Exploring receptive and expressive language components at the age of 36 months in siblings at risk for autism spectrum disorder

Background: Language difficulties are highly prevalent in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as well as in their younger siblings (high-risk (HR) sibs). Children with ASD show substantial heterogeneity in difficulties with different language components, but it remains unknown whether this variability is also present in HR-sibs. Method: Receptive (RL) and expressive language (EL) were evaluated in siblings of typically developing children (low-risk (LR) sibs, N = 33) and HR-sibs (N = 30) at 36 months, using the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL), the Dutch version of the Reynell Developmental Language Scales - 2nd edition (RDLS-2) and spontaneous language analysis (SL). Next, composite scores for receptive and expressive phonology, grammar, semantics and pragmatics were formed. Group comparisons were performed and delays in the different language components were explored. Results: HR-sibs scored significantly lower than LR-sibs on all standardized measures of RL. For EL, significantly lower scores were only found using the MSEL and not using the RDLS-2 nor using SL. HR-sibs scored significantly lower than LR-sibs for receptive and expressive semantics and receptive grammar. HR-sibs with characteristics of ASD presented with less language difficulties than HR-sibs without characteristics of ASD. The majority of HR-sibs showed a delay in one or more language components but these were not consistently detected by the different measures. Conclusions: Language delays are highly prevalent in HR-sibs and their representation resembles the language profile of children with ASD. Evaluation of language at the level of phonology, grammar, semantics and pragmatics will detect considerably more children experiencing delayed language than holistic approaches

Developmental course of conversational behaviour of children with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome and Williams syndrome

This study investigated three conversational subskills in children with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS, n = 8, ages 7–13) and Williams syndrome (WS, n = 8, ages 6–12). We re-evaluated these subskills after 18 to 24 months and compared them to those of peers with idiopathic intellectual disability (IID) and IID and comorbid autism spectrum disorders (IID+ASD). Children with 22q11.2DS became less actively involved over time. Lower assertiveness than in children with IID was demonstrated. They seemed less impaired in terms of accounting for listener’s knowledge than children with IID+ASD. Children with WS showed greater difficulties with discourse management compared to children with IID and 22q11.2DS. They had similar levels of conversational impairments to children with IID+ASD but these were caused by different shortcomings. Over time taking account of listener’s knowledge became challenging for them. Findings suggest that children with 22q11.2DS and those with WS would benefit from conversational skills support and that regular re-evaluation is needed to anticipate conversational challenges

Evolutie van de spraak-/taaldiagnostiek bij kinderen in Vlaanderen en Nederland

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Taaldiagnose bij jonge kinderen: de NNST en de N-CDIs

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EPVs: een nieuw screeninginstrument voor de vroege opsporing van kinderen met een risico op communicatieve problemen

Sinds enkele jaren zijn voor het Nederlandse taalgebied twee genormeerde instrumenten beschikbaar om kinderen met een risico op communicatieve problemen vroegtijdig op te sporen: de NNST en de N-CDIs. Deze peilen vooral naar voorlopers van taalontwikkeling, vroege woordenschat en beginnende morfosyntaxis. De pragmatische vaardigheden komen in deze instrumenten minder specifiek aan bod. Tot op vandaag was er voor het Nederlands taalgebied nog geen genormeerd instrument voorhanden dat de pragmatische vaardigheden van kinderen jonger dan twee jaar uitgebreid in kaart brengt. Het nieuwe screeninginstrument Lijsten voor Evaluatie van Pragmatische Vaardigheden (EPVs) komt hieraan tegemoet. De EPVs bestaan uit twee oudervragenlijsten: de EPV1 voor kinderen met een ontwikkelingsleeftijd van 6 tot 15 maanden en de EPV2 voor kinderen met een ontwikkelingsleeftijd van 16 tot 30 maanden. De psychometrische onderzoeken tonen goede resultaten. Door ouders zowel de EPVs als de N-CDIs te laten invullen, krijgen we als hulpverlener een goed beeld van de communicatieve mogelijkheden en beperkingen van een kind, nog vóór het getest is met een gestandaardiseerde test.. Naast de afnames bij normaal ontwikkelende kinderen tonen afnames bij kinderen met schisis, met het syndroom van Down en met autismespectrumstoornissen (ASS) aan dat de EPVs ook bruikbaar zijn bij specifieke doelgroepen

Use of key word signing by staff in special schools and in day centers for adults with intellectual disabilities

Background. Staff may encourage individuals with intellectual disabilities to use manual signs by modeling its use, but implementing KWS during daily activities can be demanding. Method. Staff’s use of manual signs was observed in 4 special schools and 4 day centers for adults with intellectual disabilities during communicative group activities, non-communicative group activities, and mealtimes. Using in-situ partial interval coding, we measured staff’s communication rate, semantic diversity of manual signs, sign reinforcement, and sign imitation. With Chi Squared tests, associations were measured between these variables, the two settings, and the three activity types. Results. During communicative activities, staff used manual signs significantly more in adult services than special schools. During non-communicative activities and mealtimes, staff seldom used or reinforced signs. Conclusions. Staff communicated frequently but did not often model sign use during daily activities. To investigate influence from training background, further detailed measurements are warranted.status: publishe

Rol van begeleiders en leerkrachten in het gebruik van Spreken Met Ondersteuning van Gebaren (SMOG)

status: publishe