[Early identification of language delay among two-year-olds--a comparison of methods].
OBJECTIVE
In recent years, several language tests and parent questionnaires targeting the early identification of language delay have been developed. The present study compares the results from two such language tests administered to two-year-old children and those from a parent report measure.


METHODS
Thirty-one normally developing or late-talking toddlers (aged 24 to 28 months) were included in the study. Their language skills were assessed by means of a parent report (ELFRA-2, a German version of the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventories--CDI, Toddler Form) and two language tests (SETK-2, RDLS III).


RESULTS
The concordance regarding the level of language skills was high for all three measures. The correlations between subtest measures that assess similar language dimensions varied between rSp = 0.7 and 0.9. Most children who were classified as late talkers based on the parent report measure were also classified as having a language delay on the basis of both language tests. However, the language delay on the part of the late-talking children usually was not recognized during the routine pediatric examination at the age of 24 months.


CONCLUSIONS
Parent reports and language tests identify late talkers almost equally well. Hence, the parent questionnaire ELFRA-2 is recommended as the primary instrument for the early identification of late talkers at age two. If the results on the parent report are below normal, further assessment of the child's language abilities by means of the SETK-2 is advisable. In contrast to language assessment on the basis of the parent report, assessment based on the SETK-2 provides information on language comprehension and thus enables a more sophisticated assessment of the child's language skills. The SETK-2 consists mainly of pictures, however. For those children who show little interest in the pictures in a clinical setting, use of the RDLS III should be considered.
Sachse
Steffi
S
Klinik für Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie, Psychosomatik und Psychotherapie der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München.
Anke
Beatrice
B
von Suchodoletz
Waldemar
W
D002675:Child, Preschool; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D007807:Language Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013068:Speech Production Measurement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires