| Title: |
Improving outcomes of preschool language delay in the community: protocol for the Language for Learning randomised controlled trial |
| Authors: |
Wake, Melissa; Levickis, Penny; Tobin, Sherryn; Zens, Naomi; Law, James; Gold, Lisa; Ukoumunne, Obioha C; Goldfeld, Sharon; Le, Ha ND; Skeat, Jemma; Reilly, Sheena |
| Publisher Information: |
BioMed Central Ltd. |
| Publication Year: |
2012 |
| Collection: |
BioMed Central |
| Subject Terms: |
Language development; Mass screening; Language development disorders; Early intervention; Outcome assessment; Child development; Randomized controlled trial; Population characteristics |
| Description: |
Background Early language delay is a high-prevalence condition of concern to parents and professionals. It may result in lifelong deficits not only in language function, but also in social, emotional/behavioural, academic and economic well-being. Such delays can lead to considerable costs to the individual, the family and to society more widely. The Language for Learning trial tests a population-based intervention in 4 year olds with measured language delay, to determine (1) if it improves language and associated outcomes at ages 5 and 6 years and (2) its cost-effectiveness for families and the health care system. Methods/Design A large-scale randomised trial of a year-long intervention targeting preschoolers with language delay, nested within a well-documented, prospective, population-based cohort of 1464 children in Melbourne, Australia. All children received a 1.25-1.5 hour formal language assessment at their 4 th birthday. The 200 children with expressive and/or receptive language scores more than 1.25 standard deviations below the mean were randomised into intervention or ‘usual care’ control arms. The 20-session intervention program comprises 18 one-hour home-based therapeutic sessions in three 6-week blocks, an outcome assessment, and a final feed-back/forward planning session. The therapy utilises a ‘step up-step down’ therapeutic approach depending on the child’s language profile, severity and progress, with standardised, manualised activities covering the four language development domains of: vocabulary and grammar; narrative skills; comprehension monitoring; and phonological awareness/pre-literacy skills. Blinded follow-up assessments at ages 5 and 6 years measure the primary outcome of receptive and expressive language, and secondary outcomes of vocabulary, narrative, and phonological skills. Discussion A key strength of this robust study is the implementation of a therapeutic framework that provides a standardised yet tailored approach for each child, with a focus on specific language ... |
| Document Type: |
report |
| Language: |
English |
| Relation: |
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2431/12/96 |
| Availability: |
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2431/12/96 |
| Rights: |
Copyright 2012 Wake et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. |
| Accession Number: |
edsbas.9B46DD94 |
| Database: |
BASE |