Table 4

Basic study characteristics for extraction from each accepted article

CategoriesCharacteristics
(1) Article details

  • Year of publication.

  • Document type (peer-reviewed journal article, thesis, government document, conference proceeding or published abstract).

  • Location of study (country).

(2) Study details

  • Design (cohort, case-series, RCT, case study, case series, qualitative).

  • Time frame (cross-sectional, longitudinal).

  • Setting (hospital, home).

  • Population (children with typical communication development, children with disordered/atypical communication development).

(3) Sample characteristics

  • Sample size.

  • Groups.

  • Age range.

  • Sex/gender.

  • Ethnicity.

  • Language(s) used.

  • Aetiology (if applicable).

  • Comorbidities (if applicable).

  • Hearing status.

(4) Feeding/swallowing variables

  • Physiology and behaviours.

  • Environment.

  • Modes.

(5) Communication outcomes

  • Speech (early vocalisations, babbling, protowords, single word production, multiword production).

  • Language (content, form, use).

  • Gestural behaviours.

(5) Main findings of studyTrends
Effects
(6) Data analysesType
Rigour
(7) Themes/domains of studyBarriers to communication development
Facilitators to communication development
(8) Study limitationsDesign
Outcomes
Generalisations
(9) Pertinence43 Clinical practice
Policy
Research