Developmental Language Disorders: Challenges and Implications of Cross-Group Comparisons

Abstract

Historically, specific language impairment (SLI) and language deficits associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have been viewed as distinct developmental language disorders. However, over the last decade or so, a considerable amount of research has explored general similarities or specific areas of overlap between children with SLI and ASD based on language and cognitive profiles, neuroimaging findings, and genetic research. The clinical classification schemes that are used to identify the children necessarily influence the extent to which SLI and ASD are viewed as overlapping or distinct conditions. Yet, the criteria used to diagnose these two populations vary across countries and even across investigators within a given country. This necessarily impacts the findings from comparative investigations of these groups. With these challenges in mind, clinical implications of evidence for similarities and distinctions between children with SLI and ASD will be discussed with respect to differential diagnosis and treatment.

Emotional and behavioural problems in children with language impairments and children with autism spectrum disorders

“…). Another assumption that requires testing is whether the nature (and experience) of internalizing and externalizing difficulties is similar or different in children with LI and ASD as it is in those without (Ellis Weismer , Simonoff et al . ).…”

“…There has been long discussion, and some disagreement, within the field about whether there is overlap (or not) in the aetiology, behavioural phenomenology and language profiles of children with language impairments (LI) and children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) (for reviews, see Bishop , Tomblin , Ellis Weismer , Williams et al . ).…”

Meeting the educational and social needs of children with language impairment or autism spectrum disorder: the parents’ perspectives

“…The SLCN category is broad and includes children with a range of communication difficulties; the present paper focuses on those with primary language difficulties, here referred to as language impairment (LI). Evidence for overlapping behavioural profiles of children with LI and children with ASD (Ellis Weismer ) has motivated interest in comparing the children's needs and the provision made to meet those needs, especially as parents of children with ASD are more likely than parents of children with other SEN to be dissatisfied with the provision made (Lamb ). This paper extends this research and to the best of our knowledge this is the first study that compares the perspectives of parents of children with LI or ASD about the provision made for their child and their own engagement in decision‐making about the provision being made.…”

Issues in Identification and Assessment of Children with Autism and a Proposed Resource Toolkit for Speech-Language Pathologists

“…The ASD phenotype also overlaps with SLI [1,[34][35][36]. Both are heritable and share deficits in social and communicative development, syntax, and lexicon [37,38], giving the impression of comorbidity.…”

“…Autism, a complex and chronic neurodevelopmental condition, is to a great extent the children's failure or difficulty in acquiring social interaction and communication, and language to support these abilities [1]. These children inevitably require speech-language pathologists' (SLPs) interventions.…”