Effect of Parents’ Involvement Interventions in Speech Language Delay among Late Talking Toddlers in Egypt: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Abstract

Talking is one of the most important visible developmental achievements of early childhood [1]. Given that ability to make intelligible speech and language is an important correlate of child’s overall development and intellect, the diagnosis of speech delay is made when a child does not achieve this developmental milestone at the expected age [2,3]. Globally, the prevalence of speech and language delay in children ranges from 5-15% [4]. In the United States and Canada, 8-12% of pre-school and 12% of school-age children experienced speech delay [5]. In Egypt and many countries in the Gulf regions; paucity of data exists on the burden of this important early childhood disorder. Nevertheless, empirical evidence showed that the quality of language learning during these early years of life does not only impact significantly on the development of oral language skills, but also on later success in literacy [6,7]. Language problems may result from mental retardation, physical handicaps, hearing loss, neurological problems, or environmental deprivations [7]. It has serious sequelae that may persist into adulthood in terms of educational, social, and emotional development [8]. When children fail to develop normal speech at appropriate time, it is therefore not surprising that they develop Crimson Publishers Wings to the Research Research Article