[Language disorders in the light of K-ABC].
OBJECTIVE
Problems of terminology have hampered the study of dysfunctional school age children, and a confusing array of labels has been applied to them. This is the case for speech and language disorders. The challenge to the pediatrician is to arrive at an integrated diagnosis that will lead to useful strategies for intervention.


METHODS
The K-ABC test, as a new instrument in the light of a new conception of intelligence, has been used as a tool for assessing language disorders in a sample of 261 preschool children aged 3 to 6 years. The results were analyzed by the Chi-square test and the stratified Chi-square test of Mantel-Haenzel as a discriminator between two variables.


RESULTS
Bilingualism, father's and mother's educational level and jobs, as sociocultural and/or socioeconomic factors, emerged as statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
The main conclusions refer to the ability to discriminate between learning and language disabilities and the relationship between language disorders and the bilingual condition or sociocultural markers, such as profession and academic achievement, of the parents. This article highlights the value of pediatrician-psychologist collaborations.
Timoneda Gallart
C
C
Departamento de Pedagogía, Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación, Universitat de Girona.
Pérez Alvarez
F
F
D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007806:Language Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007807:Language Tests; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D019303:Multilingualism; D012424:Rural Population; D014505:Urban Population