Critical Reflections on the Cultural Influences in Identification and Habilitation of Children with Speech and Language Difficulties

This paper analyses how and why cultural diversity is relevant to children with speech and language difficulties and the professionals who work with them. The relevance of various aspects of culture including the development of communication skills, language socialisation, adult-child interaction, child care, attitudes, beliefs, and the epidemiology of speech and language difficulties is described and illustrated with examples from the literature in a number of fields. The author encourages all professionals who work with children who have speech and language difficulties to increase their cultural awareness and for training establishments to consider how they may contribute to raising cultural awareness. Further research is needed in this area. A further challenge is to consider whether and how practice should be adapted to take account of cultural diversity.