Longitudinal data are presented on a boy between the ages of three and eight. At age
three he received a diagnosis of language impairment and at age six a diagnosis of
high-functioning autism. Results are presented from extensive assessments at four
points in time, including interviews with his mother and teachers. The results
indicate that the boy s core problem was poor language comprehension, especially
evident in group situations. The results also show that symptoms of his pragmatic
impairment varied over time, partly as a function of contextual demands. A
dimensional approach to capture pragmatic difficulties in children is suggested.
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