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

Figures & data

Table 1 Diagnostic groups divided by gender, medical conditions, participation ability during the SLP assessment, language ability and bilingualism

Language groups	Gender (m/f)	Transient hearing loss/recurrent otitis (m/f)	Pregnancy or birth problems (m/f)	Participation (good/fluctuating/poor)	RDLS,a z-value (mean)	Sentence, length (number of words per utterance) (mean)	Acceptable phonology (yes/no)	Bilingual (m/f)
MLD (n=52)	34/18	3/0	8/4	14/21/17	−3.3	1.58	18/34	30/15
ELD (n=35)	24/11	4/2	5/0	29/6/0	−0.38	1.74	5/30	1/2
Late bloomer (n=13)	10/3	1/0	2/0	11/2/0	−0.57	3.23	10/3	2/1

Note:

a 12 children from the MLD group did not participate enough to get a score at RDLS III.

Abbreviations: ELD, expressive language disorder; MLD, mixed language disorder; RDLS, Reynell Developmental Language Scales; SLP, speech and language pathologist.

Table 2 FTF-toddlers domain and subdomain mean scores in each diagnostic group and test between groups

FTF-toddlers domain mean scores by diagnostic groups						Test between groups, P-value
Variable	MLD (n=52)	ELD (n=35)	Late bloomer (n=13)	P-valuea	Reliability α-level	MLD vs ELD	MLD vs late bloomer	ELD vs late bloomer
Gross motor skills	0.21	0.15	0.26	0.93	0.82	0.95	0.71	0.79
Fine motor skills	0.27b	0.27	0.27	0.75	0.75	0.47	0.70	0.91
Attention and concentration	0.57	0.45	0.34	0.34	0.86	0.70	0.23	0.12
Overactivity and impulsiveness	0.61	0.49	0.53	0.63	0.87	0.35	0.69	0.78
Passivity/inactivity	0.25	0.26	0.15	0.61	0.70	0.75	0.48	0.28
Perception	0.19	0.16	0.17	0.78	0.77	0.75	0.63	0.48
Memory	0.24	0.19c	0.12	0.43	0.86	0.84	0.22	0.23
Language comprehension	0.57	0.18	0.16	<0.0001	0.84	<0.0001	0.002	0.61
Spoken language	0.82	0.84c	0.57	0.17	0.76	0.87	0.095	0.064
Communication	0.41	0.21	0.15	0.013	0.71	0.009	0.046	0.89
Learning	0.58	0.39c	0.39	0.17	0.55	0.097	0.20	0.87
Social skills	0.36	0.17	0.13	0.01	0.88	0.02	0.03	0.57
Overall behavior	0.25	0.18	0.16	0.23	0.87	0.14	0.22	0.84

Notes:

a Bold figures represents significant differences;

b n=50;

c n=34.

Abbreviations: ELD, expressive language disorder; FTF, Five to Fifteen; MLD, mixed language disorder.

Table 3 Distribution of “concern” according to the ten FTF-toddlers impairment questions

					Test between groups, P-value
Variable	MLD, n=52 (%)	ELD, n=35 (%)	Late bloomer, n=13 (%)	P-value	MLD vs ELD	MLD vs late bloomer	ELD vs late bloomer
Gross/fine motor skillsa	11 (21.6)	1 (2.9)	3 (23.1)	0.041	0.024	1.00	0.11
Attention and concentration	18 (34.6)	10 (28.6)	3 (23.1)	0.67	0.72	0.66	1.00
Over activity and impulsiveness	19 (36.5)	9 (25.7)	3 (23.1)	0.45	0.41	0.57	1.00
Passivity/inactivity	8 (15.4)	3 (8.6)	1 (7.7)	0.55	0.55	0.84	1.00
Perception	7 (13.5)	6 (17.1)	2 (15.4)	0.89	0.86	1.00	1.00
Memory	12 (23.1)	2 (5.9)	0 (0.0)	0.024	0.061	0.10	1.00
Language, speech, communicationa	40 (76.9)	25 (73.5)	5 (38.5)	0.022	0.91	0.022	0.060
Learninga	20 (38.5)	5 (14.7)	3 (23.1)	0.052	0.030	0.48	0.77
Social skillsa	18 (34.6)	9 (26.5)	3 (23.1)	0.60	0.58	0.66	1.00
Behavior	14 (26.9)	4 (11.8)	3 (23.1)	0.24	0.15	1.00	0.58

Notes: Bold figures represents significant differences.

a All parents did not answer every impairment question.

Abbreviations: ELD, expressive language disorder; FTF, Five to Fifteen; MLD, mixed language disorder.

Table 4 Percentage “applies” in the statements of language comprehension, speech and communication divided by diagnostic groups

Statements in the Language domain					Test between groups P-value
Variable	MLD (n=52) (%)	ELD (n=35) (%)	Late bloomer (n=13) (%)	P-value	MLD vs ELD	MLD vs late bloomer	ELD vs late bloomer
Language comprehension
Difficulty understanding words	6 (11.5)	1 (2.9)	0 (0.0)	0.17	0.29	0.49	1.00
Difficulty understanding simple instructions	5 (9.6)	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	0.088	0.14	0.63	1.00
Difficulty with opposite words yes/no, happy/sad	5 (9.6)	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	0.088	0.14	0.63	1.00
Difficulty with terms like big/small, in/on	14 (27.5)	1 (2.9)	1 (8.3)	0.0073	0.004	0.31	0.90
Difficulty remembering two instructions	3 (6.0)	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	0.23	0.41	0.99	1.00
Difficulty understanding a story read aloud	9 (18.4)	1 (3.0)	1 (7.7)	0.093	0.071	0.65	0.98
Difficulty with the meaning of if-later (eg if you eat food now, you will get icecream)	14 (26.9)	1 (2.9)	1 (8.3)	0.0096	0.006	0.32	0.92
Speech
Difficulty saying single words and short sentences	23 (46.0)	18 (51.4)	1 (7.7)	0.020	0.79	0.02	0.01
Difficulty speaking so that parents understand	18 (34.6)	13 (37.1)	2 (15.4)	0.34	0.99	0.31	0.27
Difficulty speaking so that unfamiliar people understand	32 (61.5)	25 (73.5)	5 (38.5)	0.082	0.36	0.23	0.060
Makes language sounds mistakes	28 (56.0)	21 (65.6)	6 (46.2)	0.45	0.53	0.74	0.38
Difficulty finding words or uses alternate words	19 (40.4)	14 (46.7)	1 (7.7)	0.046	0.76	0.048	0.027
Has a hoarse voice	2 (3.9)	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	0.39	0.71	1.00	1.00
Has a shrill voice	5 (9.6)	2 (5.9)	1 (7.7)	0.82	0.85	1.00	1.00
Stutters or repeats words or part of words over and over	1 (2.0)	1 (3.1)	2 (15.4)	0.090	1.00	0.20	0.39
Speaks so quickly it is hard to comprehend	6 (12.0)	0 (0.0)	1 (7.7)	0.14	0.098	1.00	0.59
Speech very unclear/mumbles	17 (34.0)	6 (18.8)	2 (15.4)	0.20	0.21	0.34	1.00
Communication
Difficulty expressing what (s)he feels using facial expressions	2 (3.8)	1 (2.9)	0 (0.0)	0.77	1.00	1.00	1.00
Difficulty keeping to the point when (s)he is telling a story	5 (13.9)	2 (8.0)	0 (0.0)	0.35	0.78	0.44	0.90
Difficulty using simple gestures to show what (s)he means	2 (3.8)	1 (2.9)	0 (0.0)	0.77	1.00	1.00	1.00
Difficulty making conversation	14 (29.8)	2 (6.3)	0 (0.0)	0.0052	0.02	0.04	1.00

Note: Bold figures represent significant differences.

Abbreviations: ELD, expressive language disorder; MLD, mixed language disorder.