Primary Prevention of Communication Disorders: Survey of Literature Distributed to Parents of Newborns in Indiana (USA) and Ireland 1

One professional responsibility of speech and language therapists is the prevention of communication disorders. Parents of newborns are an appropriate target audience for prevention education.

The written materials dispensed by hospitals to new parents were surveyed in hospitals in Indiana (U.S.A.) and Ireland, with reference to those relevant to early communication development. The literature surveyed varied from short, focused pamphlets to more general multi-topic publications. Materials focusing specifically on speech and language development and hearing were sparse. Thirty-three percent of the Indiana literature and twenty-six percent of the Irish literature was relevant to the prevention of problems of speech, language and hearing.

Professionals are encouraged to be aware of the range of written materials widely available to parents of newborn children. Speech and language therapists have an important contribution to make to the composition and evaluation of written material pertaining to early communication development.