CLINICAL OBSERVATIONS ON CHILDREN WITH RETARDED SPEECH

Abstract

The problems of children with retarded speech have been noticed by many clinicians such as iatrists and psychologists. tions on 466 delayed language cases who visited the hearing and speech clinic for children in E.N.T. Department of Tokyo University Hospital since 1960 to 1962. Subjects are classified into following groups nce) der 84 of IQ) 3) mutism due to hearing disturbance deaf mutism(threshold is over 61 dB) Investigations are made on method of diagnosis, evaluation of speech ability, etiology and treatment. The informations obtained from parents are ation is necessary for correct evaluation of speech and hearing ability. Sixty per cent of the cases are boys and fourty per cent are girls, and most of them(70 per cent) are under 4 years of age. The further classification and investigation can be performed in accordance with correct evaluation of speech ability. Poor nurseing environment and brain damages followed by abnormal progress of pregnancy and delivery, especially asphyxia, are considered to be significant as the causes of audimutitas. On the mentally retarded cases, hereditary pre. dispositions such as mental retardation, neurosis and intermarriage are prominently noted. Clinically, a group of slight deafness is not adequate because 8 per cent of them revealed profile of the audimutitas and another 26 per cent have mental deficiency.Causes of slight deafness is not clear. Hereditary predispositions(impaired hearing, intermarriage and neurosis), disturbance of pregna ncy, abnormal delivery, childrens disease with higi fever are considerable factors as the cause of dea mutism and medium deafness. Patients were treated medically by γ-aminobu tilic acid and others, and given education by speed therapy.Group therapy for audimutitas childrei is markedly effective and attention to early con mencement of therapy should be paid.