Early Language Development and Language Learning Disabilities

Abstract

1. Kenneth L. Grizzle, PhD* 2. Mark D. Simms, MD, MPH† 1. *Lead psychologist, School Performance Program, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin; Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisc 2. †Medical Director, Child Development Center, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin; Professor, Department of Pediatrics, and Chief, Section of Developmental Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisc After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Review stages in development of early language and language-based learning abilities. 2. Recognize factors placing a child at risk to experience reading difficulties. 3. Discuss when to refer a child for speech/language and psychoeducational testing. Child 1: The parents of 23-month-old Dale are concerned because their son uses only eight distinct words. Although he can make his wants known to caregivers through gesturing and use of his limited vocabulary, he is becoming frustrated by his parents’ insistence on his use of language and their inability to understand his requests. At mealtimes and throughout the day, Dale is engaged in “conversation” with family members and enjoys making the sounds of a motor as he pushes his trucks along the ground. He enjoys “calling” his older siblings to dinner when asked by his father and generally is well behaved. Child 2: Sarah, a 51/2-year-old child who received speech and language services as a preschooler through an Early Childhood Program because of poor language formulation, is struggling to recognize some upper case and most lower case letters of the alphabet. She can identify the sounds of about five letters. After evaluating Sarah at the end of preschool, the speech pathologist did not think language services were necessary. Although she is happy to have her parents and teacher read to her, Sarah is easily distracted and seems uninterested in guided reading books provided by her kindergarten teacher. Her teacher is considering recommending that Sarah not be promoted to first grade. Child 3: Jacob just turned 8 years old and is in third grade. Unlike Dale and Sarah, Jacob has no history of language delays, and there is no family history of language or academic problems. Since kindergarten, Jacob’s teachers have expressed concerns about his progress in reading …