Background
Speech and language disorders are among the most common disorders that young children experience. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, 11% of children ages 3–6 have a speech, language, voice or swallowing disorder. Most speech and language disorders are highly treatable, but the earlier parents and caregivers seek help for their child, the better.
In July 2020, Lantern surveyed its subscribers across the country to determine special health or educational needs. More than 1,600 parents responded, and nearly 45% of respondents, the largest percentage, reported speech and language impairment as a concern.
To address this need, we worked with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) to develop a 6-month optional curriculum to help families concerned with their child’s speech or language development.
In May 2021, we launched our TALK opt-in text message program. This program was designed to support parents of children ages 2-6 who are showing signs of speech/language developmental delays. Participants receive 12 messages over the course of 6 months (in addition to other Lantern messages) that focus on signs of speech/language delays and support and activities for children and parents. Messages focus on signs of speech delay, early intervention, access to resources, asking for help, and encouragement.
Engagement
The program launched in May 2021 and to date, 5,548 caregivers have opted to receive the messages. This represents approximately 8% of those in the Lantern system with a child ages 2-6.
While TALK messages are designed to be valuable to caregivers without requiring individuals to click on the linked resources, we can identify messages that resonated with caregivers by looking at the rate at which subscribers viewed the linked resources. The four most popular messages addressed signs of speech delay, asking for help, early intervention, and coaching at home.
Impact
Lantern evaluated the TALK program by issuing two short, mobile friendly surveys at the midpoint and end of the program. Response rates ranged from 2-4%, which is comparable to other Lantern user surveys.
Caregivers indicated appreciating messages that were more tailored to their family’s needs. Upon completion of the program, 95% agreed that the TALK messages were helpful. Confidence in helping their child with a speech or language issue increased, with endline responses 29% higher than before receiving TALK messages. Preparation for being their child’s speech or language coach increased, with endline responses 33% higher.
Sixty-nine percent of respondents indicated that the TALK messages inspired them to take at least 1 action, including: contact my pediatrician or other healthcare provider (46%), contact early intervention in their state (35%), download the CDC’s milestone tracker or other app (35%), or contact a private speech-language pathologist (28%).