PURPOSE: to check the prevalence of communication problems in Vila Velha County Schools. METHOD: 15 municipal elementary schools took part in the study. 1103 children were evaluated in five stages: a) assessment, b) presentation of proposal and training of school community c) speech triages d) hearing triages e) presentation of results to school community. RESULTS: on hearing screening of 1103 children being screened, 22.4% failed, demonstrating some kind of hearing impairment. The speech screening of 1014 assessed children - 30.4%. had some type of alteration in communication: 32.5% alteration in oral motor function, 25% showed to have a speech disorder, 17.8% voice alterations, 8.8% language impairment (oral or written) and 15.9% had a combination of two or more alterations. CONCLUSION: the most common communication problems in order of frequency were: problems in oral motor function, speech disorder, voice alterations, hearing impairment and oral and written language impairment. We have also found many children with more than one communication trouble.
Language Development Disorders; Auditory Screening; School Health; Education