Status of Identification of Communication Disorder in Children in Current Scenario: A Survey from West Bengal

To find the status of age of suspicion and identification availed for children with different communication disorders. This cross-sectional survey study was conducted on 2081 children aged 0.5 to 15 years (mean: 5.41; S.D.: ±3.77) who came to the speech-language diagnostic department of AYJNISHD(D), RC, Kolkata for availing rehabilitation service at the institute. The information was gathered from the parents and caregivers of the children. After detailed evaluation by the interdisciplinary team, the developed 14-item questionnaire was administered, and data were recorded and tabulated. Findings suggested that average age of suspicion of presence of communication problem is 2 years (SD: ±0.98). The suspicion rate increased with increasing age with a saturation in suspicion rate after 5 years. Consultation of a medical professional, primarily an ENT specialist was availed by 2.8 years (SD: ±1.89) of age and 32% of the doctors during the first visit assured the parents not to worry as the child would learn language with age and only 43.4% were referred for rehabilitation. Among them, 42.8% of children were found hearing loss, 24.5% found to have autism spectrum disorder, 20.66% of children were diagnosed with developmental delay, 6.4% were diagnosed with intellectual disability, 4.7% were diagnosed with late language emergence and 0.86% were diagnosed with cerebral palsy. From the findings we can conclude perceived cause of delay in identification is lack of awareness, lack of proper guidance from the primary consultants, and tendency to follow wait-and-watch policy.