Northern Arizona University

SPEECH & LANGUAGE CLINIC
CHILD LANGUAGE DISORDERS

A language disorder may be described as the abnormal acquisition, comprehension, or use of spoken or written language. This includes all receptive and expressive language skills. Receptive language (language comprehension) refers to the ability to understand incoming auditory or visual messages. Expressive language (language production) refers to the use of symbols (words or written messages) to form meaningful messages.

Children may demonstrate developmental language disorders (i.e., delayed language acquisition), or acquired language disorders involving the loss or interruption of language function due to illness or trauma.

Child Language Services at the NAU Speech, Language, and Hearing Clinic

Evaluation of child language would include a case history interview, hearing screening, oral mechanism and articulation evaluation as necessary, and evaluation of a child's use of language and understanding of language.

Therapy services for child language disorders may be offered for infants through adolescents and in groups or individually. Language therapy may involve exposure to language models, expansion of current language forms, and family education and involvement.

Language and Literacy

Spoken language provides the foundation for the development of reading and writing. In fact, spoken and written language share a reciprocal relationship, building on each other to result in general language and literacy competence.

Children who have problems with spoken language frequently experience difficulties learning to read and write, and children with reading and writing problems often experience difficulties using language to communicate, think and learn. Similarly, instruction in spoken language often results in growth in written language.

Web-links - Child Language Disorders

http://kidsource.com/asha/language_tips.html

http://kidsource.com/asha/poorread.html

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NAU Speech, Language, and Hearing Clinic NAU, Health and Human Services, #66 Flagstaff, Arizona 86011-5045 Clinic: (928) 523-8110 Email: Clinic