Search

Background: In 2016/17, the CATALISE Consortium published the results of a multinational and multidisciplinary Delphi consensus study, representing agreement among professionals about the definition and process of identification of children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) (Bishop et al., 2016, 2017). The extent to which the current clinical practice of UK speech and language therapists (SLTs) reflects the CATALISE consensus statements is unknown. Aims: To investigate how UK SLTs' expressive language assessment practices reflect the CATALISE documents' emphasis on the functional impairment and impact caused by DLD, by examining: whether multiple sources of assessment information are gathered; how standardised and non‐standardised sources are combined in clinical decision‐making, and how clinical observation and language sample analysis are utilised. Methods and Procedures: An anonymous, online survey was carried out between August 2019 and January 2020. It was open to UK‐based paediatric SLTs who assess children up to age 12 with unexplained difficulties using language. Questions probed different aspects of expressive language assessment which are referred to in the CATALISE consensus statements and supplementary comments, and asked about participants' familiarity with the CATALISE statements. Responses were analysed using simple descriptive statistics and content analysis. Outcomes and Results: The questionnaire was completed by 104 participants, from all four regions of the United Kingdom, working in a range of clinical settings with different levels of professional experience of DLD. The findings indicate that clinical assessment practices broadly align with the CATALISE statements. Although clinicians carry out standardised assessments more frequently than other types of assessment, they also gather information from other sources and use this alongside standardised test scores to inform clinical decisions. Clinical observation and language sample analysis are commonly utilised to evaluate functional impairment and impact, along with parent/carer/teacher and child report. However, asking about the child's own perspective could be more widely utilised. The findings also highlight a lack of familiarity with the details of the CATALISE documents among two thirds of the participants. Conclusions and Implications: Assessment practices broadly align with the CATALISE statements, but there is a need for greater clarity regarding terminology and the assessment of functional language impairment and impact. This research should prompt discussion in the profession about how to further develop and adopt expressive language assessment practices which reflect the CATALISE consensus and support effective assessment. What This Paper Adds: What is already known on the subject: The CATALISE consortium documents on Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) were published in 2016/17. The extent to which expressive language assessment practice in the United Kingdom reflects the new definition and statements on assessment has not previously been investigated. What this paper adds to existing knowledge: This survey indicates that speech and language therapists in the United Kingdom assessing children for DLD mostly balance standardised language test scores with other sources of information in clinical decision‐making, and utilise clinical observation and language sample analysis to consider functional impairment and the impact of the language disorder. However, important questions are raised regarding the robustness and objectivity with which these key parameters are currently defined and evaluated. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: Clinicians, individually and at service level, are encouraged to reflect on their assessment of functional impairment and the impact of language disorder and to take steps to incorporate this where necessary. Professional guidance and clinical tools to facilitate robust, objective assessment would support clinical practice that aligns with expert consensus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study examines the effect of a Theory of Mind (ToM) intervention on ToM abilities and social–emotional functioning in adolescents with developmental language disorder (DLD) or who are deaf/hard of hearing (D/HH). It emphasizes the importance of self‐reflection and measurement for personal growth. The research design incorporates both subjective and objective measures to evaluate the intervention's efficacy. Aims: To investigate the impact of the ToM intervention on ToM abilities and social–emotional functioning in adolescents with DLD or who are D/HH. It hypothesizes that participants in the intervention groups will show improved ToM and social–emotional functioning compared with those in the control groups. Methods & Procedures: Adolescents with DLD or who are D/HH were recruited through collaboration with educational institutions. The study utilized a pre‐/post‐test design, assigning participants to either the intervention or the control group. The ToM intervention involved targeted activities to enhance ToM abilities. ToM abilities and social–emotional functioning were assessed using standardized tests and self‐report questionnaires. Statistical analyses compared outcomes between the intervention and no intervention groups. Outcomes & Results: The findings reveal subjective improvements in social–emotional functioning among the D/HH intervention group. However, no significant effects on objective ToM measures were observed. These results highlight the need for further investigation and refinement of interventions in these areas. Future research should focus on improving intervention strategies and exploring additional objective measures to gain a comprehensive understanding of the intervention's impact on ToM and social–emotional functioning in this population. Conclusions & Implications: The ToM intervention shows subjective benefits in improving social–emotional functioning among D/HH adolescents. However, it does not yield significant effects on objective ToM measures. These findings emphasize the ongoing need to refine interventions targeting ToM abilities and social–emotional functioning in this population. Future studies should explore alternative strategies and incorporate additional objective measures to enhance understanding and outcomes. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on this subject: Before this study, it was known that ToM interventions have the potential to enhance ToM abilities. However, the specific effects of such interventions on subjective and objective measures for ToM and social–emotional functioning in adolescents with DLD or who are D/HH remained unclear, necessitating further research. What this paper adds to the existing knowledge: This study adds to the existing knowledge by demonstrating subjective improvements in social–emotional functioning among adolescents who are D/HH and underwent a ToM intervention. However, no significant effects on objective ToM measures were observed. These findings highlight the need for refining interventions and exploring additional measures to better understand the intervention's impact. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: The subjective improvements in social–emotional functioning observed in this study have important clinical implications. They suggest that ToM interventions can positively impact the social well‐being of adolescents who are D/HH. However, the lack of significant effects on objective ToM measures emphasizes the need for further research and intervention refinement to address specific areas of improvement in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neurodiversity is increasingly discussed in relation to autism research and practice. However, there is a lack of scholarship concerning the neurodevelopmental condition of Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and the neurodiversity movement. While this movement may hold opportunities for the DLD community, the application of the concept of neurodiversity to DLD research and practice needs consideration, as DLD and autism have very different levels of public and professional awareness and understanding. Aims: In this article, we discuss what the concept of neurodiversity and the associated neurodiversity movement could mean for DLD research and practice. We aim to critique some assumptions that may arise from the application of neurodiversity principles (or assumed principles) to the field of DLD. Methods: This is a discussion paper, drawing on the personal experiences and reflections of the author team. Main Contributions: We make the case for why DLD should be included in discussions about neurodivergence and outline considerations for doing so, and why some issues and applications may be particular to DLD. We outline points of similarity and contrast with autism in relation to our understanding of neurodiversity. We consider the issues around diagnosis and terminology and urge practitioners to continue to diagnose DLD using currently agreed terminology, so as not to undermine recent awareness efforts. We note that a neurodiversity‐informed perspective challenges us to offer interventions that operate at the level of our environments, not just at the level of an individual. Indeed, neurodiversity offers a platform to argue for better rights and more inclusive spaces in mental health settings, education and work for children and adults with DLD. Conclusions: DLD should be considered from a neurodiversity‐informed perspective, and it is our hope that this will lead to neurodiversity‐affirming practice that will afford young people with DLD better understanding from members of the public and the professionals who work with them. Further work is needed to better support children, young people and adults with DLD to have a voice in the neurodiversity movement. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on the subject: Neurodiversity approaches are increasingly being taken up in research and practice in relation to autism, meaning that our understanding of autism and how autistic people are supported is increasingly drawing on the principles of neurodiversity. However, autism is not the only neurodivergent population. Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is another neurodevelopmental condition; however, relative to autism, DLD has lower awareness amongst professionals and the public. There has been no scholarship that has examined DLD through the lens of neurodiversity, or considered the application of neurodiversity‐affirming approaches to DLD. What this paper adds to existing knowledge: In this paper, we examine what the neurodiversity movement means for DLD research and practice. In particular, we consider what neurodiversity in the field of autism might teach us about the application of neurodiversity in the field of DLD, and highlight where we believe there are important differences between the two populations. We reflect on what neurodiversity means for intervention, diagnosis, terminology and championing the need for accessibility, especially with regard to mental health support, education and employment. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: Neurodiversity highlights the need to consider interventions at the level of an individual's environment (e.g., how can we make this space more inclusive?) as well as interventions operating at the level of the individual themselves (e.g., interventions focusing on an individual's language skills). We challenge the notion that neurodiversity‐affirming approaches mean not diagnosing DLD or changing DLD's terminology: we argue that this is not in the spirit of the original neurodiversity movement, but also that for a condition with such low public awareness, these actions could do more harm than good for families affected by DLD. We call for more in‐depth scholarship and discussion around the application of neurodiversity approaches to DLD and argue that the neurodiversity movement offers an important opportunity to raise better awareness and understanding of DLD in multiple sectors, including (but not limited to) mental health, education and employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors reflect on the factors as to theme for the June 2006 issue of the journal. They have chosen critically appraised papers related to children with autism for the reason that autism has been one of the most noted issues in the medical profession. They searched multiple databases with a broad search strategy for autism-specific material that would inform occupational therapy practice.

Background: Indirect speech and language therapy, such as parent‐implemented intervention, has been shown to be an effective approach for young children with speech and language disorders. However, relatively few studies have compared outcomes of parent‐directed therapy with child‐directed intervention, that is, individual therapy of a child delivered by a speech and language therapist (SLT). Although speech and language therapists (SLTs) regard parental engagement as imperative for successful intervention, currently they predominantly use child‐directed intervention. Aim: To evaluate the effect of parent‐ versus child‐directed speech–language therapy embedded in usual care intervention for young children with developmental language disorder (DLD). Methods & Procedures: In a randomized trial, forty‐six 3‐year‐old monolingual children with DLD were assigned to parent‐directed intervention or child‐directed intervention groups. In addition, all children received usual care in special‐language daycare centres. Outcomes included children's language development and functional communication, parents' language output, parents' perceptions and their self‐efficacy. These were assessed at three time intervals, that is, at baseline, immediately after 6 months of treatment, and 1 year after baseline. The parent‐directed intervention consisted of twelve 50‐min sessions every 2 weeks with parent and child, consisting of parental training with immediate feedback by (SLTs. Children in the child‐directed intervention group received individual speech–language therapy in weekly 30‐min sessions for 6 months. Outcomes & Results: Intervention in both groups was equally effective. All children improved significantly in receptive and expressive language measures as well as in functional communication at all intervals. All parents used significantly more language support strategies and were less concerned about their child's participation in communication. Parents in the parent‐directed intervention group reported increased self‐efficacy in stimulating their child's language development. In contrast, parents in the child‐directed intervention group reported a decrease in self‐efficacy. Though modest, these group differences were significant in both the short and long terms. Both parents and SLTs were positive about the parent‐directed intervention. Conclusions & Implications: The effects of parent‐ and child‐directed intervention for young children with DLD are similar. The parent‐directed intervention adds to treatment options for parents as well as for SLTs and creates choices for shared decision‐making. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on the subject: Language therapy for young children with DLD comprises various delivery models. Two of these are child‐ and parent‐directed therapy by SLTs. Compared with no treatment, both delivery models are effective, but it is unclear if one of these results in better language outcomes than the other. SLTs value child‐directed intervention more highly than indirect approaches where treatment is delivered by others. This study aims to compare the relative effectiveness of parent‐directed intervention with child‐directed intervention, both parts of multi‐component usual care intervention. What this paper adds to existing knowledge: This randomized trial indicates that a parent‐directed intervention model is as effective as child‐directed intervention by SLTs for children's language development and functional communication. Parents' use of language support strategies was also similar in both intervention models, in the short and long terms. Like in child‐directed therapy, parent‐directed intervention reduces parents' concerns. Contrary to child‐directed treatment, parent‐directed intervention increases parents' self‐efficacy, that is, supporting their child's language development. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: Though SLTs predominantly choose a child‐directed intervention model, the study results show that they can consider parent‐directed approaches too. There are no significant differences in children's language outcomes as a function of parent‐ or child‐directed intervention. Furthermore, parents and SLTs were positive about the parent‐directed intervention program and the SLTs evaluated it as valuable and feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Public awareness of Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is lower than other neurodevelopmental disorders, despite its high prevalence of 7.6%. This lower awareness means recruitment for DLD research studies is difficult. DLD is both underfunded and under‐researched, resulting in relatively limited research investigating individuals with DLD. Engage with Developmental Language Disorder (E‐DLD) is a response to these considerations. E‐DLD is the first international participant database of those affected by DLD. Parents of children with DLD under 16 and young people and adults over 16 from anywhere in the world can sign up to be a part of the E‐DLD. Aims: This paper aims to describe the families of children with DLD and adults with DLD in the database thus far. Methods & Procedures: E‐DLD members sign up via our website, reporting demographic characteristics as part of this procedure. We request all E‐DLD members subsequently fill in a yearly survey. The content of the yearly survey changes dependent on the age of the child, while the yearly survey for adults remains consistent. We measure a wide range of domains, such as speech and language therapy (SLT) support, school support, socialisation skills, and early developmental milestones for our youngest members, and health care support and mental well‐being measurements for our adults. We also collect parent and self‐reported reflections on strengths and challenges for the person with DLD using open‐ended questions and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Outcomes & Results: The database currently consists of 196 parents of children with DLD and 20 individuals over the age of 16 with DLD or suspected DLD across a range of socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds. Our initial results confirm that E‐DLD members meet the linguistic profile of DLD in relation to self‐ or parent‐rated language difficulties. Both children and adults show increased rates of psychosocial difficulties compared to established norms, consistent with past research on clinical samples of people with DLD. Conclusions & Implications: The findings indicate that a participant database for DLD research is feasible and useful. The rates of emotional, behavioural and sleep difficulties among the child probands are higher than reported rates amongst typically developing children. Initial data indicate that adults with DLD have poorer well‐being than their peers. The E‐DLD is a useful collection of data on those affected by DLD and is a promising method for connecting people with DLD with academic researchers. What This Paper Adds: What is already known on this subject: Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is characterised by expressive and/or receptive language difficulties in the absence of another biomedical condition that could explain these difficulties. It is critically under‐researched and underfunded. As such, there is a lack of public awareness and difficulty recruiting sufficient sample sizes for DLD research studies. What this paper adds to existing knowledge: Engage with Developmental Language Disorder (E‐DLD) is the first international participant database of individuals with DLD. This paper provides a preliminary report on the profile of linguistic and psychosocial skills among the individuals on the database, adding to current understanding of DLD across age groups. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: Our aim is that the E‐DLD will provide much‐needed facilitation of research into DLD. E‐DLD will enable those with DLD and their families more readily to shape research agendas and to participate in studies that interest them. Families may be recruited into research that could directly translate to better clinical treatment of DLD. We also believe that the E‐DLD yearly survey holds potential to provide key information on the development and longitudinal experience of children and adults with DLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Inter‐professional collaboration (IPC) has been recommended for many years as a means by which the needs of children with developmental language disorders (DLD) can be met at school. However, effective IPC remains difficult to achieve and our knowledge of how to support it is limited. A shared understanding between those involved has been identified as critical to IPC. Aims: To examine the literature, as one source of data, for evidence of a shared understanding between the fields of speech and language therapy (SLT) and education about children with DLD and how such needs can best be met at school. Methods & Procedures: An integrative review of the literature was undertaken. A systematic search of the published, peer‐reviewed literature (between 2006 and 2016) was conducted for empirical and theoretical papers and a manual search was undertaken to obtain a representative sample of policy/professional guidelines. A total of 81 papers across SLT and education were included in the review. The papers were scrutinized using a qualitative content analysis. Main Contribution: Although some commonality between perspectives in the literature was identified, differences between the fields dominated. These differences related to how DLD is conceptualized; how children's needs are assessed; which outcomes are prioritized and how best these outcomes can be achieved. We also found differences about what constitutes useful knowledge to guide practice. We suggest that the nature of the differences we identified in the literature may have negative implications for practitioners wishing to collaborate to meet the needs of children with DLD in school. The perspectives of practising SLTs and teachers need to be sought to determine whether the findings from the literature reflect dilemmas in practice. Conclusions: Effective IPC is essential to meet the needs of children with DLD in school; yet, it remains difficult to achieve. Our review of the literature across SLT and education indicates evidence of a lack of shared understanding about DLD. If these differences are also evident in practice, then a conceptual model to support IPC may be warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Variations in communicative participation of children with developmental language disorder (DLD) cannot be wholly explained by their language difficulties alone and may be influenced by contextual factors. Contextual factors may support or hinder communicative participation in children, which makes their identification clinically relevant. Aims: To investigate which contextual (environmental and personal) factors in early childhood are protective, risk or neutral factors for communicative participation among school‐aged children with DLD, and to identify possible gaps in knowledge about this subject. Methods & Procedures: A scoping review was conducted based on a systematic search of studies published from January 2007 to March 2022 in Pubmed, Embase (without MEDLINE), CINAHL and PsycINFO. In total, 8802 studies were reviewed using predefined eligibility criteria, of which 32 studies were included for data extraction and critically appraised using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (2021) tools. Main Contribution: The methodological quality of included studies was adequate to strong. Personal protective factors identified are being a preschool girl, reaching school age and being prosocial, while personal risk factors are becoming a teenager or adolescent, having low socio‐cognitive skills and experiencing comorbid mobility impairment or behavioural problems. Gender after the preschool years and non‐verbal abilities were not found to be of influence, and the role of socio‐emotional skills is inconclusive. Receiving therapy is an environmental protective factor, while the association between socio‐economical family characteristics with communicative participation is inconclusive. Conclusions & Implications: Limited research has been conducted on which risk and protective factors present in early childhood are associated with later communicative participation of children with DLD. The influence of co‐occurring health conditions, social background variables, individual psychological assets, interpersonal relationships and attitudes of other people represent knowledge gaps. In addition, knowledge about the comparative effectiveness of different types of interventions and service delivery models, and the impact of administrative control, organizational mechanisms and standards established by governments on children's communicative participation is lacking. More longitudinal research is needed focusing on the identification of relevant personal and environmental factors and the interactions between them in relation to communicative participation outcomes. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on this subject: Children with DLD experience varying degrees of communicative participation restrictions. Insight into contextual factors that influence communicative participation can help to identify children at risk and inform family and child‐centred therapy. Systematic research on contextual factors that facilitate or hinder communicative participation in children with DLD is currently lacking. What this paper adds to existing knowledge: Knowledge of protective factors can guide the development of interventions for children and young people with DLD that boost resilience and facilitate communicative participation, while insight into the risk factors can help professionals identify the most vulnerable children and develop interventions that can lift or neutralize barriers present in the life of these children. Specific groups potentially at risk are young boys, children with co‐morbid mobility impairment, children with conduct problems, and children reaching adolescence. In contrast, potentially protective factors are reaching school age and being prosocial. In addition, the development of socio‐cognitive skills may be beneficial for the communicative participation of children with DLD. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: To support communicative participation, it is important that professionals who work with children with DLD understand which groups are at risk for communicative participation restrictions, and which factors can foster resilience. In the absence of evidence‐based instruments for the systematic assessment of personal and environmental factors, consulting parents and children on the contextual factors that they perceive as important remains critical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Individuals with developmental language disorder or Williams syndrome are reported to use more gestures than individuals with typical development. However, these two groups differ considerably in visuospatial and language skills, two skills that are hypothesized to shape gesture rate. Aims: We first examined whether children with both developmental language disorder and children Williams syndrome do indeed use more gestures. Our second aim was to disentangle the role of vocabulary and visuospatial skills in the use of supplementary gestures (i.e., containing unique information). To account for participant heterogeneity, analyses included both group comparisons and vocabulary and visuospatial skills at an individual level. As a third aim, the role of visuospatial skills was further examined in relation to gestures containing spatial content. Methods & Procedures: In a cross‐sectional group design, three participant groups watched and then retold a cartoon: children with typical development (n = 25), children with developmental language disorder (n = 25) and children/young people with Williams syndrome (n = 14). Their narrations were transcribed and hand gestures were coded based on gesture–speech integration (redundant, adds information to particular lexical items, gives information that is entirely absent from speech) and spatial content. Participants' expressive vocabulary and visuospatial skills were measured. Outcomes & Results: Between‐group comparisons showed that individuals with developmental language disorder or Williams syndrome did indeed use more gestures. Poisson loglinear modelling demonstrated that a relative higher use of supplementary gestures was determined by lower expressive vocabulary skills. Neither the group distinction nor visuospatial skills shaped the supplementary gesture rate nor spatial gesture rate. Conclusions & Implications: Regardless of neurodevelopmental condition or typical development, a higher use of supplementary gestures was influenced by expressive vocabulary skills. Children with lower vocabulary skills spontaneously capitalized on the multimodality of communication to express constituents that were not present in their verbal speech. This finding is a promising starting point for future gesture intervention studies examining whether implicit modelling of gesture use can encourage gestures even more in these children and if this allows them to achieve higher linguistic complexity. On a methodological note, the observed intra‐group skill variability demonstrates that group comparisons need to be complemented with correlational measures accounting for skills at an individual level. What this paper adds: What is already known on the subject: Children with developmental language disorder and children with Williams syndrome are more inclined to use gestures than typically developing children. Research conducted in adults with typical development points towards the role of lexical and visuospatial skills in gesture use, but it is unclear how these skills shape gesture use in children with atypical development. What this paper adds to existing knowledge: This study compares the rate of gestures that convey meaning that is not expressed in speech between the three aforementioned populations. Novel is the inclusion of the group distinction, individual lexical skills, and visuospatial skills in one encompassing statistical model. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: The inclination to use gestures that replace speech is related to lexical skills. Visuospatial skills do not seem to play a role and should not be considered as a factor when thinking about gesture intervention. Understanding how gestures relate to specific skills is a first step to understanding how gesture interventions can bolster language production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: This study aimed to report nine Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease (CMT) families with six novel IGHMBP2 mutations in our CMT2 cohort and to summarize the genetic and clinical features of all AR‐CMT2S patients reported worldwide. Methods: General information, clinical and neurophysiological data of 275 axonal CMT families were collected. Genetic screening was performed by inherited peripheral neuropathy related genes panel or whole exome sequencing. The published papers reporting AR‐CMT2S from 2014 to 2023 were searched in Pubmed and Wanfang databases. Results: In our CMT2 cohort, we detected 17 AR‐CMT2S families carrying IGHMBP2 mutations and eight were published previously. Among these, c.743 T > A (p.Val248Glu), c.884A > G (p.Asp295Gly), c.1256C > A (p.Ser419*), c.2598_2599delGA (p.Lys868Sfs*16), c.1694_1696delATG (p.Asp565del) and c.2509A > T (p.Arg837*) were firstly reported. These patients prominently presented with early‐onset typical axonal neuropathy and without respiratory dysfunction. So far, 56 AR‐CMT2S patients and 57 different mutations coming from 43 families have been reported in the world. Twenty‐nine of 32 missense mutations were clustered in helicase domain and ATPase region. The age at onset ranged from 0.11to 20 years (Mean ± SD: 3.43 ± 3.88 years) and the majority was infantile‐onset (<2 years). The initial symptoms included weakness of limbs (19, 29.7%), delayed milestones (12, 18.8%), gait disturbance (11, 17.2%), feet deformity (8, 12.5%), feet drop (8, 12.5%), etc. Interpretation: AR‐CMT2S accounted for 6.2% in our CMT2 cohort. We firstly reported six novel IGHMBP2 mutations which expanded the genotypic spectrum of AR‐CMT2S. Furthermore, 17 AR‐CMT2S families could provide more resources for natural history study, drug research and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This study compared two dose frequency conditions of an explicit intervention with 50 trials per session designed to improve past tense marking in early school‐aged children with developmental language disorder (DLD). The influence of allomorphs on intervention effects was also examined. Methods: Data from previously conducted intervention studies were combined and analysed. Participants included nine children (mean age = 6;5 years) who received 20–30‐min intervention sessions provided twice per week for 10 weeks (1000 trials; 400–600 min) and 20 children (mean age = 6;6) who received 20–30‐min intervention sessions provided once per week for 10 weeks (500 trials; 200–300 min). Repeated measures included criterion‐referenced probes for production of untrained past tense verbs collected throughout baseline, intervention, and maintenance phases. The rate of progress in each phase was analysed using logistic regression. The proportion of participants who produced past tense allomorphs correctly at pre‐intervention, post‐intervention, and maintenance testing points was analysed. Results: Logistic regression showed a stable baseline, highly significant progress during the intervention phase, and a marginally significant shallow decline during the maintenance phase. Those in the twice per week group showed a greater rate of progress during the intervention phase leading to significantly higher scores in the maintenance period when compared with the once per week group. The allomorphic category of past tense verbs did not appear to influence outcomes. Conclusions: Participants receiving intervention twice per week appeared to demonstrate a greater rate of progress with intervention than those receiving it once per week, although once per week was also effective. However, these results should be interpreted with caution. Limitations to study design indicate that a larger randomised controlled trial is required. All past tense allomorphs improve to a similar degree when treated with this intervention. What this paper adds: What is already known on the subject: Understanding the parameters of dosage and intensity are important for clinical practice.Research evaluating the efficacy and/or effectiveness of interventions delivered in different dose/intensity conditions is scarce.There appears to be different interpretations of what constitutes dosage and intensity in published research. What this paper adds to existing knowledge: This study retrospectively compared dosage and intensity conditions of intervention provided twice per week to intervention provided once per week. Both dose frequencies could be delivered in clinical settings.Results from this study were analysed by grouping data from multiple testing points, rather than comparing pre‐post results. This approach demonstrated the variability of individual performance that would otherwise be lost with conventional methods of analysis.This study demonstrated that all past tense allomorphs improve to a similar degree when treated with this intervention. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: Parameters of dosage and intensity are still not clearly defined well enough for translation to clinical practice. In consideration of current research, this intervention may be more effective if delivered twice per week.If clinicians are treating past tense, all allomorphs should be considered as priorities for intervention targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is empirical evidence that a developmental language disorder (DLD) in early childhood leads to behaviour problems. However, it is still not clear how changes in language proficiency in these children influence the presence of behaviour problems. Aims: The aim of this study is to examine if changes in language proficiency are related to changes in behaviour problems in toddlers indicated to have DLD. Methods & Procedures: This study included 185 toddlers indicated to have DLD (mean age 38 months at pretest). Scores on receptive and expressive language domains and internalizing and externalizing behaviour were gathered on Wave 1 and Wave 2 using Routine Outcome Monitoring. The Reliable Change Index was used to categorize children into two groups: children improving in receptive and expressive language domains and children not improving. Outcomes & Results: For receptive syntax, receptive vocabulary and expressive syntax, 30% or less of the children improved. Only for expressive vocabulary, most children improved (63%). Behaviour problems were present in 17% (internalizing) and 23% (externalizing) of the children. Changes in language proficiency did not lead to changes in internalizing or externalizing behaviour problems, not for the total sample, nor for children displaying behaviour problems at Wave 1. Conclusions & Implications: Professionals working with toddlers indicated to have DLD need to be aware of the co‐occurrence of language problems and behaviour problems, and have to realize that behaviour problems might not immediately decrease when language proficiency improves. If behaviour problems are present in toddlers indicated to have DLD, interventions should not only focus on language, but also on behaviour problems. What this paper adds: What is already known on the subject: There is empirical evidence that a developmental language disorder (DLD) in early childhood leads to behaviour problems. However, it is still not clear how changes in language proficiency in children with DLD influence the presence of behaviour problems. What this paper adds to existing knowledge: This study addresses if a change in language proficiency is related to changes in child behaviour problems in toddlers indicated to have DLD. The results of our study showed that most of the children did not show a positive reliable change in receptive syntax, receptive vocabulary and expressive syntax at this young age, but most of the children did in expressive vocabulary. Furthermore, changes in language proficiency did not lead to changes in the presence of internalizing or externalizing behaviour problems. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: Therefore, professionals working with toddlers indicated to have DLD should be aware of the co‐occurrence of language problems and behaviour problems, and have to realize that behaviour problems might not decrease as a result of improved language proficiency. If behaviour problems are present and need to be treated, other interventions, apart from the language intervention, might be necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Related to the target group of young children with a significant cognitive and motor developmental delay, the aims of this study were to obtain more insight into (the interrelations between) several characteristics of these children's expressive communicative behaviour and to explore associations between child behaviour, partner behaviour and contextual factors. Methods: A coding scheme was specifically developed and used to code observational data of 38 children. Three different communication‐eliciting situations were video recorded. Potential communicative acts were detected, described, coded and counted within various coding categories. Data analysis mainly involved chi‐square tests in combination with Cramer's V and Friedman's two‐way analysis of variance by ranks. Findings: Potential communicative acts of young children with significant cognitive and motor developmental delay can be described in terms of focus, used modalities, level of initiative, communication complexity, signs of functionality and signs of emerging intentionality. The communicative focus of the children is mostly elicited by the prompt given by the communication partner and relates to certain behavioural modalities. Specific scaffolding behaviours of the partner are associated with the communication complexity of the children. Conclusion: This study provides some concrete suggestions on how to organise the interaction with these children. Accessible summary: This paper is about young children with significant cognitive and motor developmental delays.The communication behaviours of this group seem all to alike.We took a closer look at these children's communication behaviours and how these relate to what other people do and the context of their interactions.We found that if you describe these children's low‐level communication behaviours in great detail, interesting differences can be seen, and other people can help the children to focus on specific objects or to shift attention from an object to person they are interacting with. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recently in Australia, access to culturally safe developmental practices for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families has been enhanced by the availability of a culturally appropriate developmental screening tool, the Ages and Stages Questionnaire – Talking about Raising Aboriginal Kids (ASQ‐TRAK). This paper aims (i) to describe the uptake of the ASQ‐TRAK developmental screening tool in Aboriginal Community Controlled Organizations and mainstream services in Australia and (ii) to explore the extent to which organizations using the ASQ‐TRAK have engaged training for staff. Methods: A retrospective review of ASQ‐TRAK sales and training records from January 2015 to May 2020 to determine the ASQ‐TRAK distribution by jurisdiction and service type and the number of services that have engaged training. Results: Five hundred ASQ‐TRAK kits have been distributed across 77 agencies. Of those, 100 kits (20%) have been purchased by Aboriginal Community Controlled Organizations. Most have been distributed in the Northern Territory (NT) (178, 36%), Western Australia (165, 33%) and South Australia (64, 13%). Of the 15 ASQ‐TRAK training workshops, nine have been in the NT. Of the 196 practitioners trained, 25 were identified as facilitators for their organization. Conclusion: Despite substantive research translation across Australia, with evidence of its acceptability in different contexts, most Aboriginal Community Controlled Organizations have not yet accessed the ASQ‐TRAK, and most organizations have not participated in training. There is an imperative to progress knowledge translation to improve quality and accessibility of culturally appropriate developmental care. Adequately resourced ASQ‐TRAK implementation support is needed to ensure sustainable implementation at scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Language exposure is known to be a key factor influencing bilingual vocabulary development in typically developing (TD) children. There is, however, a lack of knowledge in terms of exposure effects in children with developmental language disorder (DLD) and, especially, in interaction with age of onset (AoO) of second language acquisition. Aims: In the Helsinki longitudinal SLI study (HelSLI), we investigated the receptive and expressive second language (L2) vocabulary performance and cross‐sectional vocabulary development of sequentially bilingual children with TD and DLD in order to resolve whether the groups could be differentiated based on their vocabulary performance. More importantly, we examined the effects of AoO and exposure in the vocabulary performance of these two bilingual groups. Methods & Procedures: A total of 70 children with DLD from a hospital clinic and 82 with TD from kindergartens were recruited. Children were 3–7 years old with different AoOs for the L2 and varying degrees of language exposure. Multiple regression analysis was used to compare the groups in two receptive and three expressive vocabulary tests while considering the effects of AoO and language exposure. Outcomes & Results: Children with TD outperformed children with DLD in both receptive and expressive vocabulary measures. Exposure predicted vocabulary but AoO did not. The effect of exposure was different in TD and DLD groups in receptive but not in expressive vocabulary. Additionally, the interaction of exposure and AoO was found for receptive vocabulary, but similarly in both groups. With increasing exposure, a difference in performance between the groups became more notable in receptive vocabulary compared with the expressive vocabulary. Conclusions & Implications: Bilingual children with TD and DLD can be differentiated by using L2 vocabulary tests when exposure is taken into consideration. Non‐significant AoO effects in 3–7 year olds suggest flexibility in terms of when to start L2 immersion. However, exposure is important, and especially children with DLD would need a substantial amount of it relative to their TD peers, so that they would not fall even further behind over time. Differences in benefiting from exposure in receptive mode might offer clinicians and kindergarten personnel an insight for evaluating challenges in bilingual development. Severe challenges in vocabulary development in the DLD group also call for both individually targeted small‐group activities for learning words as well as strategies for strengthening vocabulary in various environments and everyday life situations. What this paper addsWhat is already known on the subjectLanguage exposure is often found to explain more of the variation compared with AoO in early L2 vocabulary. On the other hand, it has been suggested by some researchers, but not all, that AoO effects would be found. Exposure and AoO might also interact differently depending on the task and whether the development is typical or disordered. Contrary to the clinical observation, diagnostic value of receptive vocabulary has often been questioned.What this paper adds to existing knowledgeThis study indicates that receptive vocabulary might be useful in differentiating bilingual TD and DLD. Language exposure effects differ between TD and DLD groups, but depending on task. Lower performance, but also slower cross‐sectional development, is found in receptive vocabulary for children with DLD. Interaction between language exposure and AoO stresses the importance of taking both into consideration when studying bilingual development.What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?L2 vocabulary tests can be used in differentiating bilingual children with TD and DLD when exposure is taken into consideration. Difficulties using exposure and, hence, slower development in children with DLD suggest that especially receptive vocabulary might be diagnostic by the accumulating exposure. Investing in ways of supporting vocabulary development through small‐group activities and in everyday situations of bilingual children at risk of DLD is highly recommended. This is important to prevent them from incrementally falling further behind their TD peers over time. A limited AoO effect suggests that families have more flexibility in terms of when to place their child in L2 immersion in their early years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It has been established that people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often have difficulties understanding spoken language. Understanding reflexive and clitic pronouns is vital to establishing reference‐based inference, but it is as yet unclear whether such constructions pose specific difficulties for those with ASD. Pronoun interpretation seems be connected to the development of pragmatic abilities, and can therefore be considered a plausible marker in the differential diagnosis between ASD and developmental language disorder (DLD). Aims: To establish whether or not there are differences between ASD and DLD in relation to their understanding of pronoun constructions (both reflexive and clitic). The working hypothesis was that although no differences were expected between groups in relation to automatic (online) pronoun processing, the comprehension of reflexive pronouns would constitute a diagnostic marker between the group with ASD and language disorder and the DLD group. Methods & Procedures: The study carried out two experiments with three clinical groups (two with ASD and different levels of language proficiency and one with DLD) and two control groups with typically developing people (with equivalent language levels), analysing their on‐ and offline processing in pronoun resolution tasks. The first experiment uses an online method (eye‐tracking) to record pronoun processing in real time. The second uses an offline method to analyse comprehension accuracy. Outcomes & Results: The results of the two experiments indicated no differences in the way in which the clinical and control groups resolved the tasks, but a shorter reaction time was observed only in the age‐matched control group in comparison with the ASD group without language disorder in the first experiment, perhaps due to the fact that processing pronouns involves a greater cognitive load among the latter group. Conclusions & Implications: The comprehension of reflexive pronouns cannot be considered a diagnostic marker for distinguishing ASD from DLD. What this paper addsWhat is already known on the subjectPrevious studies have found that the performance of children with ASD in the comprehension of personal pronouns is equivalent to youngest control groups, but poorer regarding the interpretation of reflective pronouns. However, children with DLD do not usually have problems with the use of pronouns, which suggests that their pronoun processing is not affected. As pronoun interpretation seems be connected to the development of pragmatic abilities, it could be considered a plausible marker in the differential diagnosis between ASD and DLD.What this paper adds to existing knowledgeThis paper presents the results of two experiments involving pronoun processing by those with ASD (both with and without language disorder) and those with DLD. The design enables us to analyse the reflexive and clitic pronoun processing in people with ASD and DLD, regardless of their language proficiency. One experiment uses an eye‐tracking methodology that allows us to obtain data about how the pronouns are processed in real time. It represents an attempt to identify language markers that may help distinguish between the two groups and adapt the interventions to the specific problems experienced by each one.What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?The results indicate that it is not possible to identify any specific impairment in pronoun processing among the clinical groups (ASD and DLD). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent growth of geographic data science (GDS) fuelled by increasingly available open data and open source tools has influenced urban sciences across a multitude of fields. Yet there is limited application in urban morphology—a science of urban form. Although quantitative approaches to morphological research are finding momentum, existing tools for such analyses have limited scope and are predominantly implemented as plug‐ins for standalone geographic information system software. This inherently restricts transparency and reproducibility of research. Simultaneously, the Python ecosystem for GDS is maturing to the point of fully supporting highly specialized morphological analysis. In this paper, we use the open source Python ecosystem in a workflow to illustrate its capabilities in a case study assessing the evolution of urban patterns over six historical periods on a sample of 42 locations. Results show a trajectory of change in the scale and structure of urban form from pre‐industrial development to contemporary neighborhoods, with a peak of highest deviation during the post‐World War II era of modernism, confirming previous findings. The wholly reproducible method is encapsulated in computational notebooks, illustrating how modern GDS can be applied to urban morphology research to promote open, collaborative, and transparent science, independent of proprietary or otherwise limited software. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Children with developmental language disorder (DLD) are at higher risk of poorer mental health compared with children without DLD. There are, however, considerable individual differences that need to be interpreted, including the identification of protective factors. Aims: Pathways from the early language and communication environment (ELCE, 1–2 years) to internalizing (peer and emotional problems) and externalizing (conduct problems and hyperactivity) problems in middle childhood (11 years) were mapped using structural equation modelling. Specifically, the role of indirect pathways via social skills (friendships, play and prosociality) in childhood (7–9 years) was investigated. Methods & Procedures: Secondary analysis of existing data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) was undertaken. The study sample consisted of 6531 children (394 with DLD). Outcomes & Results: The pathways from the ELCE to internalizing and externalizing problems were similar for children with and without DLD. For both groups, a positive ELCE was associated with more competent social play and higher levels of prosociality in childhood, which in turn were associated with fewer externalizing problems in middle childhood. Furthermore, better friendships and higher levels of prosociality in childhood were both associated with fewer internalizing problems in middle childhood. Conclusions & Implications: A child's ELCE is potentially important not only for the development of language but also for social development. Furthermore, in the absence of adequate language ability, play and prosocial behaviours may allow children with DLD to deploy, practise and learn key social skills, thus protecting against externalizing problems. We suggest that consideration be given to play‐ and prosociality‐based educational and therapeutic services for children with DLD. What this paper addsWhat is already known on this subjectOn the whole, children with DLD tend to have poorer mental health compared with their unaffected peers. There are, however, considerable differences and poor outcomes are not inevitable.What this study adds to the existing knowledgeWe demonstrate that children's ECLE is important for the development of social play behaviours and prosociality. Whilst children with DLD tend to have less competent social play and lower levels of prosociality compared with their unaffected peers, those with more competent social play and higher levels of prosociality are likely to have fewer externalizing problems later in childhood. We speculate that in the absence of adequate structural language ability, play and prosocial behaviours allow children with DLD to deploy, practise and learn key relationship skills, alongside behavioural and emotional regulation skills, thus protecting against externalizing problems. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?Understanding the relationships among play, prosociality and externalizing problems may pave the way for play‐ and prosociality‐based interventions in children with DLD. This may be particularly appealing for practitioners as such interventions capitalize on one of the most intuitive means of learning in childhood: play with friends. The likelihood of acceptability and engagement with such interventions may be higher in children than for traditional adult‐led, paper‐and‐pencil activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early detection and remediation of language disorders are important in helping children to establish appropriate communicative and social behaviour and acquire additional information about the world through the use of language. In the Netherlands, children with (a suspicion of) language disorders are referred to speech and hearing centres for multidisciplinary assessment. Reliable data are needed on the nature of language disorders, as well as the age and source of referral, and the effects of cultural and socioeconomic profiles of the population served in order to plan speech and language therapy service provision. Aims: To provide a detailed description of caseload characteristics of children referred with a possible language disorder by generating more understanding of factors that might influence early identification. Methods & Procedures: A database of 11,450 children was analysed consisting of data on children, aged 2–7 years (70% boys, 30% girls), visiting Dutch speech and hearing centres. The factors analysed were age of referral, ratio of boys to girls, mono‐ and bilingualism, nature of the language delay, and language profile of the children. Outcomes & Results: Results revealed an age bias in the referral of children with language disorders. On average, boys were referred 5 months earlier than girls, and monolingual children were referred 3 months earlier than bilingual children. In addition, bilingual children seemed to have more complex problems at referral than monolingual children. They more often had both a disorder in both receptive and expressive language, and a language disorder with additional (developmental) problems. Conclusions & Implications: This study revealed a bias in age of referral of young children with language disorders. The results implicate the need for objective language screening instruments and the need to increase the awareness of staff in primary child healthcare of red flags in language development of girls and multilingual children aiming at earlier identification of language disorders in these children. What this paper addsWhat is already known on the subjectIdentifying language disorders before children enter school can foster the initiation of early interventions before these problems interfere with formal education and behavioural adjustment. Information on caseload characteristics is important to plan speech and language therapy service provision. There are only a few studies on the caseload characteristics of children at first referral for language assessment.What this paper adds to existing knowledgeThis study provides a detailed description of the caseload characteristics of children referred to Dutch speech and hearing centres. The results reveal an age bias in referral: boys were referred earlier than girls, and monolingual children were revealed earlier than bilingual children. On top of that, bilingual children seemed to have more complex problems at referral.What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?This study indicates that it is important to be aware of bias in the age of referral of subgroups of children with language disorders. Solutions might be to implement a language screening instrument designed for use by non‐speech–language therapists, and training in early recognition of girls and multilingual children with (less complex) language disorders for health professionals in key positions in child healthcare. In addition, it might be worthwhile to assign speech and language therapists with diverse ethnic and language backgrounds and/or with experience with bilingual/cultural children in a regional mentoring function to support referral agents and parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is extremely limited population‐based research on social (pragmatic) communication disorder (SCD). Population‐based samples have the potential to better characterize the SCD phenotype by mitigating confounds and biases that are typical of convenience and clinical samples. Aims: The aims of this preliminary epidemiologic study were to advance our understanding of the SCD phenotype relative to developmental language disorder (DLD), obtain an estimate of prevalence, identify risk factors and lay the groundwork for future population level research of SCD. Methods & Procedures: We analysed existing data from the EpiSLI Database to examine social communication skills in 393 8th grade (13–14 years) children with and without a history of DLD. The primary measure used to evaluate SCD was the Children's Communication Checklist (CCC‐2). Two case definitions of SCD reflecting DSM‐5 criteria were examined. Both definitions involved significant pragmatic impairment, employing a commonly adopted clinical cut‐point of 1.5 SD. In one case, pragmatic deficits could occur along with structural language deficits and, in the other case (established using principal component analysis), pragmatic and social skills were disproportionately lower than structural language abilities. Outcomes & Results: When using the first case definition, SCD was much more common in children with a history of DLD than without DLD and history of language disorder at kindergarten was a significant risk factor for SCD in adolescence. However, it is important to note that SCD could be found in children with no prior deficits in other aspects of language. When the second definition was employed, SCD was equally distributed across children with and without a history of DLD. Male sex was a significant risk factor using this case definition of SCD. The estimated prevalence of SCD ranged from 7% (SE = 1.5%) to 11% (SE = 1.7%), acknowledging that prevalence depends on the cut‐point selected to determine communication disorder. Conclusions & Implications: These findings contribute to our understanding of the association between SCD and DLD by recognizing varying profiles of pragmatic and social communication difficulties, which in turn may help refine our diagnostic categories. Preliminary prevalence estimates of SCD can serve as an initial guidepost for identification and planning for intervention services for this condition. What this paper adds: What is already known on this subject: There is considerable debate about the diagnostic category of SCD and its relation to other neurodevelopmental disorders. What this study adds to existing knowledge: Using data from a US‐based epidemiologic sample of DLD, this study offers new information about the association between SCD and DLD, provides preliminary estimates of SCD prevalence, and identifies risk factors for SCD. Clinical implications of this study: Improved understanding of possible profiles of pragmatic and social communication deficits will help to clarify diagnostic categories and preliminary prevalence estimates may assist with ensuring availability of adequate intervention services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Phonological difficulties in children with developmental language disorder (DLD) are well documented. However, abilities regarding prosody, the rhythmic and melodic characteristics of language, have been less widely studied, particularly in Spanish. Moreover, the scant research findings that have been reported are contradictory. These considerations justify our new research into the question, focusing on Spanish‐speaking children with DLD. Aims: To examine a wide range of prosodic skills among Spanish‐speaking children with DLD. To analyse the relationships between prosody and other language measurements. Methods & Procedures: Prosodic skills were assessed through the Spanish version of the Profiling Elements of Prosody in Speech‐Communication (PEPS‐C) battery. The performance of 19 children aged 5–11 years with DLD was compared with that of a chronological age‐matched control group of 19 typically developing children. Language skills were also assessed. Outcomes & Results: There were significant differences between the group with DLD and the control group in terms of skills involving prosody functions and forms: turn‐end and chunking signalling, contrastive focus and affect expression and understanding, discriminating and the imitation of prosodic patterns in both words and phrases. Conclusions & Implications: Spanish‐speaking children with DLD present impairments not only when prosody interacts with language but also in the processing of prosody alone. The study results suggest that prosody is related to lexicon and grammar in children with DLD. The prosodic impairments of Spanish‐speaking children with DLD could produce a negative impact on their language functioning and could also relate to their emotional and social difficulties. Consideration should therefore be given to focusing future interventions on prosodic skills in Spanish‐speaking children with DLD. What this paper adds: What is already known on the subject: Although deficits in segmental phonology have been extensively studied in DLD, relatively little research has been conducted into supra‐segmental phonology, especially among speakers of Spanish. To our knowledge, only one previous study has analysed the prosodic skills of Spanish‐speaking children with DLD, and this only focused on prosody while reading. No analysis was made of the use of prosody in language comprehension and expression. What this study adds to existing knowledge: This is the first study to analyse competence in a wide range of prosodic skills among Spanish‐speaking children with DLD by using the PEPS‐C battery. Spanish‐speaking children with DLD present impairments in prosody functions and forms, which are related to other language skills. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: Prosodic impairments among Spanish‐speaking children with DLD could contribute to explaining both their language difficulties and their socio‐emotional problems. The results obtained suggest that Spanish‐speaking children with DLD could benefit from interventions focused on prosody. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Support groups available to parents/carers of children with a disability or developmental delay (DDD) are predominately attended by women. Limited data exists reporting experiences of the few male‐only support groups. This paper examines experiences of fathers of children with DDD attending a male‐only support group from South Wales. Method: All fifteen members from a support group for fathers/male carers of children with DDD were invited to take part in qualitative interviews and seven participated. The data were analysed following Braun and Clarke's (Qualitative research in psychology, 2006, 3:77) thematic framework. Results: Within the group, fathers felt understood by similarly situated men, and a sense of connectivity and belonging. Fathers perceived exclusion elsewhere, including mixed‐gender groups. Fathers felt permission to talk in a way consistent with their male identities, and valued receiving, and giving, support. Conclusions: Mixed‐gender support groups may not meet the needs of fathers, and there are potential benefits in providing male‐only groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Social theorists have demonstrated the growth in dominance of two central discourses for understanding the ways that children's mental-health issues are understood today - medicalization and intensive mothering. In this context, this paper reports on a qualitative interview-based study of 16 mothers whose children had received a diagnosis with one or more mental-health or developmental issues such as Tourette's, bipolar, anxiety, depression, autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It is based on the retrospective accounts of mothers given during interviews, from the time when they noticed what they thought to be unusual behaviours and decided to try to normalize and accommodate to their children's behaviours and then to the various steps they took to seek help. The paper begins with a description of the sorts of problems that mothers noticed. It then moves to the strategies mothers then took to cope, manage and socialize their children. When these failed, mothers sought professional assistance with understanding, remediation and/or a diagnosis for the child(ren). Mothers described uncertainty, confusion and contradictions as they unremittingly sought help. This process may be called surplus suffering. The relevance of the theoretical issues is then reconsidered along with the substantive and practical consequences of the findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: There is considerable evidence that early parenting has profound effects on a range of physiological and psychological maturation processes. Furthermore, psychotherapy often addresses some of the distortions and developmental difficulties that have arisen from early childhood. While research has focused on obvious candidates such as abuse and neglect, this paper reviews some of the core themes related to a less investigated area, specifically parental shame on child development. Role shame sensitive parenting styles will be explored against an evolutionary background that contrasts early human and modern human rearing contexts. We also outline a study examining the role of shame in psychological controlling and dysfunctional parenting styles, its relationship to different dimensions of shame and fears of compassion. Design: An online survey was conducted containing self‐report measures of dysfunctional parenting styles, three dimensions of shame (external, internal, and reflected), fears of compassion, mental health indices, and a measure of psychological flexibility. Methods: An online survey was accessed by 333 parents (306 being female) with a child between the ages of 3–9 years. Results: Two hierarchical multiple regressions indicated support for our two primary hypotheses, with shame explaining significant variance in both psychological controlling and dysfunctional parenting styles over and above that explained by psychological inflexibility, parental mental health, and fears of compassion. Additionally, results from standard multiple regressions indicated that fears of compassion account for significant variance in external shame, as well as internal and reflected shame. Conclusions: Recommendations for future research include focusing on parental motivation in order to help support parents and children are provided. Practitioner points: Shame is a major factor for how parents engage in parenting practices and respond to their childrenPractitioners need to be sensitive to the shame parents can experience and asses for itAssessing shame‐threat in parenting and shifting to compassionate motivation can lead to more responsive and positive parenting [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When developmental psychopathology emerged as a discipline in the late 1970s and early 1980s, its proponents were as careful to explain what it was not, as they were to define what it was (e.g. Sroufe & Rutter, 1984). In particular, they differentiated developmental psychopathology from child psychiatry, which is primarily concerned with the differential diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of childhood disorders. In contrast, developmental psychopathology was defined as 'the study of the origins and course of individual patterns of behavioral maladaptation, whatever the age of onset, whatever the causes, whatever the transformations in behavioral manifestation, and however complex the course of the developmental pattern may be' (Sroufe & Rutter, 1984, p. 18). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: We taught teachers sign language to use with children with a disabilityWe asked teachers if they liked the training and learning signsWe tested their memory of signs after training and 6 and 12 weeks laterWe found that teachers can learn signs in a one‐day workshop and remember them laterTeachers forgot some of the signs by 6 weeks laterTeachers want follow‐up sessions to practise the signs to help them remember the signs. Background: Children and adults with developmental disability frequently require either aided or unaided alternative and augmentative communication (AAC). Key word sign (KWS) involves using natural gesture and sign language to support the key words in spoken utterances. The purpose of this study was to determine whether communication partners of children and adults with developmental disabilities can learn and retain a basic KWS vocabulary. Materials and Methods: Communication partners attended a one‐day training workshop where they were taught 100 signs. Measures of sign recognition and production were taken prior to the training, immediately after the training on the day and at 6 and 12 weeks later. Results: Participants were able to learn signs during the workshop and demonstrate receptive and expressive knowledge of KWS. However, sign knowledge decreased after 6 and 12 weeks. Participants noted that having to be tested again after several weeks, motivated them to practise and served as a follow‐up. Conclusion: This paper provides evidence that KWS training enables participants to learn and retain signs, but that there is a need for ongoing training and support even for communication partners who use sign regularly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: The paper proposes new diagnoses on child development (CD) for NANDA International. METHODS: The study followed the recommended steps of Developmental Processes for NANDA International Nursing Diagnoses. It was a secondary analysis study on the findings of a concept analysis study on CD. RESULTS: A proposal of labels and components of three diagnoses: “Delayed child development,” “Risk for delayed child development,” and “Readiness for enhanced child development.” CONCLUSIONS: The proposed diagnoses represent all the complexity of CD. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: The proposed diagnoses can support nurses in the development of a comprehensive care plan on the health of children. Objetivo: propor novos diagnósticos de enfermagem para a NANDA‐International que abordem o desenvolvimento infantil. Método: Este estudo seguiu as etapas recomendadas para o desenvolvimento de diagnósticos de enfermagem da NANDA‐International. Foi realizado a partir dos resultados da análise de conceito do termo desenvolvimento infantil. Resultados: Propostos os títulos e os componentes de três diagnósticos: “Atraso no desenvolvimento infantil,” “Risco de atraso no desenvolvimento infantil,” e “Disposição para desenvolvimento infantil melhorado.” Conclusões: Os diagnósticos propostos contemplam toda a complexidade do desenvolvimento infantil. Implicações para a prática de enfermagem: Os novos diagnósticos podem subsidiar o enfermeiro na elaboração de um plano de cuidados integrais à saúde da criança. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Evidence-based practices are often viewed as lofty goals endorsed by wealthy academics in developed nations, but impossible to implement in other contexts. This article will provide evidence suggesting that, to the contrary, we can indeed scale up western-developed parenting interventions that can be both effective and warmly received by parents in diverse cultural and economic contexts. Methods/Results This paper gives a brief overview of the ACT Raising Safe Kids Program and summarizes the results of evaluation studies done with parents around the world. It discusses specific strategies facilitators use to modify the program as necessary to fit cultural contexts while also maintaining fidelity, implementing the manualized curriculum under varied, and complex circumstances. Conclusions It is hoped that the lessons learned from our work will inspire practitioners to adapt ACT or other programs to diverse contexts, evaluate those programs, and thereby improve the mental health and life trajectories of children and families around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many children in low‐ and middle‐income countries are not attaining their developmental potential. Stunting is associated with poor child development, but it is not known which correlates of stunting are impairing child development. We explored potential socioeconomic, nutritional, clinical, and household correlates of early child development among 12–59‐month‐old children with stunting in a cross‐sectional study in Uganda. Development was assessed using the Malawi Development Assessment Tool (MDAT) across four domains of gross and fine motor, language, and social skills. Linear regression analysis was used to assess correlates of development in the four domains and total MDAT score. Of 750 children included, the median [interquartile range] age was 30 [23−41] months, 55% of the children resided in rural settings with 21% from female‐headed households and 47% of mothers had no schooling. The mean ± standard deviation height‐for‐age z‐score (HAZ) was −3.02 ± 0.74, 40% of the children had a positive malaria test and 65% were anaemic (haemoglobin < 110 g/L). One‐third had children's books at home, majority (96%) used household objects to play with and most of them (70%) used toys as pretence items like those to mimic cooking. After age, sex, and site adjustments, HAZ (0.24, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.14−0.33) and head circumference (0.07, 95% CI: 0.02−0.12) were positive correlates of total MDAT score, whereas weight‐for‐height z‐score (WHZ) was not. Current breastfeeding was associated with 0.41 (95% CI: 0.17−0.65) lower total MDAT score. Children from households with a single income earner had 0.22 (95% CI: 0.06−0.37) lower total MDAT score. Furthermore, severe food insecurity, inflammation and positive malaria test were associated with lower scores for motor development. All family care indicator subscales (FCIs) positively correlated with the total MDAT score and this association was independent of household's socioeconomic status. In conclusion, stunting degree, head circumference, number of household income earners and stimulation by improved FCIs correlate with early child development among stunted children. The negative association with prolonged breastfeeding is likely due to reverse causality. Identified correlates may inform initiatives to support children with stunting attain their development potential. Key messages: Our findings reinforce the association between stunting and early child development.The negative association with prolonged breastfeeding is likely due to reverse causality as a result of mothers nursing their smaller, thinner, and more sickly children longer.The strong correlation between all family care indicators with development may express the benefit of improved home stimulation such as provision of reading materials and varied play materials on early child development even among already stunted children in poor settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The 2008 revised Mental Health Act Code of Practice describes the legal framework governing the admission to hospital and treatment of children and young people for mental disorders as complex. Clinicians are required to be conversant with common law principles as well as the Mental Health Act (MHA), Children Act, Mental Capacity Act (MCA), Family Law Reform Act, Human Rights Act, and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Professionals working with the MHA and the MCA have a legal duty to have regard to the respective Codes of Practice (MHA Code and MCA Code). In addition there is a need to keep up-to-date with developments in case law. The recent guidance from the National Institute for Mental Health in England, ‘The Legal Aspects of the Care and Treatment of Children and Young People with Mental Disorder’ draws all of the legal regimes together and suggests pointers on the most appropriate course of action when the regimes overlap. Discussion This paper will aim to highlight legal dilemmas relating to the care and treatment of under 18-year-olds for mental disorder and to discuss the impact of these on clinical practice. The new legal framework will be discussed with reference to hypothetical cases. Key issues include age and maturity, capacity, deprivation of liberty and the zone of parental control (ZPC). Conclusions It is essential that clinicians are aware of their responsibilities within the new legal framework in order to avoid becoming a target for litigation. This paper is aimed at meeting the recommendation for clinicians to be aware of their responsibilities and engage in appropriate training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background For families of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) getting a diagnosis is a traumatic experience on which future care and education plans for the child depend. In this paper parental experiences of diagnosis and forward planning for children with ASD are reported. Method This paper is part of a large cross-sectional study conducted in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland that assessed the needs and experiences of parents of children diagnosed with ASD. Questionnaires were designed and completed by 95 parents, reporting on 100 children, as well as 67 multi-disciplinary professionals. Results Findings confirm that diagnostic and planning processes are extremely stressful for parents, that statutory diagnosis takes a long time, that care and education plans do not include full parental participation, and that reviews of plans do not consistently include intervention data. Conclusion Policy and practice implications of these findings are important for future revisions of diagnostic tools and manuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents abstracts of articles related to children's health and care which include "Social (pragmatic) communication disorders and autism spectrum disorder," by G. Baird and C. F. Norbury, " Poverty and child health in the UK: using evidence for action," by S. Wickham and colleagues, and "Predictors of poor school readiness in children without developmental delay at age 2," by B. B. Nelson and colleagues.

The practice of medicine involves applying abstract diagnostic classifications to individual patients. Patients present with diverse histories and symptoms, and clinicians are tasked with fitting them into generic categories. They must also persuade patients, or family members, that the diagnosis is appropriate and elicit compliance with prescribed treatments. This can be especially challenging with psychiatric disorders such as autism, for which there are no clear biomarkers. In this paper, we explicate a discursive procedure, which we term category attribution. The procedure juxtaposes a narrative about the child with a claim about members of a clinically relevant category, in this case, either children with autism or typically/normally developing children. The attribution procedure carries the implication that the child does or does not belong to that category. We show that category attributions are organised in a recurrent interactional sequence. Further, we argue that category attributions encode normative expectations about child development, such that the child is rendered typical or atypical relative to clinical and social norms. Accordingly, such categorisation devices have a moral dimension as well as a clinical one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children's mental health and development issues are considered a significant concern today. A century and more ago children's mental health and developmental disorders were likely understood differently. This paper examines the portrayal of children's mental health and developmental disorders in all 41 accessible articles on the topic indexed in the Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature from 1890 to 1920. It focuses on these three decades as a time of fundamental economic, political and social transition before the first text in Child Psychiatry was published and the first professorship in the field established. It was also before the beginning of the influential child guidance movement. In particular, the research asks (i) what were the ‘disorders’ discussed and of what were they said to consist?, (ii) what was said to cause them? and (iii) what was thought best to be done about them? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry is committed to publishing implementational research, or turning therapeutic research discoveries into practical benefit for human health and well‐being. This editorial showcases three such papers in this issue from diverse fields in developmental science. The papers highlight the challenges of implementing intervention under real‐world constraints, and highlight key issues that clinicians and researchers will need to address in future work. Despite these challenges, each approach shows promise and innovation in delivering high‐quality interventions to vulnerable children and families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Motor development allows infants to gain knowledge of the world but its vital role in social development is often ignored. Method A systematic search for papers investigating the relationship between motor and social skills was conducted, including research in typical development and in Developmental Coordination Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorders and Specific Language Impairment. Results The search identified 43 studies, many of which highlighted a significant relationship between motor skills and the development of social cognition, language and social interactions. Conclusions This complex relationship requires more attention from researchers and practitioners, allowing the development of more tailored intervention techniques for those at risk of motor, social and language difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivated by discourses that link early child development and health, nurses engage in seemingly benign surveillance of children. These practices are based on knowledge claims and technologies of developmental science, which remain anchored in assumptions of the child body as an incomplete form with a universal developmental trajectory and inherent potentiality. This paper engages in a critical discursive analysis, drawing on Donna Haraway's conceptualizations of technoscience and figuration. Using a contemporary developmental screening tool from nursing practice, this analysis traces the effects of this tool through production, transformation, distribution, and consumption. It reveals how the techniques of imaging, abstraction, and measurement collide to fix the open, transformative child body in a figuration of the developing child. This analysis also demonstrates how technobiopower infuses nurses' understandings of children and structures developmentally appropriate expectations for children, parents, and nurses. Furthermore, it describes how practices that claim to facilitate healthy child development may inversely deprive children of agency and foster the production of normal or ideal children. An alternative ontological perspective is offered as a challenge to the individualism of developmental models and other dominant ideologies of development, as well as practices associated with these ideologies. In summary, this analysis argues that nurses must pay closer attention to how technobiopower infuses practices that monitor and promote child development. Fostering a critical understanding of the harmful implications of these practices is warranted and offers the space to conceive of human development in alternate and exciting ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been a long-standing interest in the relationship between specific language impairment (SLI) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In the last decade Tager-Flusberg and colleagues have proposed that this relationship consists of a partial overlap between the two. Therefore, among children with ASD there exists a subgroup who have SLI and ASD which has been called 'ALI'. Tager-Flusberg's laboratory has presented several papers showing similar language profiles and brain structure abnormalities in both SLI and ALI. Others (Bishop, Whitehouse, Botting, Williams) have been less convinced that these ALI children have both ASD and SLI. Although they generally agree that the two groups are grossly similar, careful inspection of the data shows that there are differences. I will argue that many of the problems in this debate stem from a view of SLI that represents a particular kind of language learner and therefore a particular and unique profile can be assumed. I argue for recognizing that SLI is not likely to be a unique kind of language learner. Many of the features reported to be characteristic of SLI are also found in other forms of neurodevelopmental disorders. Other features are the outgrowth of studying clinically identified children with SLI and thus the profile appears to reflect biases and practices in the clinical service system. As a result it may be more reasonable to conclude that there is a large group of children with ASD who have poor language skills. The question then remains why are there so many children with ASD who also have poor language? There are several factors that collectively are strong candidates for answers to this question. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports on the first phase of a large-scale, longitudinal, multidisciplinary community study examining the growth, learning and development of young children with a particular focus on failure to thrive without organic cause. However, the group identified in this study may be better described as weight faltering. This paper examines the psychological data collected using the Parenting Stress Index, Rosenberg Self-Esteem and the General Health Questionnaire in relation to child growth. There were no significant differences between the mothers of the weight faltering and control children in terms of parenting stress, maternal depression, maternal perceptions of their parenting competence or maternal self-esteem. Maternal sensitivity to comments about child size, regardless of direction, had a negative impact on mood. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder defined by impairments in social and communication development, accompanied by stereotyped patterns of behavior and interest. The focus of this paper is on the early development of communication in autism, and early intervention for impairments in communication associated with this disorder. An overview of components of communication is provided. Communication characteristics that are diagnostic of autism are summarized, with consideration of the overlap between social and communication impairment, particularly for children with autism functioning at the prelinguistic level. Early communication development and predictors of communication functioning in autism are examined, based on a review of prospective and retrospective studies. The focus of the discussion then turns to intervention. Consideration is given to the rationale for beginning intervention as early in life as possible for children with autism. Implications of motor, imitation, and play deficits for communication-based intervention are examined. Finally, issues related to the design and delivery of intervention for young children with autism are presented, along with a review of the major early intervention approaches for autism. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. MRDD Research Reviews 2007;13:16–25. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing, implementing and evaluating programmes of intervention for children and young people on the autistic spectrum are challenging endeavours. In this paper, we adopt a critical approach to research in this area, and attempt to offer an alternative perspective for understanding and interpreting empirical evaluations. We outline and discuss theoretical, methodological and practical issues and limitations associated with the current research body, and provide illustrative examples of gaps in the current literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preverbal communication and joint attention have long been of interest to researchers and practitioners. Both attending to social partners and sharing attentional focus between objects or events and others precede the onset of a child's first lexicon. In addition, these prelinguistic acts also appear to have important implications with regard to learning to socialize. The construct of joint attention has been noted as an early developing area prior to the transition to symbolic communication. Thus, the importance of joint attention in typically developing children, and the lack thereof in children with autism, has interested researchers for use in diagnosis and intervention for autism. That is, joint attention has been gaining momentum as an area that not only helps characterize children with autism, but also as a prognostic indicator and a potential intervention goal. In this paper, the status of the literature about initiation of joint attention by young typically developing children and young children with autism was examined. Empirical studies regarding joint attention behaviors, including eye gaze alternation, the use of protodeclaratives and protoimperatives, and studies that investigated joint attention as a predictor of language acquisition were reviewed. Possible areas for future research for children with autism are discussed. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. MRDD Research Reviews 2004;10:169–175. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Culturally relevant developmental screening is one of the best ways to appropriately identify developmental delays and disabilities in children as early as possible across diverse cultural backgrounds. This study aimed to adapt the Parents' Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS) tools for a low‐income community in South Africa by using a detailed multiphased cultural and contextual adaption process. Method and Results: A three‐phase mixed‐method design relying on triangulation of data was used. Data were collected at an immunization clinic in a low‐income community in Mamelodi, South Africa. Phase 1 was a focus group discussion with 11 community participants. The topics explored the possible changes to the PEDS tools to make them more relevant to the community. Phase 1 informed Phase 2 where 12 early childhood development experts achieved consensus through a two‐round survey on a modified Delphi method. In Phase 3, a draft of the PEDS tools‐SA was presented to the authors of the PEDS tools for final approval. Of 55 questions that were adapted for the PEDS tools‐SA, two original questions (3.6%), 14 questions from the expert suggestions (25.4%) and 39 from the community participant's suggestions (71%) were included. A final version of the PEDS tools‐SA was created. Conclusion: This study used a systematic method to adapt the PEDS tools to create the culturally appropriate PEDS tool‐SA for a low‐income community in South Africa, informed by community stakeholders' views from the first step. This resulted in a high‐quality adaptation process that is more likely to result in a tool that is more acceptable to caregivers from a low‐income South African community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper has 2 goals: to review the history of the developmental study of infants and children at biological risk and to appraise the current state of the art. The scope of the review is from 1920 to the present and emphasizes the role of developmentalists. 4 research phases are identified, each reflecting aspects of the social, political, health, and psychological zeitgeist. First, from 1920 to World War II, research was primarily "catalog" and had diverse themes; however, several issues were raised that continue to have relevance. Second, during the postwar years, research often focused on the cognitive and emotional residuals of handicaps, particularly cerebral palsy and poliomyelitis. Third, the 1960's marked the funding of major seminal longitudinal investigations of prenatal risk factors, and studies of very young infants "at risk," And fourth, in the last and current period, technological advances of the 1970's first applied to research with normally developing children were then extended to at-risk groups and revolutionized the methods of studying risk. Finally, we suggest that, although a considerable amount of information has been obtained about developmental phenomena subsequent to biological risk, our research literature is fragmented and difficult to synthesize. We conclude by offering strategies to foster research and the integration of knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Children born to migrant parents have higher rates of language difficulties, intellectual disability and autism. This study explores the relationship between migration, ethnicity and reasons for early years referrals to community paediatrics in a diverse multi‐cultural population in a city in south west England. Methods: Observational retrospective study from a community paediatric service serving a multi‐cultural urban population from June 2012 to February 2016. We tested associations of ethnicity and parental birth origin with reason for referral (developmental or non‐developmental) for children under 5 years old and estimated crude rate ratios for referrals using population census data. Results: Data were available for 514 children (52% white or mixed race, 16% Asian, 21% African diaspora, and 11.5% Somali); 53% had two UK‐born parents while 22% had two migrant (non‐UK‐born) parents. Referrals were for developmental reasons in 307 (60%) including 86 for possible autism. Parental birth origin and ethnicity were associated with reason for referral (p < 0.001). Children from African diaspora, Asian or Somali backgrounds had more than twice the rate (rate ratio [RR] 2.37, 95% CI 1.88–2.99, p < 0.001) of developmental referrals compared with white or mixed‐race children. Children of Somali or African diaspora ethnicity were, respectively, six‐times (RR 5.99, 95% CI 3.24–10.8, p < 0.001) and four times (RR 4.23, 95% CI 2.44–7.29, p < 0.001) more likely to be referred for possible autism spectrum than their white or mixed‐race peers. Developmental referral as a proportion of all referrals was twice as high among children with one migrant parent (20.4%) and three times as high among children with two migrant parents (29.5%), compared with children whose parents were both UK‐born (10.7%). Conclusions: This study supports the importance of ethnicity and parental migration as factors in young children experiencing developmental difficulties, especially concerns about social communication or autism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Childhood disturbances in social, emotional, language, motor and cognitive functioning, and schizotypy have each been implicated as precursors of schizophrenia‐spectrum disorders. We investigated whether relationships between early childhood developmental vulnerabilities and childhood schizotypy are mediated by educational underachievement in middle childhood. Methods: Participants were members of a large Australian (n = 19,216) population cohort followed longitudinally. Path analyses were used to model relationships between developmental vulnerabilities at age ~5 years, educational underachievement from ages ~8 to 10 years and three distinct profiles of schizotypy at age ~11 years (true, introverted and affective schizotypy). Results: Early childhood developmental vulnerabilities on five broad domains (related to physical, emotional, social, cognitive and communication development) were associated with schizotypy profiles in middle childhood. Educational underachievement in middle childhood was associated with all schizotypy profiles, but most strongly with the true schizotypy profile (OR = 3.92, 95% CI = 3.12, 4.91). The relationships between schizotypy profiles and early childhood developmental vulnerabilities in 'language and cognitive skills (school‐based)' and 'communication skills and general knowledge' domains were fully mediated by educational underachievement in middle childhood, and the relationships with early childhood 'physical health and well‐being' and 'emotional maturity' domains were partially mediated. Conclusion: Developmental continuity from early childhood developmental vulnerabilities to schizotypy in middle childhood is mediated by educational underachievement in middle childhood. While some domains of early developmental functioning showed differential relationships with distinct schizotypy profiles, these findings support a developmental pathway to schizotypy in which cognitive vulnerability operates from early childhood through to middle childhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Wiedemann–Steiner syndrome (WSS) is a rare genetic disorder caused by heterozygous variants in KMT2A. To date, the cognitive profile associated with WSS remains largely unknown, although emergent case series implicate increased risk of non‐verbal reasoning and visual processing deficits. This study examines the academic and learning concerns associated with WSS based on a parent‐report screening measure. Participants and Methods: A total of 25 parents of children/adults with a molecularly‐confirmed diagnosis of WSS (mean age = 12.85 years, SD = 7.82) completed the Colorado Learning Difficulties Questionnaire (CLDQ), a parent‐screening measure of learning and academic difficulties. Parent ratings were compared to those from a normative community sample to determine focal areas in Math, Reading and Spatial skills that may be weaker within this clinical population. Results: On average, parent ratings on the Math (mean Z = ‐3.08, SD = 0.87) and Spatial scales (mean Z = ‐2.52, SD = 0.85) were significantly more elevated than that of Reading (mean Z = ‐1.31, SD = 1.46) (Wilcoxon sign rank test Z < −3.83, P < 0.001), reflecting relatively more challenges observed in these areas. Distribution of parent ratings in Math items largely reflect a positively skewed distribution with most endorsing over three standard deviations below a community sample. In contrast, distributions of parent ratings in Reading and Spatial domains were more symmetric but flat. Ratings for Reading items yielded much larger variance than the other two domains, reflecting a wider range of performance variability. Conclusions: Parent ratings on the CLDQ suggest more difficulties with Math and Spatial skills among those with WSS within group and relative to a community sample. Study results are consistent with recent case reports on the neuropsychological profile associated with WSS and with Kabuki syndrome, which is caused by variants in the related gene KMT2D. Findings lend support for overlapping cognitive patterns across syndromes, implicating potential common disease pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this investigation was to examine developmental, sociodemographic and familial factors associated with parent reported access to an evaluation in an Early Head Start sample. Children with developmental disabilities often require evaluations to access early interventions, which can improve their long‐term outcomes. Methods: This study (n = 191) examined how developmental, sociodemographic and parent factors at age 2 were associated with parent reporting the child being evaluated by age 3. Two logistic regression analyses were conducted. The first model included children at age 2 with scores at least in the monitoring zone of developmental risk, and the second model included children with high developmental risk. Results: The first model found that children in the monitoring zone of developmental risk were more likely to be evaluated per parent report if they were born preterm, male, with increased behaviour problems, higher economic risk, increased maternal education, increased parental depressive symptoms and in urban areas and less likely if they were of Black or Hispanic/Latino ethnicity, had no health insurance or more home disorganisation. The second model found that children with high developmental risk were less likely to be evaluated per parent report if they were female, of Hispanic/Latino ethnicity, had better language skills and increased home disorganisation and more likely if their parents reported increased depressive symptoms or less economic risk. Conclusions: This study highlights barriers associated with access to developmental and disability evaluations for children in at‐risk families. Health disparities are negatively associated with children's access to evaluations, even when supported by systems like Early Head Start. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simultaneous prompting and graduated guidance procedures have been used successfully in teaching various academic and functional skills; however, there is a scarcity of research that directly compares these two procedures delivered within embedded teaching trials while teaching chained skills. The researchers used an adapted alternating treatments design to compare the efficacy of simultaneous prompting and graduated guidance procedures delivered within embedded teaching trials for teaching two chained skills (i.e., snap fastening and buttoning up skills) to three young children with developmental disabilities. They also examined the generalization and maintenance effects of both procedures in the study. Last, the researchers examined the social validity of the study through social comparison. Results indicated both instructional procedures delivered within embedded teaching trials produced the acquisition of targeted chained skills in all children. Also, both produced maintenance and generalization of the acquired chained skills. However, a consistent finding was not obtained for the efficiency of the procedures in favor of one procedure. Finally, social validity findings were highly promising. The participating children reached the performance of their peers after the intervention. Future research is needed to support these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]