Waiting for speech-language pathology services: A randomised controlled trial comparing therapy, advice and device

Area of Science:

• Speech-language pathology
• Pediatric audiology
• Child development

Background:

• Children referred for speech-language pathology services often face lengthy waiting times.
• Alternative interventions during waiting periods are needed to support child development and caregiver well-being.
• Comparing direct therapy with less intensive interventions is crucial for resource allocation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare speech, language, and early literacy outcomes in children receiving direct therapy versus advice or a website intervention.
• To assess caregiver empowerment and satisfaction across different intervention modalities.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of interventions provided while children are on a speech-language pathology waiting list.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 110 children aged 3-6 years over eight months.
• Three intervention groups: direct therapy (12 sessions), face-to-face advice, and a purpose-built website.
• Outcomes measured by blinded speech-language pathologists, assessing speech, language, early literacy, and caregiver factors.

Main Results:

• Children in the therapy group showed significantly higher speech outcomes (percentage of consonants correct) than those in the advice and device groups.
• Caregiver satisfaction was significantly higher in the therapy group compared to the device group.
• No significant differences were found between groups for children's intelligibility, language, early literacy, or caregiver empowerment.

Conclusions:

• Direct speech-language pathology therapy yields superior speech outcomes compared to advice or website interventions.
• While therapy offers greater caregiver satisfaction, advice or website interventions may serve as valuable interim support.
• Further research could explore the long-term impact and cost-effectiveness of these varied approaches.