Late Talker or SLI?: The Story of Jay X

ABSTRACT

Distinguishing between children who will “catch up” after delays in early language development (late talkers), and children whose early delays are a harbinger of the condition known as specific language impairment (SLI), remains one of the biggest mysteries facing speech-language pathologists who work with young children. The case of Jay X, a preschool child with a history of delayed language acquisition, illustrates the process by which the crucial pieces of clinical information are accumulated and interpreted to make this determination.

KEY WORDS

specific language impairment - preschool language disorder - late talker