Screening tools for language development in children 0-5 years: Protocol for scoping review
Project
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The Norwegian Directorate of Health has requested the Norwegian Institute of Public Health to conduct a scoping review on screening tools that are intended to detect deviations from normal language development in children aged 0-5 years and summarize their characteristics and measurement properties. The screening tools must be suitable for use in primary health care centers in Norway.
Summary
Language development in children is complex and a critical part of their cognitive and social development. Language screening takes place at primary health centers in Norway, mainly when the child is 2 and 4 years of age. The screening includes observation, dialogue with parents and the use of standardized tools. The aim is early detection of deviations in language development, in order to provide the necessary follow-up. The chapter on language develop-ment in the national guidelines will be updated in 2024, and there is a need for an overview of relevant screening tools and evaluation of these.
The purpose of this review is to identify screening tools that are intended to detect deviations from normal language development in children aged 0-5 years, and to summarize their characteristics and measurement properties.
We will conduct a systematic scoping review. A scoping review is a type of evidence synthesis that maps and narratively describes the existing research published on a specific topic. To identify relevant studies, an information specialist will conduct literature searches in international databases such as MEDLINE and Embase. We will include empirical primary studies from 2000-2023 that evaluate screening tools aimed at detecting deviations from normal language development in children 0-5 years suitable for a primary health centre setting. Team members will select studies according to the inclusion criteria. For each of the included studies, we will retrieve relevant information. The findings will be presented with simple narrative presentations of results and conclusions.
Project leader
Patricia Sofia Jacobsen Jardim, Reviews and Health Technology Assessments, Norwegian Institute of Public Health
Project participants
Ingvild Kirkehei, Reviews and Health Technology Assessments, Norwegian Institute of Public Health
Tiril Cecilie Borge, Reviews and Health Technology Assessments, Norwegian Institute of Public Health
Ingeborg Beate Lidal, Reviews and Health Technology Assessments, Norwegian Institute of Public Health
Rigmor Berg, Reviews and Health Technology Assessments, Norwegian Institute of Public Health
Start
23.05.2023
End
31.12.2023
Status
Active
Project owner/ Project manager
Norwegian Institute of Public Health