Part 3

Question 1

What is ASD? What is associated with it?

Answer 1

Umbrella term that encompasses PDD, Aspergers, and Autism. Impaired social communication with restricted, repetitive interests and behaviors. Must present in early childhood and impair functioning. Varies in terms of cognitive profile, language ability, comorbidity and outcomes.

Question 2

What are early signs of ASD?

Answer 2

Unnoticeable in terms of social behavior for first year, except subtle difference in motor development, visual attention, interest in objects. 1-2: reduced ex, social smiling, interest, and imitation. Low RTN, fewer responses to JAR and delays in gestural comm and language.

Question 3

What are cognitive characteristics of ASD?

Answer 3

50-70% measure an IQ less than 70, 28% are average, 3% above.

Question 4

What are language characteristics of ASD?

Answer 4

Variable- 9% remain nonverbal. Around half will have impairments in phonological processing and grammar.

Question 5

What are characteristics of ASD in terms of form?

Answer 5

Articulation is unimpaired, phonological processing/rhyme awareness difficult. Distorted speech sounds and voicing patterns have been noted, deficits in morphosyntax and grammar (fewer grammatical morphemes for tense), and shorter grammatically simple sentences.

Question 6

What are some characteristics of ASD in regards to content?

Answer 6

Vocab scores are depressed- some do well but still different from peers.

Question 7

What are some characteristics of ASD in regards to use?

Answer 7

Pragmatic deficits are universal within ASD, deficits in conversational skills and narratives. Understanding in context is difficult- poor inferencing, and reduced metaphorical language, ambiguous language understanding.

Question 8

What are characteristics of ASD in regards to literacy?

Answer 8

Hyperlexia- decodes but does not comprehend. 30% of children impaired on word and non word reading tasks. Most have reading comp deficits.

Question 9

What are implications for clinical practice for ASD?

Answer 9

Effort to ID children young. Essential components of treatment are PT, individualization, focus on broad range of targets, begin therapy early and with intensity.

Question 10

What is ADHD? What are it’s two components? Prevalence?

Answer 10

A debilitating and chronic condition where a child cannot control attention and behavior in an optimal and adaptive manner. Inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity are the two areas. 3-5% of school aged children- boys 3:1.

Question 11

What are cognitive characteristics of ADHD?

Answer 11

Most have nonverbal IQ’s within normal. Comorbidity rates are high. Executive functions of inhibition, working memory, planning all impaired. Difficulty waiting for desired objects. Low arousal leading to low effort.

Question 12

What are characteristics of ADHD in regards to language?

Answer 12

Relationship may be due to bio risk factors that are common. Cognitive/bx deficits may disrupt learning and processing language OR poor language skills may lead to ADHD behaviors.

Question 13

What are characteristics of ADHD in regards to form?

Answer 13

No difficulties with speech sound production/phonology.

Question 14

What are characteristics of ADHD in regards to content?

Answer 14

Research lacking- receptive vocab is average, less accurate at making connections between words/accessing lexicon. Slower to map semantic pictures.

Question 15

What are characteristics of ADHD in regards to use?

Answer 15

Ability to use language in socially appropriate way is problem, may present like ASD. Inappropriate initiation, interruption, maintenance of topic and responding appropriately.

Question 16

What are characteristics of ADHD in regards to literacy?

Answer 16

Comorbidity between reading d/o and ADHD very high. Deficits in exec functioning affects how a child approaches reading, planning and organizing reading and monitoring comprehension. Consistent and early exposure may help.

Question 17

What are implications for clinical practice for ADHD?

Answer 17

Work closely with fam, Doctor, school about meds. Develop classroom strategies. Ex- provide choices, parent involvement, planning, computer instruction.

Question 18

What is selective mutism?

Answer 18

Child who does not speak in certain contexts where there is expectation for speech, but will in other situations, such as home. Must persist for more than a month, or more than six months in both languages for bilingual children. Anxiety d/o that is more common in girls 2:1. 60-70% have language impairment- testing difficult.

Question 19

What is abuse/neglect?

Answer 19

40 million children affected! Includes physical, sexual and emotional. Children with developmental disorders and language impairments are more likely to be abused. Interferes with social interactions, vocabulary growth and MLU. Difficulty articulating feelings and needs.

Question 20

What is fetal alcohol syndrome?

Answer 20

Double jeopardy- in womb and in environment. Four diagnostic criteria- confirmed or unconfirmed maternal alcohol exposure, facial features, growth retardation, CNS abnormalities. Lifelong disorder that follows predictable pattern of no adaptive behavior and language difficulties.

Question 21

What are clinical implications of FASD?

Answer 21

Legal duty to report. Monitor hearing due to increased risk of middle ear disease. Work with multidisciplinary team to reduce undesired behaviors. Priorities are executive functioning, language processing and social communication skills.

Question 22

What are psychiatric disorders often comorbid with?

Answer 22

Language disorders are associated with high risk for psychiatric disorder. 50% of children referred to psychiatric clinics have significant language difficulties- should assess children referred for psych evaluation for language function.