Global Prevalence of Children With Complex Communication Needs With or Without Autism or Intellectual Disability:...

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Speech and Language Pathology
• Public Health

Background:

• Complex communication needs (CCN) affect children with profound language difficulties, impacting daily participation.
• Prevalence estimates for CCN vary due to differing definitions and study exclusions.
• Children with CCN may have co-occurring conditions like autism or intellectual disability (ID).

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and estimate the global prevalence of CCN in children.
• To assess prevalence in children with and without autism or ID.
• To provide data for optimizing resource allocation and guiding future research.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review and meta-analysis protocol adhering to PRISMA-P guidelines.
• Searches across multiple databases (MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, etc.) and grey literature.
• Inclusion of observational studies (cross-sectional/longitudinal) reporting CCN prevalence in children without acquired/physical conditions.

Main Results:

• This section is to be filled after the study is completed.

Conclusions:

• Findings will offer global prevalence estimates for CCN in children, including subgroups.
• Data is crucial for optimizing resource allocation for assessment and intervention.
• Results will identify knowledge gaps to direct future research efforts.