Specialist-mediated play therapy for toddlers with language developmental delay: a single-center observational pilot...

Language developmental delay is one of the most common neurodevelopmental concerns in early childhood. Early intervention is considered critical for improving communication outcomes, yet the comparative effectiveness of different intervention approaches remains incompletely understood.

To examine the association between three early intervention strategies, clinic-based structured language rehabilitation, parent-led family intervention, and specialist-mediated play therapy, and language developmental outcomes in toddlers with mild language developmental delay in a non-randomized observational design.

This single-center case-control observational pilot study included 180 children aged 18-36 months diagnosed with mild language developmental delay using the Gesell Developmental Diagnosis Scale. No randomization was performed. Participants were categorized into three intervention groups according to the clinical management strategy selected following standardized physician consultation and parental preference: clinic-based structured language rehabilitation (n = 60), parent-led family intervention (n = 60), and specialist-mediated play therapy (n = 60). Language developmental quotient (DQ) scores were assessed at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Changes in DQ scores over time were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance.

Language DQ improved significantly over time in all three groups (p < 0.001). However, children receiving specialist-mediated play therapy demonstrated greater improvement than those receiving clinic-based structured rehabilitation or parent-led intervention. At 6 months, 43.3% of children in the play therapy group improved to the borderline language category compared with 21.7% in the clinic-based group and 23.3% in the family intervention group. At 12 months, 50.0% of children in the play therapy group achieved language scores within the normal range, compared with 18.3% and 25.0% in the clinic-based and family intervention groups, respectively. A significant group-by-time interaction was observed (p < 0.001), suggesting different developmental trajectories across intervention approaches.

Early intervention was associated with improvements in language development among toddlers with mild language delay. Specialist-mediated play therapy demonstrated a stronger association with language gains compared with clinic-based structured rehabilitation and parent-led interventions. These findings demonstrate association rather than causation owing to the non-randomized observational design. Further large-scale, multicenter randomized controlled trials are required to confirm these findings, establish causal efficacy, and determine optimal early intervention strategies.