1. Changes in Pediatric Speech Disorder Diagnoses Post-COVID: A study found that speech disorder diagnoses in children aged 0-12 more than doubled after the pandemic. The most significant increase was seen in children aged 0-2, who faced a 136% rise in diagnoses in 2022 compared to pre-pandemic levels. This increase is thought to be due to reduced socialization and disruptions in early education during the pandemic.
2. Updates in Developmental Milestones by CDC: The CDC has revised its developmental milestones for speech. For instance, the milestone for children speaking 50 words has shifted from 24 months to 30 months, reflecting when most children achieve this skill. This change caused some concern, as it could delay speech therapy referrals, but early intervention remains a critical goal.