Prevalence of communication problems among neglected children under three

Objective: Estimate the prevalence of communication problems in children under three taken into care by Youth Centres in Quebec for negligence Prevalence is calculated for the pragmatic aspect, receptive and expressive language, according to age and sex. Method: This is a cross-sectional study. A representative sample of 84 children was drawn consecutively from the lists of new children registered at the Youth Centres. Results: 46.4% of the children present a problem in at least one area of communication. The prevalence and seriousness of the problems increase significantly with age. Boys are significantly more affected than girls. Conclusion: Negligence constitutes a threat to the development of communication. According to the data reported in this study, there is substantial justification for early intervention, promotion and prevention programs with regard to communication problems among neglected children.