Language growth in children with heterogeneous language disorders: a population study

Abstract

BackgroundLanguage development has been characterised by significant individual stability from school entry. However, the extent to which trajectories of language growth vary in children with language disorder as a function of co‐occurring developmental challenges is a question of theoretical import, with implications for service provision.Methods SCALES employed a population‐based survey design with sample weighting procedures to estimate growth in core language skills over the first three years of school. A stratified sample (n = 529) received comprehensive assessment of language, nonverbal IQ, and social, emotional and behavioural difficulties at 5–6 years of age and 95% of the sample (n = 499) were assessed again at ages 7–8. Language growth was measured using both raw and standard scores in children with typical development, children with language disorder of unknown origin, and children with language disorders associated with a known clinical condition and/or intellectual disability.ResultsOverall, language was stable at the individual level (estimated ICC = 0.95) over the first three years of school. Linear mixed effects models highlighted steady growth in language raw scores across all three groups, including those with multiple developmental challenges. There was little evidence, however, that children with language disorders were narrowing the gap with peers (z‐scores). Adjusted models indicated that while nonverbal ability, socioeconomic status and social, emotional and behavioural deficits predicted initial language score (intercept), none predicted language growth (slope).ConclusionsThese findings corroborate previous studies suggesting stable language trajectories after ages 5–6 years, but add considerably to previous work by demonstrating similar developmental patterns in children with additional nonverbal cognitive deficits, social, emotional, and behavioural challenges, social disadvantage or clinical diagnoses.

Does Inattention and Hyperactivity Moderate the Relation Between Speed of Processing and Language Skills?

“…Our longitudinal findings indicate high stability of both language (Norbury et al., ) and SOP. Thus, there was no evidence, at least from school entry, that individual variation in earlier SOP predicted individual variation in later language skills (or vice‐versa) once autoregressive effects were controlled; an important step toward establishing causality.…”

“…It may be that this relation is only evident during an earlier period of development where nonverbal factors such as SOP play a critical role in establishing the foundations for later language learning. During the school years, language is a relatively stable construct with little change in the rank order of children over time (Bornstein, Hahn, & Putnick, ; Norbury et al., ); thus, there is little unexplained variance once autoregressive effects have been controlled.…”

Evidence based pathways to intervention for children with language disorders

“…Longitudinal research has identified additional 'risk factors' that do not individually indicate the need for immediate SLT assessment, but which are associated with an increased risk of a persistent language disorder at a group or population level. The most reliable predictor of later language levels is earlier language levels , Norbury et al 2017. Other risk factors identified to date are: a positive family history of language or literacy difficulties (Zambrana et al 2014); pervasive language deficits affecting both receptive and expressive language, which probably reflect more severe language difficulties , Tomblin et al 2003, particularly in girls (Zambrana et al 2014); lower non-verbal IQ (e.g., Eadie et al 2014, Tomblin et al 2003; low SES (Fisher 2017).…”

Depressive symptoms and emotion regulation strategies in children with and without developmental language disorder: a longitudinal study

“…2017, Tomblin et al . 1997), which was formerly referred to as specific language impairment (SLI) (for a discussion of DSM‐5 classification and terminology, see Bishop et al .…”