[A longitudinal study of children with language delay at 3 years of age; later WPPSI and school attendance].
Ninety-four children (eighty-three boys and eleven girls), who were delayed in verbal expression (expressive language less than two-thirds of the standard for their chronological ages) at the age of three years, were evaluated for school attendance and intelligence at the age of six. The Yamada's Check List for Language Development and Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI) were used to assess language problems and the intelligence quotient (IQ). Thirty children (32%) were delayed in verbal expression only, and sixty-four (68%) were delayed in both: verbal expression and comprehension were less than two-thirds of the standard for their chronological ages. Of children with delay in verbal expression only, 36% of them had low full-scale IQs (less than 70), and 27% had required special tutoring. Of children with delayed development of verbal expression and comprehension, 85% had low full-scale IQs, and 89% had required special tutoring or had attended schools for mentally retarded children. In expressive and comprehensive language delay, forty-one children avoided personal relations at the age of three years. Later thirty of these children were diagnosed as suffering from infantile autism. Poor mental outcome could be predicted by the delay of expressive and comprehensive language at the age of three years. The high prevalence of developmental disorders at later stages for the children in this study suggests the need for close monitoring of children with delayed language.
Oki
J
J
Department of Pediatrics, Asahikawa Medical College.
Miyamoto
A
A
Itoh
J
J
Kusunoki
Y
Y
Cho
K
K
D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D012574:Schools; D014888:Wechsler Scales