Childhood Language Impairments

Question 1

Critical Age for Language

Answer 1

0-5 years

Question 2

When do babies start hearing sounds?

Answer 2

29 weeks intrauterine. 8 weeks of hearing before birth if full term.

Question 3

0 months

Answer 3

Baby can differentiate speech sounds from all languages.

Question 4

Differential Crying

Answer 4

Crying for different needs. Early expression of language.

Question 5

6 months

Answer 5

Plasticity for English/language he/she is exposed to. Loses ability to differentiate sounds from different languages. This is a sign of proper language development. Babbling using the same sound begins.

Question 6

8 months

Answer 6

Babbling using different sounds begins. Beginning of mimicking adult speech and syllables.

Question 7

12 months

Answer 7

1st word

Question 8

18 months

Answer 8

50 word vocabulary

Question 9

2 years

Answer 9

150-300 vocabulary

Question 10

3 and 4 years

Answer 10

900-1500. Most utterances contain a subject and a verb.

Question 11

SLI (Specific Language Impairment)

Answer 11

Language delay disorder. Symmetry in left and right brain hemispheres. Deficits in working memory, impaired language, executive function, typical non-verbal intelligence,

Question 12

Representation

Answer 12

The process of having one thing stand for another.

Question 13

Symbolization

Answer 13

Using an arbitrary symbol to stand for something.

Question 14

Lexicon

Answer 14

Each child has a personal dictionary that reflects his or her environment.

Question 15

Fast mapping

Answer 15

Inferring meaning from context and using the word in a similar manner.

Question 16

MLU (mean length of utterance)

Answer 16

Used by speech pathologists to indicate how advanced someone’s language is.

Question 17

Executive Function

Answer 17

The organizing and directing function of the brain. Hearing and vision are included.

Question 18

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Answer 18

May have impairment in verbal and/or nonverbal intelligence. Characteristic behaviors such as echolalia, easily distracted, repetitive motor movements, excessive reliance on routines, abnormally intense interests of focus. Sensory integration deficit.

Question 19

Trauma/Head Trauma

Answer 19

May have impairment in verbal and non-verbal intelligence. Impaired language. Results from TBI, stoke, any damage to the brain.

Question 20

Intellectual Deficiency

Answer 20

Down syndrome and Fragile X. Severity is based on IQ from mild to profound. Can occur for many reasons such as complications during birth.

Question 21

Learning Disabilities

Answer 21

Examples include Dyslexia, ADHD. - Attentional difficulties, perseveration (compulsive tasks), confuse similar sounds, reading problems. - Poor ability to attend selectively, concentrating on inappropriate or unimportant stimuli.

Question 22

Social Communication Disorder

Answer 22

-Deficit is primarily in pragmatics aspect of language.
- Children with autism also present with social communication disorder.
- Theory of mind: everyone has different knowledge, which is recognized and considered in communication. Developed at ages 4 or 5. People with SCD may not have this skill.

Question 23

Other Language Impairments

Answer 23

• Childhood schizophrenia, selective mutism, FASD, PCE.
• Effect of chronic otitis media can be delayed language development.
• Pragmatics is the most affected area of language.