Inequalities in language development – A vital public health issue

The project is examining whether targeted, preventive measures for children up to two years old in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas of Stockholm can improve their language development and ultimately their overall health.

Early language skills form the foundation for future academic success, social integration and wellbeing. Children growing up in disadvantaged areas are at risk of lagging behind in language development at ages as early 18 months. The researchers consider that this reinforces a cycle of socioeconomic disadvantage, with public health implications. Addressing these inequalities early on is therefore a crucial public health issue.

The project aims to evaluate an intervention designed to promote language development during the first two years of life through a randomized controlled trial (RCT).

The study targets parents with infants participating in the extended home visit program under the Stockholm child health care system. Parents and children will be randomly allocated to the intervention group or an active control group.

The intervention, which starts when the child is eight months old, integrates with home visits already arranged through child health services, supplemented with video-based intervention materials up to the age of 15 months and follow-up language development assessments at 18 months.

The researchers intend to evaluate the efficacy of the intervention and identify the conditions under which it is most effective.

The project focuses on parents as key resources in promoting children’s language development, thereby aiming to ensure equal development opportunities for all children, which will potentially contribute to long-term public health improvements.