DLD Flashcards
(15 cards)
What is Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)?
A condition involving impaired age-normed language production and/or comprehension, not due to hearing loss, low IQ, or brain damage.
DLD is characterized by significant difficulties in language use that are not attributable to other cognitive or sensory impairments.
What is the prevalence of DLD in children?
About 7%.
This statistic highlights the commonality of DLD among the pediatric population.
Does bilingualism cause DLD?
No.
DLD affects all languages equally and is not caused by exposure to multiple languages, debunking a common myth.
Name 3 common symptoms of DLD.
- Limited use of complex sentences
- Word-finding difficulty
- Frequent grammar and spelling errors
These symptoms can vary in severity and impact communication abilities.
How is DLD different from a learning disability?
DLD affects language use, while learning disabilities affect academic skills like reading and math.
Understanding this distinction is crucial for appropriate diagnosis and intervention.
What brain areas are involved in language and often studied in DLD?
- Broca’s area
- Wernicke’s area
- The arcuate fasciculus
These areas are critical for language production and comprehension.
What is the Procedural Deficit Hypothesis (PDH)?
A theory that DLD is caused by impairments in the brain’s procedural memory system, especially the basal ganglia.
This hypothesis suggests that difficulties in language acquisition may stem from issues with procedural memory.
What is procedural memory?
Memory for skills and routines performed without conscious awareness, like grammar or riding a bike.
Procedural memory is essential for acquiring language skills.
What task shows procedural learning deficits in DLD?
The Serial Reaction Time (SRT) Task.
This task is often used in research to assess procedural learning abilities.
What is dyslexia?
A learning disorder characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and spelling.
Dyslexia is separate from DLD but may co-occur in some individuals.
What is dysfluency?
Interruptions in the flow of speech such as stuttering or repetition.
Dysfluency can affect communication effectiveness.
Is autism a language disorder?
No.
Autism is primarily a social-communication disorder, though it can affect language development.
What is joint attention, and why is it important?
Joint attention is shared focus on an object, crucial for word learning and language development in children.
It facilitates the learning of new words and concepts.
How does joint attention differ in autism?
It is reduced, which can impact early word learning and communication.
This difference can lead to challenges in developing language skills.
What part of the brain shows atypical activation in DLD according to the PDH?
The basal ganglia.
Atypical activation in this area is linked to procedural memory deficits observed in individuals with DLD.
