Prevalence and risk factors of developmental language delay in a sample of children aged <6 years old in the Aseer region, Saudi Arabia: A community-based study

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Universal screening for developmental language delay (DLD) is of vital importance, as early identification and intervention can significantly reduce the risk of long-term adverse outcomes, including diminished cognitive functioning, impaired communication skills, and literacy difficulties. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with DLD in children. Using a community-based approach, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among residents of the Aseer region in Saudi Arabia. The study population included children aged ≤6 years. Face-to-face interviews were carried out in community settings, including nurseries and schools, where children were screened using the Arabic-translated version of the Preschool Language Scale, Fourth Edition. A total of 410 children were included; their median (interquartile range) age was 46.0 (22.0-65.0) months, 53.2% were females, 82.7% resided in urban areas, 38.5% of the studied parents reported a consanguineous relationship, and 8.5% of families reported a history of speech or language disorders. For auditory comprehension, infants exhibited the highest mean score, while kindergarten-aged children recorded the lowest mean score (105.1 ± 23.6 vs 80.7 ± 24.0; P < .001). Regarding expressive communication, infants had the highest performance, while preschoolers aged 37 to 48 months had the lowest score (101.2 ± 22.0 vs 79.4 ± 20.8; P < .001). Infants had the highest total score, while preschoolers had the lowest (113.7 ± 27.3 vs 80.9 ± 23.8; P < .001). The overall prevalence of DLD was 35.9% among all the studied children. Maternal education levels revealed a significant association, with a higher percentage of mothers in the DLD group having lower education levels compared with the non-DLD group (P = .035). A significant difference was related to the child's nutrition, as 25.3% of children in the DLD group were breastfed compared with 45.4% who were bottle-fed (P = .001). DLD affects nearly one-third of the studied sample in the Aseer region, Saudi Arabia, and it was linked to maternal education and feeding practices. Implementaion of ommunity-based screening and intervention programs are necessary to reduce the burden of DLD.