Language / Communication Characteristics Differing Levels Communication & The Family Communication & The School References Discussion

By Dalrymple & Hodgdon

A. Sparse oral language or mutism

	Receive same social stimulation as normal children, yet never really acquire completely productive language
	May not orient to certain speech sounds such as their mother's voice or their own names.
	May miss opportunities to learn language skills because they may not attend to speech that is directed to them

B. Troubles with joint attention as demonstrated by difficulties with:

	Referential looking: gaze alteration between object and adult
	Declarative pointing and showing
	Looking where others look and point
	Social referencing
	Do not share interest or attention to others nor respond to others' attempt to share interest with them
	Not a result of an inability to perform the specific behavior, but rather they are performed in different situations
	Deficits persist throughout childhood

Because joint attention is a precursor to understanding others' communicative intentions and engaging in role reversal imitation, they may have difficulty with these aspects of language as well.

C. Strong connections between level of joint attention skills and language abilities including the following:

	Joint attention and acquisition of grammar
	Joint attention and correct use of I/you pronouns

D. Connections found between imitation and language development

	Will use language less frequently for the purpose of sharing or seeking information than for purpose of expressing needs and wants
	Tendency to learn words for incorrect referents or they learn new words for objects they were looking at when the word was uttered
	Language form (phonology, syntax, and morphology) are spared
	Difficulties understanding meaning and usage of words

Few relations are found between general social interaction/communicative behavior regulation measures and language.

E. Language Expression

	Vary from minimally verbal to verbose
	Problems with turn taking: Can speak infinitely on a topic of interest to them, with little recognition of cues from the listener regarding lack of interest and/or need for additional information
	May use incorrect pronouns when referring to self: May point to self and say, "You want a cookie."

F. Echolalia

	Immediate echolalia: said immediately following speaker's utterance
	Delayed echolalia: said several minutes, hours, days, or weeks later
	Mitigated echolalia: child utterance varies from the speaker's original message
	Can be shaped into more creative language use
	Decreases as children's language level increases