Early communication skills

PARENTS' ( n = 113) OPINIONS OF early storybook reading (ESR) with their baby or toddler (newborn to three-years-old) and their home reading practices were explored using a questionnaire. Parents from both a more advantaged socioeconomic area and less advantaged socioeconomic area were included. The results signified that parents value ESR and participate in regular ESR with their baby. However, data suggests that some parents have difficulty choosing suitable books and have limited knowledge of how to promote early communication skills while sharing the storybook with their baby. Parents from the less advantaged area reported a lower frequency of ESR, owned fewer children's books and demonstrated more difficulties with book selection compared with parents from a more advantaged area. Future research targeting education on book selection and strategies to facilitate babies' early communication development during ESR may be beneficial to maximise the effectiveness of ESR on young children's language and social skill development.

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Early Communication Skills and Special Education Outcomes at School Entry: Implications for Pediatric Care and Screening

Global Pediatric Health ◽

10.1177/2333794x19884185 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

pp. 2333794X1988418

Author(s):

Matthew H. Kim ◽

Laura Lee McIntyre

Keyword(s):

Special Education ◽

Communication Skills ◽

Speech Therapy ◽

Language Skills ◽

Receptive Language ◽

Pediatric Care ◽

Special Education Services ◽

Education Services ◽

Early Communication ◽

Kindergarten Entry

Objective. To examine whether children’s early communication skills at age 3 predict special education outcomes at kindergarten entry. Methods. Data from 139 children eligible for early intervention or early childhood special education services were examined. Early communication was defined separately as expressive and receptive language skills and was measured by the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales–Second Edition. Outcome variables were parent-reported measures of special education use and dosage as well as speech therapy receipt and dosage at kindergarten entry. Results. Better expressive language skills at age 3—but not receptive language skills—predicted a significantly reduced likelihood (odds ratio = 0.79) of receiving speech therapy at kindergarten entry. There were no effects of early communication on broader receipt of special education services as well as on special education dosage. Conclusions. Screening of specific domains of early communication skills during routine pediatric care, in conjunction with the evaluations of other professionals involved in the child’s education and health, might be an effective method for identifying children who are likely to receive speech therapy and other special education services at kindergarten entry.

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Communication skills of biologically at-risk neonates

South African Journal of Communication Disorders ◽

10.4102/sajcd.v42i1.243 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 42 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Alta Kritzinger ◽

Brenda Louw ◽

René Hugo

Keyword(s):

At Risk ◽

Communication Skills ◽

Diagnostic Tools ◽

Assessment Protocol ◽

Early Communication ◽

Communication Assessment ◽

Normal Limits ◽

Language Pathology ◽

Neonatal Assessment ◽

African Context

Early communication intervention has advanced to include neonatal assessment and management. Currently, however, there are limited diagnostic tools developed from a speech-language pathology and audiology perspective. The purpose of the study was to design a comprehensive neonatal communication assessment protocol and use it to describe the communication skills of 50 biologically at-risk neonates (852g-3060g birthweight). The results indicated that the subjects' general development was within normal limits, but their communication abilities displayed a serious delay. A high risk register consisting of 13 factors predicting the subjects' communication abilities was compiled. The length of time before the subjects could successfully take bottle feeds was found to be the strongest predictor of their communication development. The study is of particular relevance to the present South African context which has an increased incidence of low birth weight, thus rendering an enlarged population of biologically at-risk neonates.

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