Children screening positive for language delay at 2.5 years: language disorder and developmental profiles

Abstract

Purpose

To characterize language disorder and developmental profiles in children who screened positive for language delay but negative for autism at 2.5 years of age.

Patients and methods

The first 100 children who screened positive for language delay – but negative for autism – in 2016 were assessed in detail by speech language pathologists. Parents completed a newly developed questionnaire covering eight domains – Motor, Executive functions, Perception, Memory, Language, Learning, Social skills and Child’s behaviour – with impairment scored for each domain.

Results

ICD-10 language disorder diagnoses were made in 87/100 children (29 girls, 58 boys). Of 52 children with mixed receptive–expressive language disorder, 32% had problems in other developmental areas according to the “global rating” in the impairment questions of the questionnaire. Of the 35 with expressive language disorder, 21% had problems in other areas according to the impairment questions. Thirteen children had isolated language delay with no other diagnoses according to the speech and language pathologists’ assessment; however, 23% of them had problems according to the parental rating on the impairment questions.

Conclusion

Most children screening positive for language delay but negative for autism at age 2.5 years were diagnosed with ICD-10 language disorder diagnoses. Parents in about one in four cases reported impairing problems within other developmental areas. Possible explanations for the findings are discussed.

Keywords:

• comorbidity
• language disorder
• neurodevelopmental
• parental questionnaire
• preschool children

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by grants from the Local Research and Developmental Council and the Swedish Science Council of the VästraGötaland Region, Sweden. We wish to thank all colleagues at the Queen Silvia Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatric Speech and Language Pathology, for their help and support.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.