Practitioner review: early developmental language delay: what, if anything, should the clinician do about it?
Published May 1, 1994 · G. Whitehurst, J. E. Fischel
Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines
234
Citations
10
Influential Citations
Abstract
Early developmental language delay is characterized by slow development of language in preschoolers. The condition is frequent among two- and three-year-olds, causes concern among parents, and generates differences of opinion as to significance among informed professionals. Poorer long-term outcomes are much more likely if language delay persists until the later preschool years, and if the delay is not specific to language and/or includes problems in understanding. Specific language delay in the preschool period is better characterized as a risk factor than a disorder; most children with specific language delay recover to the normal range by five years of age.