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Pediatric language assessments via telehealth: A systematic review
Alliete R Alfano1, Iliana Concepcion1, Ashley Espinosa1
1Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA.
Insights
Telehealth language assessments for children are as reliable as in-person evaluations. This remote approach offers a feasible alternative for speech-language pathology services, ensuring timely intervention for communication delays.
Area of Science:
- Speech-language pathology
- Pediatric audiology and communication disorders
- Telehealth and digital health
Background:
- Early identification of communication delays in children is critical for intervention.
- Limited access to formal assessments can impede language development.
- The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the need for and adoption of telehealth services in speech-language pathology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review existing literature on the efficacy of telehealth for pediatric language assessments.
- To compare the reliability and feasibility of remote versus face-to-face language evaluations.
Main Methods:
- Conducted a systematic literature search across four electronic databases.
- Included studies published from 2010 onwards, in English, focusing on preschool/elementary children undergoing telehealth language assessments.
- Analyzed studies for comparability of telehealth and face-to-face assessment scores and ratings.
Main Results:
- No significant differences were found between standard scores and behavioral ratings for telehealth and face-to-face assessments.
- Telehealth delivery of language assessments was determined to be feasible.
- High levels of agreement indicate adequate reliability for telehealth assessments compared to in-person evaluations.
Conclusions:
- Current evidence supports the use of telehealth for administering language-based assessments with comparable outcomes to traditional methods.
- Further research is recommended for specific populations (bilingual children, under-fours) and settings (schools, clinics).
Introduction:
Assessment is crucial in the identification of children with potential delays/disorders and allows speech-language pathologists the opportunity to provide early intervention when indicated. For this reason, inaccessibility to formal assessments can be detrimental to the development and progression of overall communication skills for children with language disorders. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for increased telehealth services and how the provision of these remote services offers a much-needed alternative to face-to-face services for both clinicians and families.
Method:
A systematic procedure involving online literature searches in four electronic databases was employed to identify studies for inclusion in this review. Inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) preschool or elementary pediatric participants, and (2) involve the delivery of language-based assessments via telehealth. Additionally, the search was limited to studies written in English, dated 2010 and newer, and published in peer-reviewed journals.
Results:
The results of the systematic review showed there was no significant difference between standard scores and behavioral ratings for both face-to-face and telehealth assessments. The studies reviewed determined that telehealth delivery was feasible and presented adequate reliability with high levels of agreement between assessment scores obtained via telehealth and face-to-face.
Conclusion:
Current research suggests that there is no significant difference between remote and face-to-face assessment administration. Additional research is needed to examine the feasibility and reliability of conducting language-based assessments via telehealth in bilingual children, children younger than four years of age, and in different environments, such as schools or clinics.
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