Almost half (45%) of speech and language therapists, recently surveyed by the RCSLT, said that they lack the time and resources to provide services to children and young people with communication problems who do not have an education, health and care (EHC) plan. This legal document describes a child or young person’s special educational, health and social care needs and how local agencies must support them.

Speech therapy for children with dysarthia acquired before three years of age

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews -
Objectives:
To assess whether any speech and language therapy intervention aimed at improving the speech of children with dysarthria is more effective in increasing children's speech intelligibility or communicative participation than no intervention at all , and to compare the efficacy of individual types of speech language therapy in improving the speech intelligibility or communicative participation of children with dysarthria.