A recent Evidence Report from the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) highlights a persistent gap in research regarding preventive care services for children showing no obvious signs or symptoms of speech and language delay and disorder. In the accompanying Recommendation Statement, the task force concludes that the “evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening for speech and language delay and disorders in children 5 years or younger without signs or symptoms (I statement).” The USPSTF recommendation was determined based on the general lack of evidence for screening rather than the absence of sound findings on the topic of speech and language delays, which underscores the importance of prioritizing research in this area to fill the current knowledge gaps. Given the rigorous data-driven approach of the USPSTF to evaluate the current evidence base, we as speech-language pathologists agree with the conclusions.
