Speech and language development

 

Specific Language Impairment (SLI) is a disorder where a child has markedly delayed language development but with no other developmental delay or disorder apparent. These children do not have a hearing or intellectual problem, but have a specific problem in developing language and later in learning to read.

 

• SLI currently affects approximately seven per cent of single-born children with otherwise normal development. This equates to around 7000 West Australian children in Kindergarten to Year Two with SLI.
• The rate of SLI in twins is not known.

Our research
Our LOOKING at Language study is interested in genetic and environmental factors that influence language acquisition and Specific Language Impairment in twins and single-born children.

 

The first stage of the study was completed in 2007 looking at language development in children aged two to six years. Results show that 13 per cent of children at two years of age were late talkers, boys were three times more likely to have delayed speech development, while a child with siblings was at double the risk, as were children with a family history of late talkers. The study also found that a mother’s education, income, parenting style or mental health had no impact on a child’s likelihood of being a late talker.

 

In 2007, LOOKING at Language received further funding from the USA National Institutes of Health to extend the study for another five years. This will allow researchers to look at language development and literacy skills in children up to nine years of age.