Can severe language disorders be identified before age 3;6?

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A new classification system indicating type and severity of language disorder was applied by five speech pathologists. They independently interpreted information from the initial language assessment of 39 children with developmental language disorder (DLD), who had been assessed by one of the present authors before age 3;6. Information about planned intervention was also collected. The children were reassessed 18 months later. The amount of language therapy the children had received was calculated and related to the type and severity of the language disorder. Our results indicate that the DLD children, who initially had general language problems performed worse on reassessment than children with expressive problems. More extensive intervention programmes were planned for the children with general DLD. According to follow-up data they had, however, not received more therapy than children with more restricted disorders.