Neuropediatrics 2006; 37 - PS4_2_1
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-945792

THE CLINICAL SPECTRUM OF DEVELOPMENTAL LANGUAGE IMPAIRMENT IN SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN: LANGUAGE, COGNITIVE AND MOTOR FINDINGS

RI Webster 1, 6, C Erdos 2, K Evans 2, A Majnemer 1, 3, 4, A Evans 5, M Shevell 1, 3, 4
  • 1Departments of Neurology/ Neurosurgery
  • 2School of Communications Sciences and Disorders
  • 3Department of Pediatrics
  • 4School of Physical and Occupational Therapy
  • 5McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
  • 6Children's Hospital Education Research Institute at Westmead, Westmead, NSW, Australia

Objectives: To evaluate detailed school age language, non-verbal cognitive and motor development in children with Developmental Language Impairment (DLI) compared to age matched controls.

Methods: Children with DLI or normal language development (controls) aged seven to 13 years were recruited. Children underwent language assessment (Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals-4 [CELF-4], Peabody Picture Vocabulary-3 [PPVT-3], Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation-2 [GFTA-2]), non-verbal cognitive assessment (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-IV [WISC-IV]) and motor assessment (Movement Assessment Battery for Children [M-ABC]). Exclusion criteria were: non-verbal IQ below the 5th percentile or an acquired language, hearing, autistic spectrum or neurological disorder.

Results: Twelve children with DLI (eight boys, mean age: 10.2±0.9 years) and thirteen controls (seven boys, mean age: 9.5±1.7 years [p=0.28]) were recruited. Children with DLI showed lower mean scores on language (CELF- 4– DLI: 81.2±16.6, controls 110±9.4, p<0.001, GFTA-2– DLI: 95.0±10.6, controls 104.1±2.7, p=0.004, PPVT-3– DLI: 91.8±13.9, controls 101.4±11.2, p=0.07), cognitive (WISC-IV: DLI 99.5±15.5, controls 114.8±12.4, p=0.01) and motor measures (M-ABC percentile: DLI: 11.9±16.0, controls 68.1±30.2, p=0.002) and greater discrepancies between cognitive and language scores ([WISC-IV – CELF-4] DLI: 18.3±17, controls: 2.2±12.7, p=0.01). Motor impairment was more common in children with DLI (73%) than controls (8%, p=0.001).

Conclusion: DLI is characterized by a broad spectrum of developmental impairments. Children identified on the basis of language impairment show significant motor co-morbidity. Motor assessment should form part of the evaluation of children with DLI.