The Role of Affect in Language Development

This paper presents the Functional/Emotional approach to language development, which explains the process leading up to the core capacities necessary for language (e.g., pattern-recognition, joint attention); shows how this process leads to the formation of internal symbols; and how it shapes and is shaped by the child’s development of language. The heart of this approach is that, through a series of affective transfor-mations, a child develops these core capacities and the capacity to form meaningful symbols. Far from being a sudden jump, the transition from pre-symbolic communication to language is enabled by the advances taking place in the child’s affective gesturing

The Interdisciplinary Council on Developmental and Learning Disorders Diagnostic Manual for Infants and Young Children – An Overview

Objective: To describe the Interdisciplinary Council on Developmental and Learning Disorders Diagnostic Manual for Infants and Young Children (ICDL-DMIC) created by representatives of the Interdisciplinary Council on Developmental and Learning Disorders. Method: A description of the rationale of the different sections of the ICDL-DMIC dealing with infants and young chil-dren, focusing on a classification system which integrates all components of development and functioning which have been traditionally addressed by different disciplines. Results: A description of an in-depth approach to mental health diagnosis for infants and young children that goes beyond simply a description of symptoms and captures the qualities of the individual. Conclusion: The ICDL-DMIC presents an innovative approach to the assessment and diagnosis of infants and young children and their families, featuring a multi-dimensional classification system which uniquely considers the emerging functional emotional developmental capacities of the infant and young child and the developmental pathway to symptom patterns