THE GLENLEIGHDEN SCHOOL

CH IL D L AN GUA G E A N D R E L ATE D D IS O RDE R S

A RESOURCE FOR PARENTS & PROFESSIONALS
WHAT ARE LANGUAGE DISORDERS? ........................................................ 2 Also known as ...................................................................................... 2 And can include .................................................................................... 3 And may result in.................................................................................. 3 HOW DO I KNOW IF MY CHILD HAS A LANGUAGE DISORDER? ................. 4 The Young Child .................................................................................... 4 The school aged child ............................................................................ 4 The adolescent ..................................................................................... 5 HOW WILL LANGUAGE DISORDERS AFFECT MY CHILD? ........................... 6 WHAT CAUSES LANGUAGE DISORDERS? .................................................. 6 WHAT TREATMENT IS AVAILABLE FOR CHILDREN WITH LANGUAGE DISORDERS? ............................................................................................ 6 ATTACHMENT A: PRIMARY LANGUAGE DISORDER CHECKLIST ............... 7

............................................................................................................. 7 ATTACHMENT B: IMPLICATIONS OF PRIMARY LANGUAGE DISORDER CHECKLIST ............................................................................................... 9

CHILD LANGUAGE & RELATED DISORDERS

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WHAT ARE LANGUAGE DISORDERS?

ALSO KNOWN AS

Primary language disorders

Primary language disorders involve severe language dysfunction in a few or many areas which cannot be directly attributed to a hearing, physical or general intellectual impairment or to social disadvantage. Primary language disorders do seriously affect a child's ability to communicate, learn and develop socially and intellectually, and are the primary constraints on a child reaching his or her potential. A child with a language disorder may not talk very well or might only be able to talk about specific or very superficial topics. Often, these signs are just the tip of the iceberg. Some children have problems with only one or a few aspects of speech and language, but others have difficulties with all of them. For these children, learning their native language is even harder than learning a foreign language would be for most of us. Childhood primary language disorders can be 'hidden impairments'. Affected children can appear to have normal development in other respects and the extent of their language difficulties can go unrecognised, even by some professionals and parents. Language disorders vary in their extent and severity, but can be described as primary if they: are different from those directly attributable to physical impairments (e.g., cerebral palsy), sensory impairments (vision and/or hearing), general intellectual impairments (e.g., associated with Down's Syndrome), emotional or behavioural disturbances affecting motivation or the ability to learn (e.g., autistic spectrum disorders), social disadvantage, or problems learning a second language; require different intervention methods; require specialised speech-language intervention if the child is to progress; and are such that the speech and language impairments are considered to be the child's primary problem, even if he/she has other disabilities.

Specific language impairment

CHI.L.D. Association has defined its target group as children and young people with primary language and related disorders, described as speech and language impairments which are different from those directly attributable to physical impairments, sensory impairments, general intellectual impairments, emotional or behavioural disturbances, social disadvantage, or second language learning, such that the speech and / or language difficulties are considered to be the childs primary problem, even if other disabilities exist. Speech and language skills are disordered, not merely delayed, in linguistic knowledge and performance and can therefore present with differing patters of linguistic performance. Historically, the target population was referred to as having developmental dysphasia. However, specific language impairment has been a more popular term in recent literatures. There has been a change in terminology over many years from childhood aphasia to specific language disorder or specific language impairment due to lack of clear evidence of specific neurological structural or functional differences to define the disorder. Severe impairments of language are pervasive, affecting more than one level of linguistic organisation, and associated with selectively and potentially permanently compromised development of many areas of functioning beyond oral communication, including academic learning, cognitive and movement skills and social development.

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Expressive Language Disorder and Mixed ReceptiveExpressive Language Disorder

Expressive Language Disorder and Mixed Receptive-Expressive Language Disorder are also recognized in the DSM-IV-TR with criteria involving scores obtained from standardized individually administered measures of language development which are substantially below those obtained from standardized measures of nonverbal intellectual capacity, with difficulties interfering with academic or occupational achievement or with social communication, and that language difficulties are in excess of any co-existing deficits, such as Mental Retardation, a speech-motor or sensory deficit, or environmental deprivation.

AND CAN INCLUDE

Developmental verbal dyspraxia

Children with developmental verbal dyspraxia are unable to develop intelligible speech. The term developmental verbal dyspraxia (DVD) is used specifically to indicate a disorder of speech sound production characterised by impaired voluntary capacity to program the position and sequence of phonemes (speech sounds).

Specific disorders in the areas of

Grammar Semantics (vocabulary) Pragmatics (social use of language) Phonology (sound systems used in language)

Auditory perceptual and processing difficulties

Functions of the auditory system, involving auditory perceptual skills such as localization of sound, discrimination (including discrimination of phonemes), sound blending and closure, and other processing skills such as memory and sequencing. Many language-disordered children have difficulty with auditory processing of speech sounds and, for those with very severe auditory verbal agnosia, all speech sounds may be incomprehensible.

AND MAY RESULT IN

Reading disability (e.g. dyslexia) Social skill difficulties Behavioural issues Mathematic disability (e.g. dyscalculia) Learning difficulties

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HOW DO I KNOW IF MY CHILD HAS A LANGUAGE DISORDER?

The disorders place a big strain on families and can be very difficult to accurately diagnose, especially in young children. Parents and professionals can assume the child is 'just a slow talker'. A child who does not talk very well may be diagnosed with a speech problem while the underlying language disorder is not considered. A child who talks a lot but says very inappropriate things may be diagnosed with a social or emotional problem when poor language comprehension is his/her primary problem. Communication difficulties like these can be just the 'tip of the iceberg'.

Attachment A:

PRIMARY LANGUAGE DISORDER CHECKLIST

THE YOUNG CHILD

In very young children, the first sign of a childhood language disorder is often very late commencement of talking, sometimes with none of the usual pre-speech sounds like babbling. Unintelligible speech may follow with just single 'words' or what sounds like phrases. Some children may still not be talking when they are three or four, perhaps using repetitive sounds such as 'b' or 'd' instead. Comprehension of language may seem adequate in spite of the failure to talk normally. In extreme cases, however, the child may act as if he/she is deaf and this will be the first possibility investigated. Other children may go from not talking at all to suddenly having clear speech but, in time, it may be evident that what they say is very repetitive and/or only copying others.

THE SCHOOL AGED CHILD

By school-age, children with primary language disorder may still not be speaking clearly although, with speech therapy, they may now be much more intelligible. What will become more obvious is the great difficulty they have in learning to read and spell, showing the same problems with written words they have had with spoken words. Other children, for whom clarity of speech was never a problem, may have difficulties with comprehension which become more apparent as the language demands for learning increase. These children may 'read' words and even sentences very well, yet understand little or nothing. The social difficulties of children with language disorders may also become more significant during the primary school years. In the classroom: Difficulty listening and concentrating, easily distracted and fidgety. Needs constant repetition. Verbal and written instructions: May not understand instructions and the meanings of words and grammar. Doesn't see relationships between words (e.g. opposites). Understanding deteriorates as communications become longer or more complex. Communication: Difficulty expressing thoughts and feelings. Trouble forming sentences. Unintelligible speech. Repeats frequently used expressions but often can't find the 'right' words.

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Speaking out: Tends to say the wrong thing and use inappropriate language. May say a lot but communicate little. Conveying information: Poor ability to tell a story. Immature sentences, weak grammar, poor sequencing of ideas. Learning: Poor retention of past learning, especially verbally. Difficulty organising learning tasks and relating past learning to new learning. Literacy and numeracy: Trouble learning to read and spell although may be good in other areas. Oral reading may be satisfactory, but comprehension poor. Poor retention of number facts and concepts. Good rote operational numeracy skills but poor application. Behaviour: Anxious about socialisation and work performance. Constant showing off or fidgeting. Easily upset by sudden changes in routine. Disorganised with belongings Poor or slow eating habits. Movement: Difficulty with handwriting, drawing or physical education.

THE ADOLESCENT
Life for the language disordered adolescent can be very confusing, frustrating and stressful. This is the age when self-identity is critical and these young people, without prior help and insight into their disability, often see themselves as 'dumb' and 'worthless' because of their academic and social failures. Because of a long history of unsuccessful remedial attention to their learning problems, continued efforts are often met with extreme resistance and denial ("I don't care anyway/It's baby stuff ..."). Social difficulties with peers and adults can be seen as conduct disorders or social adjustment problems without recognising the adolescent's self-esteem problems and the underlying language disorder affecting his/her understanding of social dynamics.

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HOW WILL LANGUAGE DISORDERS AFFECT MY CHILD?

Childhood language disorders can have wide ranging implications on the life of affected children and their families. As well as the obvious communication difficulties, language disorders may also be associated with behavioural problems and delayed development. Language-disordered children are more likely to have associated difficulties in sensory, perceptual and motor functioning, the effects of which contribute to speech and language delays and/or compound existing speech and/or language difficulties.

WHAT CAUSES LANGUAGE DISORDERS?

The causes of childhood language disorders remain elusive but there appears to be a familial link in some cases. Often someone else in the family will have a history of mild speech problems or learning difficulties. Language disorders can also result from a physical brain injury.

WHAT TREATMENT IS AVAILABLE FOR CHILDREN WITH LANGUAGE DISORDERS?

There is no cure for neurologically based language disorders but appropriate support and therapy can significantly accelerate the development of language and cognitive skills and assist children to reach their potential. It is believed that the earlier therapy begins, the better are the results that can be achieved. Treatment and therapy for language-disordered children varies according to the extent and severity of each individual's pattern of problems. CHI.L.D.'s multi-disciplinary approach incorporates psychology, physiotherapy, speech pathology, occupational therapy, music therapy and specialised teaching to help children reach their potential. Programs at The Glenleighden School are individually tailored to meet the particular needs of each student. They treat the whole child', not just the disorder. Because of the multi-faceted nature of the difficulties caused by childhood language disorders, referrals to appropriate professionals for assessment and diagnosis are essential. A professional can help develop strategies and plans to give the affected child the best possible chance of developing to his/her potential.

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ATTACHMENT A:

PRIMARY LANGUAGE DISORDER CHECKLIST

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ATTACHMENT B: IMPLICATIONS OF PRIMARY LANGUAGE DISORDER CHECKLIST

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