Identifying and Describing Best Clinical Practices for Children and Adolescents With Complex Communication Needs: A Scoping Review of Healthcare-Based Interventions.

This review looked at communication interventions for children with complex communication needs, especially those with autism. Researchers found that combining different approaches - such as communication devices (AAC), natural teaching methods, and parent training - worked best for improving how children express themselves and understand others. However, there aren't enough high-quality studies in this area, making it hard to know which specific treatments work best.

This scoping review examined healthcare-based interventions for children and adolescents with complex communication needs (CCN), particularly those with autism spectrum disorder. From 797 records identified, only 8 studies met eligibility criteria, highlighting significant research gaps. The review found that multimodal interventions combining augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), naturalistic strategies, and parent training were most effective in improving both expressive and receptive communication. However, the review revealed critical limitations including scarcity of methodologically rigorous studies and lack of standardised protocols.

The authors emphasise the urgent need for evidence-based guidelines, professional training, and policy development to ensure equitable access to effective CCN interventions.

Results suggest multimodal approaches combining AAC, naturalistic strategies, and parent training may be beneficial for children with CCN. However, the limited evidence base highlights urgent need for evidence-based guidelines, professional training programs, and standardised protocols to ensure consistent, equitable access to effective interventions across healthcare settings.

Only 8 studies met eligibility criteria from 797 records, indicating severe limitations in available research. The review identified scarcity of methodologically rigorous studies and lack of standardised intervention protocols, limiting the strength of conclusions about intervention effectiveness.

Children with complex communication needs (CCN), particularly those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), experience significant communication challenges. This scoping review analyses the existing literature on clinical interventions designed to enhance communication in these children. The aim was to describe which intervention models are being evaluated in studies, which treatments have shown positive effects and what the clinical profile of children and adolescents who benefit from these interventions is. The scoping review was conducted following the methodology for scoping reviews and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR).

The search strategy identified 797 records; eight records met all eligibility criteria and were included for review. The review found that multimodal interventions combining augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), naturalistic strategies and parent training were the most effective in improving both expressive and receptive communication. Despite the limited existing research, studies suggest that multimodal interventions can effectively enhance communication in children with CCN. This review highlights significant gaps in the literature, including the scarcity of studies with appropriate methodological rigour and the lack of standardised protocols for CCN interventions.

There is a critical need for evidence-based guidelines, professional training and policy development to ensure equitable access to effective interventions.