Language, intelligence, academic achievement, and behavioral adjustment were assessed in a group of 20 adolescents originally studied 10 years earlier as preschoolers with language disorders. At follow-up, 20% had WISC-R IQ scores in the mentally deficient range and were being educated in EMR classrooms. Of the remaining 16, 11 (69%) had required special tutoring, grade retention, or LD class placement. The majority of non-EMR subjects continued to evidence persistent deficits in language and academic achievement and were rated by their parents as being less socially competent and having more behavioral problems than their peers. Of the initial preschool measures available, the Leiter was found to be the best single predictor of intelligence, language, class placement, and reading achievement in adolescence, although the NSST: Expressive subtest also was a strong predictor of adolescent language.

Eight left-hemisphere lesioned children and eight right-hemisphere lesioned children between 18 months and 8 years of age were compared to control subjects on a battery of intelligence and language measures. Both left- and right-lesioned subjects had lower IQ scores than their controls, yet most functioned within the normal range or higher. Lexical comprehension and production were depressed in both subject groups and appeared to be depressed to a greater degree in right-lesioned subjects than in those with left lesions. In contrast, syntactic production in left-lesioned subjects was markedly deficient in comparison to controls as well as right-lesioned subjects. Although both subjects and controls included children with articulation errors, the number of misarticulating children and misarticulated sounds was greatest in the left-lesioned group. Finally, fluency disorders were observed in both right- and left-lesioned subjects but were not observed in controls. The study provides further evidence that the right and left hemispheres are not equipotential for language and that left-hemisphere lesions acquired early in childhood impair syntactic development to a greater degree than do right-hemisphere lesions.

The present study examined the familial basis for severe phonological disorders. Twenty children with severe phonological disorders and their siblings were compared to 20 normally developing children and their siblings on measures of phonology, language, reading, and motor ability. Results revealed that the siblings of the disordered children performed more poorly than control siblings on phonology and reading measures. Disordered subjects' phonological skills correlated significantly and positively with their siblings', whereas controls' scores did not. Families of disordered children reported significantly more members with speech and language disorders and dyslexia than did families of controls. Sex differences were reflected in the incidence but not the severity or type of disorder present. These findings suggest a familial basis for at least some forms of severe phonological disorders.

No abstract

No abstract