Integrating Speech-Language Pathologists Into Primary Care to Improve Early Identification of Developmental Concerns: A Brief Report

Purpose: Many young children in need of early intervention are not identified in a timely manner. This preliminary study explored the emerging role of speech-language pathologists (SLPs), providing training to improve the use of developmental screening in pediatric primary care. Method: A quantitative, descriptive methodology with a one-group pretest, posttest interventional design was utilized to assess the impact of an SLP-led educational intervention on the knowledge of 17 paraprofessional medical support personnel to administer a standardized developmental screening tool. Results: Data analysis revealed a significant increase on knowledge posttest scores from pretest scores. Conclusion: SLPs providing educational training in pediatric primary care is an important first step in identifying solutions to improving the early identification of children with developmental concerns.