Parent questionnaire for screening early language development in children with cleft palate

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Speech-Language Pathology
• Developmental Psychology

Background:

• Early language development is crucial for children, especially those with cleft lip and palate who may face communication challenges.
• Screening tools are essential for identifying potential delays and facilitating timely intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory: Toddler (CDI: Toddler) as a screening tool for early language development in children aged 16–30 months with cleft lip and palate.
• To compare the CDI: Toddler's performance against a comprehensive speech-language screening.

Main Methods:

• The study included 30 nonsyndromic children with cleft lip and palate and 30 typically developing children (16–30 months).
• Participants completed the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory: Toddler (CDI: Toddler), administered by a pediatrician.
• A comprehensive speech-language screening was conducted by a speech-language pathologist for comparison.

Main Results:

• The CDI: Toddler demonstrated validity as a language development screener when compared to a comprehensive speech-language screening.
• Children with cleft lip and palate showed evidence of delays in expressive language development compared to the noncleft group.

Conclusions:

• The CDI: Toddler is a valid and effective tool for screening early language development in toddlers with cleft lip and palate.
• Findings highlight the need for early language monitoring and intervention in this population.
• Differences in expressive language development underscore the impact of cleft lip and palate on communication milestones.