Language Difficulties in School-Age Children With Developmental Dyslexia

Abstract

Developmental dyslexia (DD) is a common reading disability, affecting 5% to 11% of children in North America. Children classified as having DD often have a history of early language delay (ELD) or language impairments. Nevertheless, studies have reported conflicting results as to the association between DD-ELD and the extent of current language difficulties in children with DD. To examine these relationships, we queried the parents of school-aged children with reading difficulties on their child’s early and current language ability. Siblings were also examined. Children were directly assessed using quantitative tests of language and reading skills. To compare this study with the literature, we divided the sample ( N = 674) into three groups: DD, intermediate readers (IR), and skilled readers (SR). We found a significant association between DD and ELD, with parents of children in the DD/IR groups reporting their children put words together later than the SR group. We also found a significant association between DD and language difficulties, with children with low reading skills having low expressive/receptive language abilities. Finally, we identified early language predicted current language, which predicted reading skills. These data contribute to research indicating that children with DD experience language difficulties, suggesting early recognition may help identify reading problems.

Hypothesis-driven genome-wide association studies provide novel insights into genetics of reading disabilities

“…For the Toronto sample, we excluded children with known or suspected ASD, or with a first-degree relative with ASD, or other global/intellectual disabilities. Overlap between reading-and ASDassociated genes likely stemmed from shared genetic risk for neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly those contributing to language-related difficulties, as opposed to global delays [56,57].…”

“…Toronto sample. The Toronto sample has previously been described and is part of an ongoing genetic study of RD-selected families recruited at the Hospital for Sick Children [53,56,66]. At the time of analysis, the sample consisted of children identified with reading difficulties (n = 453) and both their unaffected and affected siblings (n = 171).…”

“…The study of the self-reported dyslexia in 23andme observed top associated SNPs in ASD-related genes. Although there is little evidence to support phenotypic comorbidity between ASD and RD, both are neurodevelopmental disorders and ASD involves deficits in language and communication skills [56,57]. Further, there is some preliminary evidence of shared genetic risk factors: rare and de novo variants identified in ASD cases for genes that have been independently associated with RD (PRTG, ROBO1, and KIAA0319L) [58,59], and altered neuronal migration has been suggested as a etiological mechanism in each condition [60][61][62][63][64].…”

Características fonológicas en población escolar con dislexia: Un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales

“…A menor fluidez fonológica menor comprensión verbal (H5). El estudio de Price et al (2021), enfocado a comprender las dificultades del LG, analizó una muestra de 323 niños con diagnóstico de DS; aplicaron pruebas psico-métricas, las puntuaciones de comprensión verbal, señalaron la existencia de deficiencias en el habla preexistentes antes de iniciar la etapa de escolarización, afectando posteriormente la adquisición de competencias académicas (fluidez y comprensión lectora).…”

Predicting Word Reading Deficits Using an App-Based Screening Tool at School Entry

“…In a longitudinal study, Snowling et al ( 34 ) demonstrated the influence of lower levels of linguistic competencies on the development of specific learning disorders. Moreover, linguistic deficits in already-diagnosed reading problems are observed retrospectively by parents more often than in average or good readers ( 35 ). Thus, asking parents about their children’s language performance and assessing it as an additional factor at school entry is anticipated to be a central component of a valid screening tool for written language skills.…”