Coaching parents to build language into daily play and conversation gives under-fives at risk of DLD a small but real boost in overall language scores, with stronger gains in understanding than in speaking. Some of the benefit fades by six months.
The pooled analysis of nine randomised trials (997 children) found a small but statistically significant improvement in overall language scores (standardised mean difference 0.129, 95% CI 0.001 to 0.257, p = 0.048).
Receptive language scores showed a significant improvement (SMD 0.263, 95% CI 0.125 to 0.402, p < 0.001), while expressive language scores did not reach significance (SMD 0.111, 95% CI -0.028 to 0.249, p = 0.118).
In the largest trial (208 children), language gains were significant immediately after the intervention but had faded to non-significance by the six-month follow-up.
Single-blind randomized controlled trial. Sixty-four participants were randomized across two intervention arms and assessed at twelve weeks for the primary outcome…
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