Specific language impairment (SLI) is a serious and lasting disorder that delays language acquisition in children without hearing loss or other underlying developmental delay. It persists throughout childhood and adolescence, and can leave some lasting effects into adulthood. It is also known as developmental language disorder, language delay, or dysphasia.
The cause of SLI is currently unknown, but in the literature on the field we find articles that mention the genetic component, stating that 50 to 70% of children with these difficulties have family members with the same disorder.
SLI is a heterogeneous disorder that manifests in different forms, each of which is distinct. However, we usually find some characteristics that are common or similar among patients:
- Late language acquisition, obstructing intelligibility, immaturity in syntactical forms, considerable morphological errors that persist over time.
- Delay in language acquisition, presenting the possibility of developing the first words, which may later disappear, including the acquired sounds.
- Limited vocabulary.
- Presence of disruptive behaviors to compensate for difficulties.
- If speech comprehension is impaired, the behavioral picture may be more complex.
- Evolution, depending on severity. Problems with speech coherence and cohesion, conversational difficulties, and sometimes behavioral difficulties usually persist over time.
As we have observed, if SLI affects comprehension and expression, it will affect reading and writing skills and, consequently, learning. Therefore, if not treated promptly, it can affect academic performance and self-esteem. Therefore, early diagnosis and intervention are essential to strengthen the foundation of treatment.
Treatment should focus on the following aspects:
- Speech therapy:
- Lexical-semantic, morpho-syntactic, narrative, phonological and reading intervention.
- Psychological care:
- Attention and listening, processing speed, planning, executive functions, working memory, cognitive flexibility, and verbal fluency.
- Family care:
- Guidance and emotional support, family coaching to achieve treatment success, and coordination between the child's different environments.
MARIONA ALSEDÀ FLORENSA