This study was designed to determine the prevalence of primary language, speech, and
hearing disorders in a black, urban preschool population. In assess ing the
disorders, linguistically and culturally sensitive screening materials and scoring
procedures were devised by the investigators. For children who failed speech and
language screenings, standardized tests were administered; allowances were made for
cultural, linguistic, and developmental issues. Of the 796 children screened, this
study focused on the 719 black children, 368 females and 351 males, who ranged in age
from 3 through 5 years. For 100 children, or 13.9% of the population, who failed the
screenings, full diagnostic evaluations were administered and identified 36 children,
or 5.6%, with communicative disorders. Of this 5.6%, the prevalences of language,
speech, and hearing disorders were 2.6, 1.5, and 1.4%, respectively. The male-female
ratios were 1.7:1, 0.8:1, and 5.0:1, respectively; it was 1.6:1 for all disorders.
These findings are discussed in the contexte of existing data and their
implications.
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