[Follow-up of children screened at 4 years of age through school age with particular attention the evaluation of speech function].

The object of this follow-up investigation was to assess the effect of screening investigation of children at the age of four years, with particular attention to hearing, speech and language functions. This screening was carried out by specially trained health visitors and 119 children (61 boys and 58 girls) participated. This corresponded to 87.5% of the selected population. In the cases in which they could be traced, the parents of these children received a questionnaire approximately six years later. Questions were asked about the work of the health visitors at the four-year screening and the present school situation of the child. 65% of the parents replied to this questionnaire. Three questionnaires were sent to the children's schools (when these were known): one to the school health nurse with questions about the results of testing of sight and hearing and whether the child had presented problems or signs of illness, another to the Danish teacher about the child's speech development and fine motor function and whether remedial teaching had proved necessary and a third questionnaire to the gymnastic teacher about motor development and coordination. Information was obtained from the schools about 81% of children. In addition, information was collected from the school psychological office and the speech institute in all of the cases where the children had been involved with these institutions. The material obtained was found to be reasonably representative as regards problems of hearing, speech and language. At the age of four years, a definite connection was found between poor motor function and poor speech function and boys tended to show poorer speech function than girls.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)