Researchers looked at existing guidelines and supporting evidence on the short- and long-term consequences of universal screening for language and speech delay in children under five. They used key phrases and manual searches in specified sources to conduct a literature search until November 20th, 2019. When provided by the authors, they summarised the recommendations and the strength of the suggestion. The main findings of systematic reviews were summarised along with the certainty of the evidence as reported on the accuracy of screening tests for detecting language and speech delay, the efficacy of existing interventions for children with language and speech delay, and the potential harms associated with screening and associated interventions.
Various screening techniques were utilized with varying degrees of accuracy to measure language and speech delay. Some markers of speech and language delay and abnormalities improved with targeted therapy. However, there was little evidence that such interventions were successful in children identified by screening but had no specific concerns about their speech or language before the screening. There was little evidence that universal screening for language and speech delays in primary care improved both short and long-term outcomes (including speech and language outcomes and other outcomes). Finally, there was little evidence about the risks of screening for language and speech delays in primary care settings, and there was much less evidence about the dangers of therapies.
Reference:bmcpediatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12887-021-02817-7
