Models of Language Disorders

Question 1

What is a disorder?

Answer 1

Deviation from the “average” in a similar group

Question 2

What issues come about when trying to determine a disorder?

Answer 2

Which group are you comparing to? (age, grade, cognitive level, etc.)
How far must you deviate and who decides? (health insurance, school district, pediatrician, ASHA?)

Question 3

Why do language disorders happen?

Answer 3

Genetic factors
Neurobiological factors
Environmental factors

Question 4

What neurobiological factors could lead to DLD?

Answer 4

Localization (Broca’s, Wernicke’s), functional specialization (synaptic pruning), structural anamolies

Question 5

What environmental factors could lead to DLD?

Answer 5

Low SES associated with protracted language (developing in same expected sequence but slower and later)
Fewer communicative interactions leads to less gray matter in children and worse language outcomes

Question 6

In the cognitive models of DLD, where does the deficit occur?

Answer 6

Auditory processing: problems with perception and categorization of phonemic contrasts
Procedural deficits: struggle with procedural learning tasks that correlate with language scores

Question 7

What is declarative memory?

Answer 7

Fast recall memory that processes information like names, dates, places, facts, events, etc.

Question 8

In the cognitive models of DLD, how can limited processing capacity impact language abilities?

Answer 8

Leads to poor working memory, poor phonological short term memory
Limited ability to hold information store while processing challenging input
Tradeoff between processing capacity

Question 9

Although there is plenty of debate about the cause of DLD, we can still ….

Answer 9

Target language specific skills in intervention
Help caregivers to improve the linguistic environment
Choose tasks carefully when evaluating

Question 10

What are the 3 aspects of language that we work on?

Answer 10

Content: semantics
Form: Phonology, morphology, syntax
Use: pragmatics

Question 11

What types of disorders impact, form, content, and use?

Answer 11

Language delay/late language emergence
DLD
Secondary language disorder
Language difference

Question 12

What is language delay/late language emergence?

Answer 12

Delayed language onset that is not associated with any other disabilities or developmental delays in cognitive or motor areas
Children with this are at risk for developing other disorders of spoken & written language

Question 13

What is the difference between late bloomers and LLE?

Answer 13

Late bloomers use more iconic gestures
Less likely to demonstrate delays in comprehension of language

Question 14

What is DLD?

Answer 14

Severe language problems that interfere with communication in everyday and/or affect educational progress
The problems persist over time and will not resolve spontaneously
ABSENCE of any other causal diagnosis

Question 15

What is the CATALISE article?

Answer 15

An article where a group of professionals came together to decide what the label should be for certain disorders

Question 16

In regards to ICD-10 codes, we want to use ___ because it has a clear consensus after the CATALISE article

Answer 16

DLD

Question 17

During IFSP classification, the State of Arizona _____ & _____ are used to determine the outcomes that are written into the IFSP plan

Answer 17

Outcomes & Justifications
This is part of the early intervention process to determine the outcomes and needs for services (speech)

Question 18

In an IEP, the terms ____ and ____ are used to describe DLD

Answer 18

Specific learning disability (SLD)
Speech or language impairment (SLI)

Question 19

A child with a primary diagnosis of something else may STILL have ___

Answer 19

DLD
Example: Child has Down Syndrome but language skills below what is expected for his diagnosis and severity level or adult has intellectual disability but language skills far below other skills at their developmental level (e.g., cognition, motor)

Question 20

In a secondary language disorder, the child demonstrates language skills that are consistent with ____ which could be

Answer 20

Primary diagnosis and severity level
ASD, ID, Developmental Disability, ADHD< TBI, hearing loss

Question 21

Secondary language disorders can also be described as

Answer 21

Language disorder associated with …..

Question 22

The CATALISE Consortium can be used to distinguish between

Answer 22

LLE, effect of social environment, DLD, and secondary language disorder