Parents helpful in assessing speech skills

A task force says the most proven way to detect a child's problem with language development is to listen and respond to the worries of parents.

By Victoria Stagg Elliott, AMNews staff. March 13, 2006.

Physicians should attempt to elicit and address parental concerns about a child's emerging ability to speak and use language. There is not, however, enough evidence to answer the question over whether any of the currently available screening tools should be used to assess all children on this issue, according to a position statement and study by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Both documents were published in Pediatrics last month.

"Parents are really good at picking this up, and probably better than anyone else when it comes to their child," said Virginia Moyer, MD, MPH, a member of the task force and professor of pediatrics at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston.

Experts praised this statement for giving more weight to the concerns of parents. Many acknowledge that such difficulties might not be apparent in a 10-minute office visit when a doctor feels rushed to address the many other issues that come up. Children also could be hesitant to talk to someone perceived to be a stranger.

"We kind of know how many words a child should be saying at various ages, but I may not be able to get more than one word out of them," said Karole Lakota, MD, a family physician with PCC Community Wellness Center in Oak Park, Ill. "Anecdotally, if a parent has a concern, that probably tells you more than any tool is going to tell you."

The task force statement also was praised for highlighting just how little evidence there is in this area and outlining exactly the kind of research that needs to be done.