WORLD JOURNAL OF ADVANCE
HEALTHCARE RESEARCH

Ansam Atwan Abdullah*, Saba Abbas Fadhil

ABSTRACT

Speech and language development is crucial for children's communication, learning and social interaction. Speech delay is considered to be a common problem in the world between 6 - 15 % and seems to be higher in Iraq. Speech delay, if untreated, can lead to future emotional, behavioral, academic and cognitive challenges. Various biological, environmental, and familial factors have been suggested. Objective: To assess the prevalence of speech delay and associated risk factors among children aged under 7 years in Children Welfare Teaching Hospital, Baghdad Medical City, Iraq. Subjects and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study, conducted in a hospital setting, from 1st May to 31st July 2025. Children, 1 to <7 years of age, were recruited by convenience sampling with a total of 780 children. The data was gathered by conducting interviews of the caregivers using a structured interview, and reviewing medical records. SPSS version 26 was used to analyze the data. Ethical approval and verbal informed consent were obtained. Results: Speech delay was detected in 285 of 780 children (36.5%) and 94.7% of the diagnoses were made by psychiatrists. Speech delay was statistically significantly higher in males, 5–6-year-old children and 2nd order of birth. Important risk factors were low household income, parents' inability to read or write, less communication with children, parents' consanguinity, birth asphyxia, admission to a neonatal intensive care unit, prolonged neonatal jaundice, and history of speech delay or autism in the family (all P<0.001). Behavioral and environmental factors were prolonged non-nutritive sucking, limited outdoor play, stressful life events and excessive use of electronic devices without supervision. Conclusion: Speech delay was prevalent (36.5%) and linked to socioeconomic disadvantage, adverse perinatal events, family history and modifiable behavioral and environmental factors. Timely identification and intervention can help enhance speech and language outcomes.

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