Play Therapy No Better Than Standard for Kids' Language Delays
Source: doi.org
- Australian researchers tested if kids with language delays improve more from play-based therapy than from standard speech therapy.
- In a trial with 87 children aged 3-5, both methods boosted language skills equally over 18 weeks.
- Results challenge the push for play therapy, showing no extra benefit despite its popularity.
Researchers in Australia ran a head-to-head trial comparing play-based language therapy - where kids learn through fun games - against traditional therapy focused on structured talking exercises. They involved 87 preschoolers with language delays from 12 clinics. The core finding is that both approaches worked equally well, with no edge for play therapy. This matters because play therapy is trendy and government-funded, but evidence was thin until now.