Epidemiology and prognosis of specific disorders of language and scholastic skills.
Data from a prospective longitudinal study on the development of children born at biological and psychosocial risk were utilised to examine language and learning abilities of 320 children at ages 4.5 and 8 years. Following the research criteria of the ICD-10, specific developmental disorders of speech and language and specific developmental disorders of scholastic skills were diagnosed. Data were also provided for a clinical and general low achievement group according to less stringent criteria. Frequencies in the risk population were low for specific disorders (ICD-10) (0.6%-3.7% depending on age and type of disorder). Higher frequencies were found when a clinical definition (0.6%-13.6%) or overall low achievement score (0.6%-18.6%) was chosen. The impact of well-documented organic and psychosocial risks was analysed. Organic risk affected language abilities at 4.5 years of age but neither language nor learning abilities at 8 years of age. Psychosocial aspects of a child's environment proved to be associated with both specific language and learning abilities. Stability of language disorders, association between language and reading/spelling disorders as well as gender effects were investigated.
Weindrich
D
D
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Germany. heinzel@as200.zi-mannheim.de
Jennen-Steinmetz
C
C
Laucht
M
M
Esser
G
G
Schmidt
M H
MH
D000124:Achievement; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D007806:Language Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011932:Reading; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014705:Verbal Behavior