Identifying delays via preschool language scales in children who are deaf/hard-of-hearing and use spoken language

Standardized language tests guide eligibility for speech-language services in children who are deaf and hard-of-hearing (D/HH) and use spoken language. They must be sensitive enough to detect delays during critical early windows. Clinicians have noted that the Preschool Language Scale-Fifth Edition (PLS-5) may lack sensitivity to spoken language delays in young D/HH children, risking under-identification for intervention. We retrospectively compared standard scores from PLS-5 and Oral and Written Language Scales-Second Edition (OWLS-II) in 39 children using hearing aids and/or cochlear implants. Relative to OWLS-II, PLS-5 tended to yield higher standard scores in children under 3 years but lower standard scores in children older than 3.8 years. Clinicians should use caution when relying solely on the PLS-5 to determine eligibility for services in young children who are D/HH.