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Speech and language development in children
In a recent pilot study we dud a mctrphometrtc analysis of the total surface of the corpus callosum in 30 dysphasic/dyslexic children. whose MRI scans are
cai surface. These findings agzain refer to the possible
judged
important
between
as normal.
and 70 controls.
the sagittal cortical
The ccvrelation
surface and the corpus
phasicidysiexic
children
have either
a Tao small or A
too large corpus callosum relative to the sagltta~c(~rti-
(dysphasic)
role of the corpuk
c:tllo~um
II! tlv&z&
children.
callosum surface (.57) is significant (p
controls, but absent in patients. because too many dys-
Childpsychiatric and neurological fidings in hyperactive patients W.B. Gunning (R~tterdam) Stimulants are often prescribed for hyperactive children. When these children are difficult to handle and the hyperactivity seriously affects their development. Clonidine could be an alternative in hyperactive patients, who do not benefit from stimulants. The diagnostic findings were presented of 109 hyperactive children, who participated in a controtled trial with clonidine and methylphenidate (Sophia Children’s Hospital Rotterdam). All children fulfilled the DSMIII-R criteria for Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The DSM-III-R does not give a standardized scoringprocedure for ADHD. The scoring of ADHD-items is quite subjective (at least 8 of 14 items are required for a diagnosis ADHD). The categorical approach of the DSM-III-R category ADHD (‘is this child hyperactive’~‘} was supplemented with
dimensional information from behavior checklists and from playroomobservation of standardized taskbehavior and attention-tests (‘how hyperactive is this child?‘). All patients were seen in a standardized clinical childpsychiatric assessment. A high degree of comorbidity was found; Op~sitionaIde~ant and conduct disorder, tics, emotional disturbances and pervasive developmental disorder. Patients were seen in a developmental-neurological examination (Touwen 1979. clusters according to Hadders-Algra 1987), 36% scored MND-1. MND-2 or abnormal. Neurological dysfunction was found most frequently in hyperactive patients with pervasive developmental disorder.
Speech and language development in children A. Schaerlaekens
(Leuven)
Language development in children is an enormous task. Taking into account the complexity of the linguistic system, it is hard to explain the easyness young children display when acquiring language, which leads some theoretists to believe in a LAD. a language acquisition device. The language development process not onty shows some cross-linguistic caracteristics and features, but also reflects a fixed internal chronology in each language. For Dutch the developmentat process is mostly subdivided into: a prelinguistic, an early linguistic, a further differentiating period, and a ~nishing period during school age. In each of these periods there are different phonological, semantic, syntactic and grammatical structures to be acquired. Each developmental period may be more or less intensively concerned with these different linguistic levels. Thus the prelinguistic period focuses on vocal and phonological development. The early linguistic period starts with
symbolic functioning and displays early syntactical development, still being ‘cross linguistically’ designed. Further development is concerned with expanding vocabulary and expanding gram~tical structures. At the age of 3 to 4 the child becomes increasingly creative with its own language and displays metalinguistic awareness. Whereas after the age of 5 creativity becomes more a matter of collectivity: the lore and language of school children requires its own antropological and cultural interest. Concerning child language, deviation from the average is a very CompIicated matter: in the prelinguistic period standard deviations are very smaI1, whereas in the age-period 1 to 3 a broad deversification can be found. After the age of 4 the standard deviations range from 6 months earlier or later to the average. Therefore early diagnoses of language delay and language problems is a very complicated matter.
Why are specific leaming dimrdws so frequent anxmg scrod chUdren? Neil Gordon Many children suffer from specific learning disorders to an extent that interferes with their progress at school. This is largely an educational problem, but there is a very important medicaf contribution to be made. This involves, in particular, efforts to prevent
these conditions, whether they involve language and literacy, the acquisition of motor skills, or the development of acceptable patterns of behaviour. Social and environmental factors have to be considered as these can so easily lead to deprivation. The
cai surface. These findings agzain refer to the possible
judged
important
between
as normal.
and 70 controls.
the sagittal cortical
The ccvrelation
surface and the corpus
phasicidysiexic
children
have either
a Tao small or A
too large corpus callosum relative to the sagltta~c(~rti-
(dysphasic)
role of the corpuk
c:tllo~um
II! tlv&z&
children.
callosum surface (.57) is significant (p
controls, but absent in patients. because too many dys-
Childpsychiatric and neurological fidings in hyperactive patients W.B. Gunning (R~tterdam) Stimulants are often prescribed for hyperactive children. When these children are difficult to handle and the hyperactivity seriously affects their development. Clonidine could be an alternative in hyperactive patients, who do not benefit from stimulants. The diagnostic findings were presented of 109 hyperactive children, who participated in a controtled trial with clonidine and methylphenidate (Sophia Children’s Hospital Rotterdam). All children fulfilled the DSMIII-R criteria for Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The DSM-III-R does not give a standardized scoringprocedure for ADHD. The scoring of ADHD-items is quite subjective (at least 8 of 14 items are required for a diagnosis ADHD). The categorical approach of the DSM-III-R category ADHD (‘is this child hyperactive’~‘} was supplemented with
dimensional information from behavior checklists and from playroomobservation of standardized taskbehavior and attention-tests (‘how hyperactive is this child?‘). All patients were seen in a standardized clinical childpsychiatric assessment. A high degree of comorbidity was found; Op~sitionaIde~ant and conduct disorder, tics, emotional disturbances and pervasive developmental disorder. Patients were seen in a developmental-neurological examination (Touwen 1979. clusters according to Hadders-Algra 1987), 36% scored MND-1. MND-2 or abnormal. Neurological dysfunction was found most frequently in hyperactive patients with pervasive developmental disorder.
Speech and language development in children A. Schaerlaekens
(Leuven)
Language development in children is an enormous task. Taking into account the complexity of the linguistic system, it is hard to explain the easyness young children display when acquiring language, which leads some theoretists to believe in a LAD. a language acquisition device. The language development process not onty shows some cross-linguistic caracteristics and features, but also reflects a fixed internal chronology in each language. For Dutch the developmentat process is mostly subdivided into: a prelinguistic, an early linguistic, a further differentiating period, and a ~nishing period during school age. In each of these periods there are different phonological, semantic, syntactic and grammatical structures to be acquired. Each developmental period may be more or less intensively concerned with these different linguistic levels. Thus the prelinguistic period focuses on vocal and phonological development. The early linguistic period starts with
symbolic functioning and displays early syntactical development, still being ‘cross linguistically’ designed. Further development is concerned with expanding vocabulary and expanding gram~tical structures. At the age of 3 to 4 the child becomes increasingly creative with its own language and displays metalinguistic awareness. Whereas after the age of 5 creativity becomes more a matter of collectivity: the lore and language of school children requires its own antropological and cultural interest. Concerning child language, deviation from the average is a very CompIicated matter: in the prelinguistic period standard deviations are very smaI1, whereas in the age-period 1 to 3 a broad deversification can be found. After the age of 4 the standard deviations range from 6 months earlier or later to the average. Therefore early diagnoses of language delay and language problems is a very complicated matter.
Why are specific leaming dimrdws so frequent anxmg scrod chUdren? Neil Gordon Many children suffer from specific learning disorders to an extent that interferes with their progress at school. This is largely an educational problem, but there is a very important medicaf contribution to be made. This involves, in particular, efforts to prevent
these conditions, whether they involve language and literacy, the acquisition of motor skills, or the development of acceptable patterns of behaviour. Social and environmental factors have to be considered as these can so easily lead to deprivation. The