Early Identification of Children with Speech and Language Disorders by Advanced Infant Health Examinations and School Medical Checkups

Abstract

In Japan, infant health examinations and school medical checkups are well established and are useful for early identification of speech and language disorders in children. In Tokushima, we have well-developed advanced infant health examination and school medical checkup systems, where doctors in cooperation with speech-language-hearing therapists perform detailed screening of children for speech and language disorders. Our findings in regard to speech and language development in children through out the advanced infant health examination and school medical checkup systems suggest that the prevalence of delayed language development has recently increased in preschool-age and school-age children. We speculate that prolonged periods of time spent in watching TV, playing video games, using the internet, etc., may prevent children from experiencing normal social communication, leading to delays in language development.