Indicators of Disorder

(The following list indicates difficulties)

Understanding of Language

• Unable to understand familiar instructions/situational language 

• Poor understanding of action words (verbs)

Expressive Language

• Jargon: use of nonsense/made-up words extending past the babbling stage

• Echolalia: immediate or delayed repetition of language that is heard e.g. repeating      an instruction or question rather than responding to it

Speech

• Backing: when a child substitutes the ‘front’ sounds t/d for ‘back’ sounds k/g e.g. tea > ‘kea’  bed > ‘beg’. This is a disorder rather than a delay. It is sometimes caused by continued dummy use or thumb sucking

• Vowel distortion e.g. egg > ‘ag’

• Initial sound deletion e.g. cup > ‘up’

• Groping for sounds or in coordination of mouth/tongue/lips

• No babbling/silent baby

Stammering

• Repetition of sounds e.g. b’b’b’but

• Prolongation of sounds e.g. bu………t

• Blocking e.g. no sound at all, often wide open mouth

• Struggle e.g. screwing up face, tension

• Child aware e.g. I can’t speak properly

Social

• limited/no interest in others (not just shy) i.e. if it extends to parents/immediate family