title: Atypical speech and language development: a consensus study on clinical signs in the Netherlands.
abstract: Atypical speech and language development is one of the most common developmental difficulties in young children. However, which clinical signs characterize atypical speech-language development at what age is not clear.
  
  
  
  To achieve a national and valid consensus on clinical signs and red flags (i.e. most urgent clinical signs) for atypical speech-language development in children from 1 to 6 years of age.
  
  
  
  A two-round Delphi study in the Netherlands with a national expert panel (n = 24) of speech and language therapists was conducted. The panel members responded to web-based questionnaires addressing clinical signs. Consensus was defined as ≥ 70% of the experts agreeing on an issue.
  
  
  
  The first round resulted in a list of 161 characteristics of atypical speech and language development. The second round led to agreement on 124 clinical signs and 34 red flags.
  
  
  
  Dutch national consensus concerns 17-23 clinical signs per age year for the description of an atypical speech-language development in young children and three to 10 characteristics per age year being red flags for atypical speech-language development. This consensus contributes to early identification and diagnosis of children with atypical speech-language development, awareness and research.
authors.affiliation: Research Group Healthy Ageing, Allied Health Care and Nursing, Hanze University Groningen, Applied Sciences, Groningen, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Margot I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Visser-Bochane
authors.affiliation: Research Group Speech and Language Therapy, HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands.|Department of Languages, Literature and Communication, Faculty of Humanities, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gerrits
authors.affiliation: Research Group Healthy Ageing, Allied Health Care and Nursing, Hanze University Groningen, Applied Sciences, Groningen, the Netherlands.|University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Groningen, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Cees P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: van der Schans
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Sijmen A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Reijneveld
authors.affiliation: Research Group Healthy Ageing, Allied Health Care and Nursing, Hanze University Groningen, Applied Sciences, Groningen, the Netherlands.|Department of Otolaryngology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Margreet R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Luinge
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003697:Delphi Technique; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D013064:Speech Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires