When does speech sound disorder matter for literacy? The role of disordered speech errors, co‐occurring language impairment and family risk of dyslexia

Abstract

BackgroundThis study considers the role of early speech difficulties in literacy development, in the context of additional risk factors.MethodChildren were identified with speech sound disorder (SSD) at the age of 3½ years, on the basis of performance on the Diagnostic Evaluation of Articulation and Phonology. Their literacy skills were assessed at the start of formal reading instruction (age 5½), using measures of phoneme awareness, word‐level reading and spelling; and 3 years later (age 8), using measures of word‐level reading, spelling and reading comprehension.ResultsThe presence of early SSD conferred a small but significant risk of poor phonemic skills and spelling at the age of 5½ and of poor word reading at the age of 8. Furthermore, within the group with SSD, the persistence of speech difficulties to the point of school entry was associated with poorer emergent literacy skills, and children with ‘disordered’ speech errors had poorer word reading skills than children whose speech errors indicated ‘delay’. In contrast, the initial severity of SSD was not a significant predictor of reading development. Beyond the domain of speech, the presence of a co‐occurring language impairment was strongly predictive of literacy skills and having a family risk of dyslexia predicted additional variance in literacy at both time‐points.ConclusionsEarly SSD alone has only modest effects on literacy development but when additional risk factors are present, these can have serious negative consequences, consistent with the view that multiple risks accumulate to predict reading disorders.

Characterization of speech and language phenotype in children with NRXN1 deletions

“…Overall the findings suggest that while speech difficulties are common in children with NRXN1 deletions, affecting around 65%, they tend not to be persistent and severe. Three children had phonological disorder, however, the presence of which places these children at greater risk of literacy difficulties (Hayiou‐Thomas, Carroll, Leavett, Hulme, & Snowling, ). Given this is the first study to investigate speech and language in detail, we are unable to provide phenotypic comparison to previous studies on speech.…”

Phase 2 of CATALISE: a multinational and multidisciplinary Delphi consensus study of problems with language development: Terminology

“…Where phonological problems continue beyond 5 years of age it is important to assess the child's broader language skills, as persisting phonological difficulties are usually accompanied by other language problems and have a poorer prognosis (Bird, Bishop, & Freeman, 1995;Bishop & Edmundson, 1987;Hayiou-Thomas, Carroll, Leavett, Hulme, & Snowling, 2017), so would merit a diagnosis of DLD. Where the child has a mixture of language disorder and motor or structural problems with speech production, a dual diagnosis of DLD with SSD is appropriate.…”

Describing How School-Based SLPs Determine Eligibility for Children with Speech Sound Disorders

“…However, this population of children often experiences deficits in reading, spelling, and social-emotional well-being. [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15] Thus, eligibility for services must take into consideration factors such as the connections between SSDs and reading 16 and the social implications of an SSD. Further, IDEA is explicit that eligibility is a team decision and that the team includes qualified professionals (e.g., classroom teacher, SLP) and the child's parent(s) ( § 614, b, 4, A).…”