The 15-month study followed the vocal development of five handicapped (Down Syndrome, hydrocephalus, and spina bifida) hospital reared infants. Results suggested that only the two less handicapped infants demonstrated use of sounds for social interaction and that the other infants used vocalization primarily as protest or self-stimulation.…

The review of research on language development in young children with Down's syndrome indicates that these children develop language in the same sequence as children without Down's syndrome, but that they experience delays. Educators should initiate language programs as early as possible, enlist parent participation, and select normative language…

The article describes possible reasons, other than stuttering, for children's disfluent speech, presents typical case profiles for different types of disfluency, and suggests appropriate case management procedures. (Author/DB)

The relationship between language and symbolic gesture was studied in nine children (ages 18-32 months) who were in the lowest 10 percent for language production for their age. Subjects performed like language-matched controls on a lexical production task. On a syntax-related task, they performed like age-matched and significantly better than…

Effects of systematic use of mands (non-yes/no questions and instructions to verbalize), models (imitative prompts), and specific consequent events on the productive verbal behavior of three unresponsive, socially isolated, language-delayed preschoolers were investigated. Treatments resulted in increases in total verbalizations and nonobligatory…

A comprehensive analysis of the speech-sound production at ages two-three, five, and seven of two children with repaired bilateral cleft lip and palate. Results indicated individual differences in that one S's emerging phonological system was more characteristic of developmental delay while the other was more characteristic of structural…

Various techniques of treatment are discussed in this case study of a young child who refused to talk. (ST)

Assessment of reliability and validity of the Arthur Adaptation of the Leiter International Performance Scale and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test when used with preschool language delayed children showed both stable, but the former much more predictive of later functioning on the WISC and a broader measure of intellectual functioning. (KW)

A language development program for a 6-year-old boy with limited language development combined an operant approach in the foster home, where both parents were speech clinicians, and daily 3-hour therapy sessions at a university speech and hearing clinic. (KW)

Interprets high response consistency in imitation and semantic/syntactic substitutions as evidence of internalized control of grammar in severely retarded adolescents. Discusses teaching implications in terms of speaker ability to process basic semantic relationships. (Author/RL)

Late talkers with normal receptive language were compared with typically developing peers at ages 3 and 4 on grammatical suppliance during speech samples. At age 4, "late bloomers" did not differ from typically developing children, but late talkers with "continuing delay" differed on several grammatical variables. Findings are discussed in terms…

Seventeen toddlers with specific expressive language delay were compared to two control groups on measures of spontaneous and imitated gesture production. Late talkers performed like age/comprehension-matched controls on gesture production and later appearing symbolic gestures and performed like language-matched controls on earlier appearing…

This response to Fey (EC 604 058) argues against the application of simplistic phonological definitions and models to the assessment and treatment of children with speech delays. Clinicians are encouraged to embrace broad-based models that have explanatory value and are consistent with comprehensive assessment procedures and treatment, focusing on…

This study investigated two aspects of non-symbolic phonological knowledge (knowledge of the acoustic/perceptual space and of the articulatory/production space) in six preschool-age children with phonological disorders and six typically developing age peers. Results suggest that phonological knowledge is multifaceted, and that seemingly…