Mother^s knowledge about speech development and early intervention
Cice Tresnasari (a*), Fajar Awalia Yulianto (a), Sigit Gunarto (b)

a) Faculty of Medicine, Jl Tamansari no. 22, Bandung 40116, Indonesia
*cice.tresnasari[at]unisba.ac.id

b) Al Islam Bandung Hospital, Jl Soekarno Hatta no. 644, Bandung 40286

Abstract

Background: Speech and language delays are a condition where a child^s speech ability is lagging behind compared to the average speech ability of children of the same age. This condition causes many parents to take their children to the doctor. During the school years, a child with speech and language delays may experience difficulties writing, reading, and learning. In adulthood problems can arise at work. The initial management of children with speech and language delays is determined by when the parents take their children to a health facility because the child is late in speaking. Parental knowledge about early detection of speech and language delays is important so that children receive early treatment and have wider opportunities to achieve progress in speech development. Research Objectives: This study aims to analyze the relationship between mother^s knowledge and child^s age with speech delays at the initial consultation.
Method: This research was an analytical observational study, conducted at the Medical Rehabilitation Polyclinic at Al-Islam Hospital Bandung, Al-Ihsan Regional Hospital, and Muhammadiyah Hospital. The research subjects were parents of child patients who came to the medical rehabilitation polyclinic at the three hospitals with complaints of speech delays. Data was obtained from questionnaires filled out by mothers who took their children for treatment to the Medical Rehabilitation Polyclinic from August to November 2022.
Results: Average knowledge score 49.14. The age at which the child with speech delay was first consulted was 27.72 months. The correlation test showed that there was no relationship between knowledge and the child^s age and speech delays at the initial consultation

Keywords: speech delay, initial consultation, mother^s knowledge

Topic: Public Health