Screening for early language delay in the 18-36 month age-range: the predictive validity of tests of production,and implications for practice

Abstract

Research evidence reveals that the processes of production and compre hension are not functionally discrete before around 28 months. The implications for the predictive validity of standardized screening tests which involve production, particularly those using 'flexible object naming', are considered. Examples of multiphasic and monophasic language screening tests suitable for use with children in the 18-36 month age range are reviewed, and theoretical and empirical issues underlying the development of the First Words and First Sentences tests are explored.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Abramson, J.H. 1990: Survey methods in community medicine (4th edn.). Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone .

Aram, D.M. and Nation, J.E. 1980: Preschool language disorders and subsequent language and academic difficulties. Journal of Communication Disorders 13, 159-170.

Aram, D.M. , Ekelman, B. and Nation, J. 1984: Preschoolers with language disorders: 10 years later. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research 27, 232-244.

Bates, E. , Bretherton, I. and Snyder, L. 1988: From first words to grammar. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press.

Bellman, M. and Cash, J. 1987: The Schedule of Growing Skills in practice. Windsor, Berkshire: NFER-Nelson .

Bishop, D.V.M. and Edmundson, A. 1987: Language-impaired 4-year-olds: distinguishing transient from persistent impairment. Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders 51, 98-110.

Borowitz, K.C. and Glascoe, F.P. 1986: Sensitivity of the Denver Developmental Screening Test in speech and language screening. Pediatrics 78, 1075-1078.

Bretherton, I. , McNew, S. , Snyder, L. and Bates, E. 1983: Individual differences at 20 months: analytic and holistic strategies in language acquisition. Journal of Child Language 10, 293-320.

Brown, R. 1973: A first language. London: Allen and Unwin.

10.

Bryant, G.M. , Davies, K.J. and Newcombe, R.G. 1974: The Denver Developmental Screening Test: achievement of test items in the first year of life by Denver and Cardiff infants. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology 16, 475-484.

11.

Butler, J. 1989: Child health surveillance in primary care: a critical review. London: H.M.S.O.

12.

Capute, A.J. and Accardo, P.J. 1978: Linguistic and auditory milestones during the first two years of life. Clinical Pediatrics 17, 847-853.

13.

Capute, A.J. , Palmer, F.B. , Shapiro, B.K. , Wachtel, R.C. , Schmidt, S. and Ross, A. 1986: Clinical Linguistic and Auditory Milestone Scale: prediction of cognition in infancy. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology 28, 762-771.

14.

Coplan, J. , Gleason, J.R. , Ryan, R. , Burke, M.G. and Williams, M.L. 1982: Validation of an Early Language Milestone Scale in a high-risk population. Pediatrics 70, 677-683.

15.

Coplan, J. 1987: The Early Language Milestone Scale. Austin, Texas: PRO-ED.

16.

Dixon, J. , Kot, A. and Law, J. 1988: Early language screening in City and Hackney: work in progress. Child: Care Health and Development 14, 213-229.

17.

Fenson, L. , Dale, P.S. , Reznick, J.S. , Thal, D. , Bates, E. , Hartung, J.P. , Pethick, S. and Reilly, J.S. 1993: MacArthur Communicative Development Inventories: user's guide and technical manual. San Diego: Singular Publishing Group Inc.

18.

Frankenburg, W.K. , Goldstein, A.D. and Camp, B. 1971: The revised Denver Developmental Screening Test: its accuracy as a screening instrument. Journal of Pediatrics 71, 181.

19.

Gerard, K. 1986: The Checklist of Communicative Competence. Available from the author at 3 Perry Mansions, 113 Catford Hill, London, SE6.

20.

Gillham, B. , Boyle, J. , Smith, N. and Cheyne, B. 1995: Language screening at 18-36 months: the First Words and First Sentences Tests and the First Words Comprehension Cards. Child Language Teaching and Therapy 11, 193-207.

21.

Gillham, B. , Boyle, J. , Smith, N. and Noble, A. forthcoming: The First Words and First Sentences Tests. London: Hodder and Stoughton.

22.

— in preparation: The First Words Comprehension Screen. London: Hodder and Stoughton.

23.

Griffiths, R. 1970: The abilities of babies. London: University of London Press.

24.

Hall, D.M.B. 1996: Health for all children: the report of the Joint Working Party on Child Health Surveillance (3rd edn.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

25.

Hendrick, D.L. , Prather, E.M. and Tobin, A.R. 1975: The Sequenced Inventory of Communicative Development (Expressive Scale). Seattle: University of Washington Press.

26.

Holland, W.W. and Stewart, S. 1990: Screening in health care: benefit or base? London: The Nuffield Provincial Hospital Trust.

27.

Hrncir, E. , Goldfarb, A. , Scarr, S. and McCartney, K. 1985: Report of a screening, assessment and treatment programme for high-risk two-year-olds in Bermuda. In Frankenburg, W. M. and Emde, R. , editors, Early identification of children at risk: an international perspective, New York: Plenum.

28.

Huttenlocher, J. , Haight, W. , Bryk, A. , Seltzer, M. and Lyons, T. 1991: Early vocabulary growth: relation to input and gender . Developmental Psychology 27, 236-248.

29.

Ireton, H. and Thwing, E. 1976: Appraising the development of a preschool child by means of a standardized report prepared by the mother. Clinical Pediatrics 15, 875-882.

30.

Ireton, H. , Thwing, E. and Currier, S.K. 1977: Minnesota Child Development Inventory: identification of children with developmental disorders. Journal of Pediatric Psychology 2, 18-22.

31.

Jeffree, D. and McConkey, R. 1976: Parental Involvement Project. London : Hodder and Stoughton.

32.

Law, J. 1990: The early identification of language impairment - the results of a national census. Paper presented at the seventh annual study day on early language screening held on the 30th October at Newham General Hospital, London.

33.

— 1992: The process of early identification. In Law, J. , editor, The early identification of language impairment in children. London: Chapman and Hall.

34.

Levett, L. and Muir, J. 1983: Which three year olds need speech therapy? Uses of the Levett-Muir Language Screening Test. Health Visitor 56, 454-456.

35.

Miller, L.J. 1993: FirstSTEP Screening Test for Evaluating Preschoolers. London: The Psychological Corporation.

36.

Paul, R. , Looney, S. and Dahm, P. 1991: Communication and socialization skills at ages 2 and 3 in late-talking young children. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research 14, 858-865.

37.

Randell, D. , Reynell, J. and Curwen, M. 1974: A study of language development in a sample of three-year-old children. British Journal of Disorders of Communication 9, 3-16.

38.

Rescorla, L. 1984: Individual differences in early language development and their predictive significance. Acta Paedologica 1, 97-116.

39.

— 1989: The Language Development Survey: a screening tool for delayed language in toddlers. Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders 54, 587-599.

40.

Rescorla, L. and Schwartz, E. 1990: Outcome of toddlers with specific expressive language delay. Applied Psycholinguistics 11, 393-407.

41.

Rescorla, L. , Hadicke-Wiley, M. and Escarce, E. 1993: Epidemiological investigation of expressive language delay at age two. First Language 13, 5-22.

42.

Reynell, J. 1969: The Reynell Developmental Language Scales: Experimental Edition. Windsor: NFER.

43.

Rutter, M. , Mahwood, L. and Howlin, P. 1992: Language delay and social development. In Fletcher, P. and Hall, D. , editors, Specific speech and language disorders in children , London: Whurr.

44.

Sheridan, M.D. 1976: Children's development progress from birth to five years: the STYCAR sequences (4th edn.). Windsor, Berkshire: NFER Nelson .

45.

Silva, P.A. 1981: The predictive validity of a simple two item developmental screening test for three year olds. New Zealand Medical Journal 93, 39-41.

46.

— 1987: Epidemiology, longitudinal course and some associated factors: an update. In Yule, W. and Rutter, M. , editors, Language development and disorders, Oxford: Blackwell Scientific Publications.

47.

Silva, P.A. , McGee, R.O. and Williams, S.M. 1983: Developmental language delay from three to seven and its significance for low intelligence and reading difficulties at age seven. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology 25, 783-793.

48.

Smith, T. 1991: Communicating quality: professional standards for speech and language therapists. London: College of Speech and Language Therapists.

49.

Sonnander, K. 1987: Parental Developmental Assessment of 18-month-old children: reliability and predictive value. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology 29, 351-362.

50.

Stevenson, J. and Richman, N. 1976: The prevalence of language delay in a population of three-year-old children and its association with general retardation. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology 18, 431-441.

51.

Thal, D. and Bates, E. 1988: Language and gesture in late talkers. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research 31, 115-123.

52.

Thal, D. , Tobias, S. and Morrison, D. 1991: Language and gesture in late talkers: a 1-year follow-up . Journal of Speech and Hearing Research 34, 604-612.

53.

Thal, D. and Tobias, S. 1992: Communicative gestures in children with delayed onset of oral expressive vocabulary. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research 35, 1281-1289.

54.

Walker, D. , Guggenheim, S. , Downs, M. and Northern, J.L. 1989: Early Language Milestone Language Scale and language screening for young children. Pediatrics 83, 284-288.

55.

Webster, A. 1988: The prevalence of speech and language difficulties in childhood: some brief research notes. Child Language, Teaching and Therapy 4, 85-91.

56.

Whitehurst, G.J. and Fischel, J.E. 1994: Practitioner Review: early developmental language delay: what, if anything, should the clinician do about it? Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 35, 613-648.