About Speech/Language Impairment

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About Speech/Language Impairment:

Definition/Characteristics (From NICHCY, 2010):

Speech disorders can be difficulties in producing individual sounds (articulation or phonological disorders); difficulties in rhythm or fluency of oral speech; difficulties with pitch, volume, or quality of voice; or a combination of these resulting in trouble being understood by others when speaking.

A language disorder includes difficulty with words: understanding words, recognizing words, and using words both verbally and nonverbally. 
Characteristics include:

·      improper use of words and their meanings

·      inability to express ideas

·      inappropriate grammatical patterns

·      reduced vocabulary

·      inability to follow directions

Causes are usually unknown, but can include: hearing loss, neurological disorders, brain injury, intellectual disability, drug abuse, physical impairments such as cleft lip or palate, and vocal abuse or misuse.  These disabilities are often related to other disabilities, such as autism (NICHCY, 2010). 

Prevalence:

It is estimated that communication disorders (including speech, language, and hearing disorders) affect one of every 10 people in the United States (NICHCY, 2010).

In 2003, there were nearly 1.5 million students in the US who qualified for services with the primary disability as speech or language disorders (Twenty-sixth Annual Report to Congress, U.S. Department of Education, 2006, as cited in NICHCY, 2010).

Affects on language and literacy (ASHA, n.d.):

·       “Between 40 and 75 percent of preschoolers with early language impairment develop reading difficulties later, often in conjunction with broader academic achievement problems” (Aram and Hall, 1989; Bashir and Scavuzzo, 1992; cited in Snow et al., 1998).

·      Children with Language Impairments remain at greater risk than other youngsters for the development of a reading difficulty, even if impairment is only mild-to-moderate language delays (Snow et al., 1998).

Narratives: Individuals with language disorders affect their ability to hold meaningful conversations, making listening, understanding, and responding to narratives difficult. Developing oral language skills and communication skills are affected by an individual’s receptive and productive language.  Feelings of isolation due to these factors will compound the delays on oral language and narrative development.

 

Comprehension: Meanings of words are often difficult to learn and remember, affecting oral listening and reading comprehension

Vocabulary: learning new vocabulary may be difficult 

Phonics: Children with speech or language impairment may have a lack of understanding of sound-letter correspondences in alphabetic stage that is a hindrance in learning to read and inhibits becoming a proficient reader due to the difficulty in hearing and producing sounds.

Phonological awareness: breaking down words into their phonological parts is difficult, making the sounding out words and use of visual cues of word parts such as morphemes difficult to learn

Fluency: word recall is difficult, further hindering communication and expression of ideas

Spelling & Writing: keeping letter/sound correspondences together and in the correct order inhibit the writing process Writing might also be difficult due to organization and communication of ideas.

Motivation: students will often show a lack of interest in print or sound-letter correspondences in the early years of schooling (Wankoff, 2011) students are struggling in school for lengthy periods of time, especially students with language impairment.

Resources:

Professional Resources:

·      Knowledge and Skills Needed by Speech-Language Pathologists With Respect to Reading and Writing in Children and Adolescents

A document by ASHA that outlines areas SLPs need to be familiar with prior to working with children with language disorders.  A list of recommended articles and resources for each area of literacy is included.
http://www.asha.org/docs/html/KS2002-00082.html

·      Language-Based Learning Disabilities: Benefits of SLP Services
Information about working with children, treatments, and effectiveness of services.
http://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/LBLDslpBenefits.htm

Resources for Parents and Teachers:

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·  Specific Language Impairment

Looking at language impairment characteristics in context of other disabilities.
http://www.readingrockets.org/article/37051/

·  Reading Together: Tips for Parents of Children with Speech and Language Problems

Includes tips for infants and toddlers, pre-school and school age, and links for more information

http://www.readingrockets.org/article/41113/

·  Early Identification of Speech-Language Delays and Disorders

A brief explanation for parents concerning who should be evaluated and why.

http://www.readingrockets.org/article/6231/

References:

Language-based learning disabilities.  Retrieved from http://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/LBLD.htm

National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY). (2010). Speech and Language Impairments. Retrieved from http://www.readingrockets.org/article/37590/

Snow,C., Burns, S. & Griffin, P. (1998). Child-based risk factors. Retrieved from http://www.readingrockets.org/article/281/

Wankoff, L. (2011). Warning signs in the development of speech, language, and communication: When to refer to a speech-language pathologist. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, 24, 175-184.