Avaliações

Pró-Fono Revista de Atualização Científica. 2009 jul-set;21(3).

Teste de rastreamento de alterações de fala para crianças*** Speech disorder screening test for children

Bárbara Niegia Garcia de Goulart* Jair Ferreira**

*Fonoaudiologa. Doutora em Ciências da Saúde pela Universidade Federal de São Paulo - Escola Paulista de Medicina. Professora Adjunto do Curso de Fonoaudiologia da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). Endereço para correspondência: R. Ramiro Barcelos, 2600 - Porto Alegre - RS - CEP 90035-003 ([e-mail]). **Médico Epidemiologista. Doutor em Clínica Médica. Professor Adjunto da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. ***Trabalho Realizado com Auxílio da Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul Hospital das Clínicas de Porto Alegre Recursos da Fundação Instituto de Pesquisas Econômicas e da Feevale.

Abstract Background: validation of a screening test to detect speech disorders in children. Aim: to present validation data of a new speech disorders screening test (Terdaf), developed by Brazilian researchers. Method: 2,027 children, of both genders, enrolled in the first grade of elementary public schools in Canoas (Brazil) during 2001 were selected by a probabilistic cluster sampling. In order to verify Terdaf's sensibility and specificity, 200 children were re-evaluated by an expert in speech disorders who had no information about the screening test results. Results: prevalence of speech disorders in this sample was of 26.7%. Terdaf´s sensibility was of 81.6% (95%CI 67.5 - 90.8%), specificity was of 44.4% (95%CI 36.0 - 53.2%). When children with speech disorders due to sociocultural issues were excluded from the sample with positive Terdaf results, the screening test specificity increased to 74.1%. Conclusion: the new tool for speech disorders screening has a quick and easy application format and can be used by education and health professionals. It can become an