Parents with toddlers who may be either late or advanced talkers are required for a University of Queensland study.
The study will investigate the different rates that children learn to understand and use words and sentences.
“We want to compare the communication and interaction characteristics of early and late talkers to more easily identify possible late talkers and establish the best way to help them,” said researcher Dr Sandra McMahon from UQ’s School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
Late talkers were typically children with no known medical condition that caused communication problems, used a limited number of words (less than 50) or did not begin to make sentences by the age of two, Dr McMahon said.
“We often see four-year-old children with notable speech and language delays whose parents had been concerned since the children first starting talking, but were advised to wait and see,” she said.
“However the literature suggests that without early support a substantial number of late talkers develop poor long-term language skills that can impact on their academic skills.”
Dr McMahon said as part of the study, researchers would compare and contrast some of the commonly used tests to determine the most effective means of diagnosing early communication problems.
They also plan to identify the characteristics of late and advanced communication skills in young children to develop more refined early intervention programs.
She said experienced paediatric speech pathologists would visit participants in their home and assess children playing with toys and pictures they had brought with them. A short video would also be taken.
Parents interested in participating, whose children are aged between 23-25 months between now and March, who attend childcare no more than three times a week, have no known medical conditions and speak English as their first language, should telephone 07 3342 4757 or mobile 0413 583 423.
Media: For further information, contact Dr McMahon (telephone 07 3342 4757, mobile 0413 583 423) or Joanne van Zeeland at UQ Communications (telephone 07 33652619 or email communications@uq.edu.au).
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