Accuracy of 'Communication and Symbolic Behaviour Scales Developmental Profile-Infant Toddler Checklist' for Screening Communication Delay in Children Aged 6-24 Months Referred to a Child Developmental Clinic.

Objective: To assess the accuracy of the Communication and Symbolic Behaviour Scales Developmental Profile-Infant Toddler Checklist (CSBS-ITC) for screening communication delay in children aged 6-24 months.

Method: This hospital-based observational cross-sectional study included 200 children aged 6-24 months of either sex attending the child development clinic. Participants were categorized into high- and low-risk groups based on perinatal and neurological risk factors. The CSBS-ITC was administered to parents, followed by a standardized developmental assessment using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (BSID-III). Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of CSBS-ITC were calculated.

Results: Communication concerns were identified in 69% of children using the CSBS-ITC, and among these, 65% was confirmed to have language delays on the BSID-III assessment. CSBS-ITC demonstrated a high sensitivity (94%) and specificity (82%), with a positive predictive value of 87% and a negative predictive value of 80%.

Conclusion: CSBS-ITC is a useful tool for screening communication delay in high-risk children aged 6-24 months, and the tool exhibits good screening accuracy.