Child Language Disorders

SECTION 2 Developmental Communication Disorders

Overview

  • The chapter focuses on Child Language Disorders, discussing how to identify and understand various language impairments in children.

  • Written by Robb, M. P. in "Intro: A guide to communication sciences and disorders" (2023).

Chapter Objectives

  • Differentiate elements of language: phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics.

  • Understand basic concepts of language, such as morpheme or phoneme.

  • Explain normal spoken language development.

  • Distinguish different disabilities characterized by language disorder:

    • Specific language impairment

    • Intellectual disabilities

    • Autism spectrum disorders

  • Identify the difference between language disabilities and cultural language differences.

  • Define what constitutes a language disorder and its implications.

  • Grasp formal and informal language assessment principles.

Language and Communication

  • Language: a uniquely human process for information sharing using signs, sounds, and gestures.

  • Linguistics: the academic study of language.

  • Language disorders profoundly affect functioning, impacting learning and development in children.

  • Language disorder characteristics include improper word use, inability to communicate ideas, poor grammar, reduced vocabulary, and inability to follow directions.

Language Elements

Key Language Elements

  • Phonology: Study of sound patterns in language.

  • Morphology: Smallest meaningful units (morphemes), including:

    • Free morphemes: Stand-alone words (e.g., 'play').

    • Bound morphemes: Prefixes and suffixes (e.g., 'playing').

  • Syntax: Rules for combining words into sentences.

  • Semantics: Meaning of words and phrases in context.

  • Pragmatics: Rules governing the use of language in social contexts.

Language Development

Stages of Language Development

  1. Infant Phase (Prelinguistic Communication):

    • Gaze coupling and vocalizations begin early (3 months old).

    • First words typically by 12 months (usually 'mom' or 'dad').

  2. Toddlerhood (1-2 years):

    • Single-word productions (onset of verbalizations).

    • Transition to two-word combinations by age 2, such as 'more juice'.

  3. Preschool (2-5 years):

    • Rapid vocabulary expansion (up to 1,000 words by age 5).

    • Ability to follow complex directions, tell stories, and engage in conversations.

    • Begin using grammatical morphemes and longer phrases.

Language Disorders

Common Childhood Language Disorders

  1. Specific Language Impairment (SLI):

    • Not caused by known neurological or sensory deficits.

    • Characteristics: late talking, limited vocabulary, errors in verb forms.

    • Affects approximately 8% of 5-year-old children.

  2. Intellectual Impairment:

    • Characterized by significantly subaverage intellectual functioning (IQ < 70).

  3. Late Talkers:

    • Children aged 18-30 months with significantly reduced vocabulary (e.g., under 50 words).

Assessment of Language Disorders

Assessment Components

  1. Case History: Gathering background and developmental history from parents.

  2. Standardized Testing: Evaluate specific language functions using established tests (e.g., Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test).

  3. Language Sampling: Collect naturalistic language samples for analysis (e.g., MLU).

Treatment Approaches

Types of Therapy

  1. Adult-Centered Therapy: Direct instruction; frequent prompts for specific language skills.

  2. Child-Centered Therapy: Less directive; follows child's lead in naturalistic contexts.

    • Techniques include self-talk, parallel talk, description, and language expansion.

Cultural Considerations

  • Recognize the diversity in language backgrounds.

  • Understand the difference between language differences (dialectical variations) versus disorders.

  • Assess bilingual children carefully, distinguishing between L1 and L2 abilities.

Summary

  • Child language disorders significantly impact academic and social development.

  • Various strategies can be used for assessment and treatment, dependent on individual child needs.

  • Cultural and linguistic diversity increases the complexity of language assessments.