Effects of parent child interaction therapy on children with language delay at a tertiary care hospital of Lahore, Pakistan

Abstract

Introduction: Parent–child interaction therapy is widely used by speech language therapists to improve the interactions between children with delayed language development and their parents’/care takers.
Objective: To find the effect of parent child interaction therapy on children with language delay.
Methodology: It was an interventional study design, conducted between June 2020 to August 2020. The study included 32 children with diagnosed Language Delay. Parents of children with language delay were introduced PCIT through conduction of a workshop. Mother having age between 24 to 40 years were included in this study and children who were included in the study were diagnosed language delay and were between the ages of 36 months to 72 months. Children with neurodevelopmental and other disorders with language delay were not included. Twice in a week therapy sessions were conducted and parents were guided by the SLP about the therapy and its strategies. Portage Guide to Early Education was used for pre and post assessment of language development by a neutral speech and language therapist.
Results: Parent Child Interaction Therapy is a useful therapy technique for the improvement of a child’s language development. Before and after having PCIT the child language age (Mean -3.125 months, SD 1.43122). Hence, the p value of paired t test is 0.000 which means there was significant mean difference in scores of language delay before and after Parent Child Interaction Therapy.
Conclusion: PCIT helps language delay children to improve their language. Parents also learn a way to interact with their children in a good healthy environment and sustain their learnt skills that help in their child’s grooming, behavior, communication and developing a child’s personality.
Keywords: Parent with language delay, Child Interaction Therapy, Children with Language Delay, Language disorders.