Language Speech and Hearing Services in Schools最新文献

{"title":"Development and Validation of an International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health-Based Communication Screening Scale for Preschool Children.","authors":"Esma Nur Yelek Çatal, Tuğçe Karahan Tığrak, Kübra Atalay Kabasakal, Maviş Emel Kulak Kayıkcı","doi":"10.1044/2026_LSHSS-25-00228","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1044/2026_LSHSS-25-00228","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This study aimed to develop and validate the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF)-based Communication Screening Scale (CSS) for monolingual Turkish-speaking preschool children, grounded in the ICF framework and based on parent report.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>The item pool was generated from 54 ICF second-level codes, reviewed by experts, and refined through content validity analysis and a pilot study. The final 41-item draft was administered to 210 children (105 with speech and/or language disorders, 105 typically developing peers) 36-72 months of age and one of their parents. For validation, the Turkish Early Language Development Test, the Ankara Articulation Test (AAT), and the Turkish version of the Focus on the Outcomes of Communication Under Six-34 (FOCUS-34-TR) were used.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Factor analysis yielded a 23-item scale with four subfactors: language skills, communication, speech intelligibility, and attention. Known-groups validity demonstrated that the scale significantly differentiated children with and without disorders, except for the attention factor. Strong negative correlations with FOCUS-34-TR confirmed criterion validity. Reliability coefficients ranged from .73 to .93, indicating acceptable to high internal consistency.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The CSS is a valid and reliable screening tool specifically designed for the early identification of monolingual Turkish-speaking preschool children at risk for communication, speech, and language disorders. Its parent report format and ICF-based framework support its feasibility in educational and clinical contexts. Future research should examine its integration into national preschool screening programs and its adaptation and validation for bilingual populations and other linguistic contexts.</p><p><strong>Supplemental material: </strong>https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.33684349.</p>","PeriodicalId":54326,"journal":{"name":"Language Speech and Hearing Services in Schools","volume":" ","pages":"1-14"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149026944","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Children's Rights to the Best Possible Care: Establishing Processes for Data Collection in Routine Care to Address Questions of Intervention Effectiveness for Children With Speech Sound Disorder.","authors":"Yvonne Wren, Sam Burr, Joanne Cleland, Helen Stringer, Sam Harding","doi":"10.1044/2026_LSHSS-25-00202","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1044/2026_LSHSS-25-00202","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>The United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child (CRC) recognizes that all children have a right to the best possible care, CRC Article 24 (health, water, food, environment). For children with speech sound disorder, this is vital in order to protect their rights to CRC Article 13 (sharing thoughts freely), CRC Article 19 (protection from violence), and CRC Article 28 (access to education). Determining what constitutes best possible care for this population is challenging because much evidence for intervention takes place outside of routine care. This review article provides an overview of Phase 1 of the Maximising the Impact of Speech and Language Therapy for Children with Speech Sound Disorder (MISLToe_SSD) program of research, which ultimately aims to establish a process for using data collected in routine care to investigate best possible care for children with speech sound disorder. The purpose of Phase 1 was to obtain consensus on a diagnostic pathway, a defined list of interventions, and a core outcome set.</p><p><strong>Method and results: </strong>An umbrella review was carried out to provide information on existing evidence. Participatory workshops with speech and language therapists were used to determine the content of the diagnostic pathway, and a card sorting exercise was used to provide a list of interventions currently in use and agree on their definitions. Finally, the core outcome set was agreed through a Delphi process. Patient and public involvement activities were used throughout the program of work to ensure that the aims and activities were in line with the preferences of those with lived experience of speech sound disorder.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Consensus was reached on the three core aims of agreeing a diagnostic protocol, a core outcome set, and a list of defined interventions. Phase 2 of MISLToe_SSD will establish the feasibility of implementing these within routine care, and Phase 3 will extend the work to multiple services, leading to the large data set required for future analyses. This work has been carried out in the United Kingdom, but work is underway to replicate this work in Brazil, Sweden, Portugal, and other countries and in other languages to establish an international diagnostic pathway, a defined list of interventions, and a core outcome set.</p>","PeriodicalId":54326,"journal":{"name":"Language Speech and Hearing Services in Schools","volume":" ","pages":"1-10"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149013274","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Universal Design for Learning With Preschoolers Who Are Deafblind: Promoting Communication and Language Development.","authors":"Deborah Chen","doi":"10.1044/2026_LSHSS-26-00023","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1044/2026_LSHSS-26-00023","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Preschoolers who are deafblind are a low-incidence and heterogeneous group. Consequently, many speech-language pathologists (SLPs) may not have encountered these children. However, SLPs are essential members of the educational team serving a child who is deafblind. Collaboration is necessary to address the child's unique strengths, type and degree of visual impairment and hearing loss, accompanying disabilities, and learning needs. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) provides a flexible approach to enhance collaboration that promotes the child's access to and development of social interaction, communication, and language.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This article (a) identifies relevant current research on the effectiveness of UDL, (b) explores UDL principles as a vehicle for facilitating the SLP's collaboration with the child's family and other educational team members, and (c) outlines how UDL principles support the SLP's role with preschoolers who are deafblind.</p>","PeriodicalId":54326,"journal":{"name":"Language Speech and Hearing Services in Schools","volume":" ","pages":"1-8"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148992330","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Honoring Children's Communication Rights: Listening to the Perspectives of Children Who Stutter Using Drawings, Self-Report Measures, and Interviews.","authors":"Mary-Pat O'Malley, Síafra Conroy, Clare Carroll","doi":"10.1044/2026_LSHSS-25-00216","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1044/2026_LSHSS-25-00216","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Reflecting a commitment to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), and Articles 12 (respect for children's views) and Article 13 (sharing thoughts freely) in particular, this study aimed to explore whether drawings with interviews are a suitable method for understanding the perspectives of children who stutter (CWS) and what CWS communicate about their talking using this method.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Data were collected with 16 children aged 4;0 (years;months)-6;10 and involved drawings (62), interviews, and three self-report measures. The drawings were analyzed quantitatively across two dimensions: (a) developmental analysis and (b) focal point analysis. Inductive reflexive thematic analysis of the interview transcripts was also conducted.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Self-report measure scores indicated that most participants were \"happy\" about their talking with an average self-perception of little/no difficulty when talking. Participants demonstrated developmentally age-appropriate drawing skills. Six focal points were identified across the 62 drawings: (1) facial expressions, (2) accentuation of body features, (3) portrayal of talking/listening, (4) colors used, (5) conversation partners, and (6) sense of self. Four themes were generated: (1) familial relationships, (2) friendship, (3) child's interests, and (4) self-perception of competence.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Drawing with an interview is a suitable method for understanding the perspectives of CWS. A range of perspectives were expressed by the children. Stuttering was not found to be a prominent feature of children's perspectives on their talking. These findings contribute to the adoption of holistic, person-centered approaches when working with CWS in speech-language pathology.</p>","PeriodicalId":54326,"journal":{"name":"Language Speech and Hearing Services in Schools","volume":" ","pages":"1-15"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148972003","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tutorial: Exploring the Speech-Language Pathologist's Role in Childhood Blindness and Low Vision.","authors":"Sarah Marshall, Jessica McLeod, Laura Harper, Steve Rose, Susan Silveira","doi":"10.1044/2026_LSHSS-25-00263","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1044/2026_LSHSS-25-00263","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Children with vision differences face unique challenges in accessing classroom communication, which can affect language development, academic achievement, and social participation. To ensure effective communication, professionals must understand each child's diverse access needs and individual preferences. Professionals must also be aware of the nature of the child's lived visual experience, including the strategies that allow the child with low vision to access sustained and meaningful vision, compared to those strategies preferred by the child who is blind.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>This tutorial discusses a comprehensive framework that is created by combining the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) and the Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC). The ICF identifies barriers and facilitators to functioning and participation, while the ECC supports independence, participation, and communication through relevant interventions.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>This tutorial highlights practical strategies and interdisciplinary approaches to promote inclusive, accessible communication in mainstream educational settings using two interdisciplinary case studies (one child diagnosed with septo-optic dysplasia and optic nerve hypoplasia at 1 year of age, then a severe language disorder, intellectual disability, and autism spectrum disorder at 6 years, and the other diagnosed with suspected cerebral vision impairment and single-sided hearing loss at 2 years of age).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Children with blindness and low vision benefit from speech-language pathologist (SLP) collaboration with their families and professionals (e.g., orientation and mobility specialists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists) to actively support optimal learning and engagement. SLPs can apply the ICF and ECC and insights from the case studies to inform assessment, goal setting, collaborative planning, and intervention.</p>","PeriodicalId":54326,"journal":{"name":"Language Speech and Hearing Services in Schools","volume":" ","pages":"1-18"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-08-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148867873","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Promoting Children's Rights Through Breastfeeding Support: A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Speech-Language Pathologist-Led Intervention Among Migrant Mothers in Primary Health Care.","authors":"Ana Cláudia Lopes, Pedro Sá Couto, Marisa Lousada","doi":"10.1044/2026_LSHSS-25-00206","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1044/2026_LSHSS-25-00206","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This randomized controlled trial evaluated a culturally adapted breastfeeding intervention led by speech-language pathologists (SLPs) for migrant mothers, grounded in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). The intervention addressed the rights to nondiscrimination (CRC Article 2), best interests of the child (CRC Article 3), survival and development (CRC Article 6), highest attainable standard of health (CRC Article 24), full potential (CRC Article 29), and cultural identity (CRC Article 30). The study examined whether the intervention improved exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) duration, maternal self-efficacy, infant oral-motor function, and maternal postpartum quality of life (MAPP-QOL).</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Seventy-four migrant women in Portugal were randomly assigned to an intervention group (IG; <i>n</i> = 37) receiving culturally adapted, SLP-led breastfeeding support or a control group (<i>n</i> = 37) receiving standard care. The intervention included a prenatal workshop, early feeding assessment, and individualized SLP counseling. Assessments at 1, 3, and 6 months postpartum included the Neonatal Oral-Motor Assessment Scale (NOMAS), Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale, and MAPP-QOL questionnaire.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Groups were comparable at baseline in demographics, perinatal characteristics, and pre-intervention outcomes (all <i>p</i> > .05). EBF was higher and significant in the IG: at 1 month (91.9% vs. 51.4%; <i>OR</i> = 10.75), at 3 months (91.9% vs. 27.0%; <i>OR</i> = 30.30), and at 6 months (91.9% vs. 18.9%; <i>OR</i> = 47.62). In the IG, knowledge, attitudes, and practices improved from pre- to post-intervention (<i>p</i> < .001). Self-efficacy showed a significant Group × Time interaction (<i>p</i> < .001) and correlated with EBF, ranging from .391 to .644. MAPP-QOL also showed a significant Group × Time interaction (<i>p</i> < .001) and correlated with both self-efficacy and EBF, ranging from .239 to .629. NOMAS favored the IG, with 13.5% undergoing frenotomy and 40.5% receiving targeted SLP therapy.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>A culturally adapted, SLP-led intervention can significantly improve breastfeeding outcomes, maternal confidence, quality of life, and infant feeding while advancing children's rights to health and cultural identity. Findings highlight the vital role of SLPs in multidisciplinary primary care.</p><p><strong>Supplemental material: </strong>https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.33249894.</p>","PeriodicalId":54326,"journal":{"name":"Language Speech and Hearing Services in Schools","volume":" ","pages":"1-17"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148814597","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Upholding Children's Communication Rights by Ensuring Access to Full and Appropriate Language Assessments and Corresponding Evidence-Based Interventions.","authors":"Katharine Beals, Caroline Bowen, Lucy Bryant, Gaenor Dixon, Bronwyn Hemsley","doi":"10.1044/2026_LSHSS-25-00205","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1044/2026_LSHSS-25-00205","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This commentary is motivated by Articles 23 (children with disabilities) and 28 (right to education) of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Article 23 upholds the rights of children to education and training, leading to \"the fullest possible social integration and individual development. … \" A key component of social integration and individual development, and thus a key target of education and training, is communication and literacy skills. Article 28, indeed, includes combating illiteracy via evidence-based teaching methods. Also informing this commentary is Article 12 (respect for children's views).</p><p><strong>Background: </strong>Some children have communication impairments that impede their ability to fully realize their rights to social integration and individual development. We address the needs of these individuals to full and appropriate language assessments and corresponding evidence-based interventions. Our focus is on symbolic language, a type of language that comprises abstract symbols and rules for combining these symbols into phrases and sentences (e.g., spoken English, written Spanish, or Chinese Sign Language). Symbolic language has the distinction of being the only medium that enables clear, reliable, and open-ended communication without reliance on the interpretation of a communication partner and is also the basis for literacy.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>In describing the assessment and interventions needed to ensure that children with communication disabilities access language and literacy, and thus their ability to participate in their communities, we hope to contribute to the call by Article 23 for the dissemination of information concerning the educational and other services that enable States Parties to improve the communication capabilities of children with neurodevelopmental disability and associated communication challenges.</p><p><strong>Outline: </strong>We discuss, first, the starting point for all effective interventions: a thorough, evidence-based evaluation of the child's current skills, strengths, and deficits across all the domains involved in symbolic language and literacy. We then discuss evidence-based alternative forms of communication for those who need them, evidence-based interventions in both language and literacy for children with specific needs in these areas, and non-evidence-based language and literacy tactics to avoid.</p>","PeriodicalId":54326,"journal":{"name":"Language Speech and Hearing Services in Schools","volume":" ","pages":"1-18"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148801645","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Children's Communication and Rights: Global Cleft Care in Relation to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.","authors":"Chelsea Sommer, Kenny Ardouin, Erika Bostock, Mikaela Bow, Karen Goldschmied, Toko Hayakawa, Bieke Kreps, Solomon Obiri-Yeboah, Carolina Rivera, Stephanie van Eeden, Yvonne Wren","doi":"10.1044/2026_LSHSS-25-00211","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1044/2026_LSHSS-25-00211","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>The purpose of this article was to examine the application of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) to the human and communication rights of children with cleft lip and palate (CLP). The authors of this article, some of whom also have lived experience of CLP, are clinicians and researchers who work with children who have CLP. In this article, the authors provide several examples of initiatives and research around the globe that have supported children with CLP and align with the CRC.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Providers who work with people with CLP from birth through young adulthood have helped to support the CRC through various programs that have addressed the United Nations: Article 2 (nondiscrimination), Article 6 (life, survival, and development), Article 12 (respect for the views of the child), Article 13 (freedom of expression), Article 23 (children with a disability), Article 24 (health and health services), Article 27 (adequate standard of living), Article 28 (access to education), Article 29 (goals of education), and Article 30 (children from minority or indigenous groups).</p><p><strong>Supplemental material: </strong>https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.33085112.</p>","PeriodicalId":54326,"journal":{"name":"Language Speech and Hearing Services in Schools","volume":" ","pages":"1-9"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148674412","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Children's Communication Rights in the Holistic Assessment of Speech Sound Disorders: Do Speech-Language Pathologists Use the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Framework?","authors":"Alexis Moser, Kelly Farquharson, Brenda Louw","doi":"10.1044/2026_LSHSS-25-00193","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1044/2026_LSHSS-25-00193","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>During the assessment process, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) have the opportunity to account for the involvement, thoughts, and views of children with speech sound disorders (SSDs). This is in alignment with the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC; UNICEF, n.d.; United Nations, 1989) including CRC Article 12 (Respect for children's views), Article 13 (Sharing thoughts freely), and Article 23 (Children with disabilities), which affirms SLPs' role to facilitate participation and consider perspectives. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF; World Health Organization, 2001) offers a holistic framework that can guide assessment practices, including accounting for children's views of their own speech. While previous research has been limited to theoretical application, the current study provides preliminary data regarding how American SLPs practically utilize the ICF framework in the evaluation of children with SSDs.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>An online survey was created using REDCap and disseminated to currently practicing SLPs across the United States. A total of 296 surveys were completed, and data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Over 50% of American SLPs were unfamiliar with the ICF, which was reflected in how they selected assessments of Body Functions more than Activities/Participation and Contextual Factors for children with SSDs. Furthermore, under 10% of SLPs included an assessment tool that measures a child's communicative participation or self-reported attitudes.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Findings demonstrated a need for greater exposure to holistic assessment of children with SSDs in the United States. Recommendations extend to faculty and researchers to integrate the ICF framework in teaching and research to promote evidence-based assessment practices and patient-reported outcome measures to protect the CRC.</p>","PeriodicalId":54326,"journal":{"name":"Language Speech and Hearing Services in Schools","volume":" ","pages":"1-16"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148674470","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Upholding Young Children's Right to Child Protection Through Quality Relationships and Policy.","authors":"Belinda Downey, Leanne Gibbs, Joanne Grimmond","doi":"10.1044/2026_LSHSS-25-00213","DOIUrl":"10.1044/2026_LSHSS-25-00213","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Children's rights to protection and participation, as outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 3 (Best interest of the child), Article 12 (Respect for children's views), and Article 19 (Protection from violence), must be upheld, and education and health professionals working with children hold a critical role in ensuring these rights are protected. Infants and children with disabilities are especially vulnerable to maltreatment, representing a significant proportion of abuse cases. Children who use diverse communication styles often face additional barriers when expressing concerns or reporting harm, increasing their risk of harm when adults fail to recognize or respond to their communication effectively. This article advocates for education and health professionals to create a culture of safety that enables children to express their safety and well-being concerns through recognition of their diverse communication styles as expressions of their agency and rights.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Education and health professionals must prioritize unhurried, relationship-focused time with children to create safe, responsive environments that support diverse communication for active engagement with children's cues. High-quality practices and child-inclusive policy and governance are essential measures that can be implemented to reduce the risk of child abuse or maltreatment. Implementation of these measures ensure that children's rights to safety and participation are upheld.</p>","PeriodicalId":54326,"journal":{"name":"Language Speech and Hearing Services in Schools","volume":" ","pages":"1-5"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148632598","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}