[Specific impaired language development: a selective or generalised cognition problem]. / Trastorno específico del desarrollo del lenguaje: problema selectivo o generalizado de la cognición.

INTRODUCTION: Specific developmental language disorder (SDLD) is a diagnostic entity in which language is expected to be the only cognitive function that is affected. Nevertheless, difficulties in other cognitive functions may also appear, either because the language disorder is an expression of an underlying condition or because the retarded language development gives rise to cognitive deficits in general. AIM: To determine whether there are any differences in the cognitive performance of children with SDLD and that of children who have developed normally. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study involved a sample of 51 children with SDLD, aged between 6 and 16 years, and 49 children in a control group, who were paired by chronological age, sex and socioeconomic level. Verbal cognitive capacity, attention, memory, visual-constructional and executive functioning were all evaluated. RESULTS: Statistically and clinically significant differences were found in the verbal-type skills, such as language comprehension and verbal cognitive capacity, which showed effect sizes of -1.31 and -1.33, respectively. In the other functions that were assessed, the performance of the SDLD group was slightly lower than that of the control group, but with no clinically significant differences. CONCLUSION: These findings show that the group of children with SDLD was well selected, since the only differences between the two groups involve linguistic aspects; moreover, this evidence supports the idea that language and other cognitive functions are relatively independent and that a language disorder would only generate an unspecific general effect in the other cognitive functions.

Trastorno específico del desarrollo del lenguaje: problema selectivo o generalizado de la cognición / Specific impaired language development: a selective or generalised cognition problem

Introducción. El trastorno específico del desarrollo del lenguaje (TEDL) es una entidad diagnóstica en la que se espera que el lenguaje sea la única función cognitiva afectada. Sin embargo, es posible que se puedan presentar dificultades en otras funciones cognitivas, sea porque la alteración lingüística es expresión de una afección de base o porque el retraso lingüístico lleve a falencias cognitivas en general. Objetivo. Determinar si existen diferencias en el rendimiento cognitivo de niños con TEDL respecto a niños con un desarrollo normal. Sujetos y métodos. Participaron 51 niños con TEDL, con edades entre los 6 y 16 años, y 49 niños de un grupo control, pareados por edad cronológica, sexo y estrato socioeconómico. Se evaluó la capacidad cognitiva verbal, atención, memoria, praxia visuoconstruccional y función ejecutiva. Resultados. Se encontraron diferencias estadística y clínicamente significativas en las habilidades de tipo verbal, como son la comprensión lingüística y la capacidad cognitiva verbal, las cuales tuvieron un tamaño de efecto de –1,31 y –1,33, respectivamente. En las demás funciones evaluadas el rendimiento del grupo con TEDL fue levemente menor que el del grupo control, sin mostrar una diferencia clínicamente significativa. Conclusión. Estos hallazgos muestran que el grupo de niños con TEDL está muy bien seleccionado, ya que los dos grupos sólo se diferencian en aspectos lingüísticos; además, es una evidencia que apoya la concepción de que el lenguaje y otras funciones cognitivas son relativamente independientes, y que una alteración lingüística sólo generaría un efecto general inespecífico en las demás funciones cognitivas

Introduction. Specific developmental language disorder (SDLD) is a diagnostic entity in which language is expected to be the only cognitive function that is affected. Nevertheless, difficulties in other cognitive functions may also appear, either because the language disorder is an expression of an underlying condition or because the retarded language development gives rise to cognitive deficits in general. Aim. To determine whether there are any differences in the cognitive performance of children with SDLD and that of children who have developed normally. Subjects and methods. The study involved a sample of 51 children with SDLD, aged between 6 and 16 years, and 49 children in a control group, who were paired by chronological age, sex and socioeconomic level. Verbal cognitive capacity, attention, memory, visual-constructional and executive functioning were all evaluated. Results. Statistically and clinically significant differences were found in the verbal-type skills, such as language comprehension and verbal cognitive capacity, which showed effect sizes of –1.31 and –1.33, respectively. In the other functions that were assessed, the performance of the SDLD group was slightly lower than that of the control group, but with no clinically significant differences. Conclusion. These findings show that the group of children with SDLD was well selected, since the only differences between the two groups involve linguistic aspects; moreover, this evidence supports the idea that language and other cognitive functions are relatively independent and that a language disorder would only generate an unspecific general effect in the other cognitive functions

[Specific developmental language disorder: a theoretical approach to its diagnosis, aetiology and clinical symptoms]. / Trastorno específico del desarrollo del lenguaje: una aproximación teórica a su diagnóstico, etiología y manifestaciones clínicas.

AIM: This article presents an updated review about the definition, diagnostic criteria, classifications, etiology and the evolution of the specific language impairment (SLI). DEVELOPMENT: The specific language impairment is characterized by a developmental language delay and an impaired language, that persist over time and it is not explained by sensorial, motor and mental disabilities, neither by psycopathological disorders, socio-emotional deprivation, nor brain injury. The diagnosis is based on exclusional criteria. Some researchers propose different classifications considering the children performance in language comprehension and language production. Genetical linkage to the FOXP2 gen in the SPCH1 region of the chromosome 7 and to the chromosomes 13, 16 y 19 has been reported. The neuroimage studies have shown alterations in the volume and perfusion of some brain structures related to language. The manifestations of SLI may change during the development of the children and may disturb the self-esteem, the academic performance and the social abilities. CONCLUSIONS: The variability in the linguistic and cognitive performance, and the variety in the etiological findings in children with SLI, don't allow to settle the affected population as an homogeneous group. Different theoretical positions have emerged as a consequence of this condition.

Trastorno específico del desarrollo del lenguaje: una aproximación teórica a su diagnóstico, etiología y manifestaciones clínicas / Specific developmental language disorder: A theoretical approach to its diagnosis, aetiology and clinical symptoms

Objetivo. Se presenta una revisión teórica actualizada de la definición, los criterios diagnósticos, las propuestas de clasificación, la etiología y la evolución del trastorno específico del desarrollo del lenguaje (TEDL). Desarrollo. El TEDL, comúnmente conocido como SLI (del inglés specific language impairment) en la literatura inglesa, se determina por un retraso y una alteración del desarrollo del lenguaje que persisten en el tiempo y que no pueden explicarse por deficiencias sensoriales, motoras, mentales, trastornos psicopatológicos, deprivación socioafectiva, ni lesiones cerebrales evidentes. El diagnóstico se basa en criterios de exclusión. Algunos autores plantean propuestas de clasificación considerando las características del desempeño de los niños en cuanto a la comprensión y la expresión del lenguaje. Se ha encontrado una asociación genética con el gen FOXP2 de la región SPCH1 del cromosoma 7, y en los cromosomas 13, 16 y 19. Los estudios de neuroimagen muestran alteraciones en el volumen y la perfusión de estructuras relacionadas con el lenguaje. Las características semiológicas del TEDL pueden cambiar a medida que el niño crece y afectar a la autoestima, el rendimiento escolar y las habilidades sociales. Conclusiones. La variabilidad en los perfiles de desempeño lingüístico y cognitivo y los diversos hallazgos etiológicos de los niños con TEDL no permiten caracterizar la población afectada como un grupo homogéneo. Esto ha generado diferentes posicionamientos teóricos, que han enriquecido la comprensión del espectro de manifestaciones del TEDL (AU)

Aim. This article presents an updated review about the definition, diagnostic criteria, classifications, etiology and the evolution of the specific language impairment (SLI). Development. The specific language impairment is characterized by a developmental language delay and an impaired language, that persist over time and it is not explained by sensorial, motor and mental disabilities, neither by psycopathological disorders, socio-emotional deprivation, nor brain injury. The diagnosis is based on exclusional criteria. Some researchers propose different classifications considering the children performance in language comprehension and language production. Genetical linkage to the FOXP2 gen in the SPCH1 region of the chromosome 7 and to the chromosomes 13, 16 y 19 has been reported. The neuroimage studies have shown alterations in the volume and perfusion of some brain structures related to language. The manifestations of SLI may change during the development of the children and may disturb the self-steem, the academic performance and the social abilities. Conclusions. The variability in the linguistic and cognitive performance, and the variety in the etiological findings in children with SLI, don’t allow to settle the affected population as an homogeneous group. Different theorical positions have emerged as a consequence of this condition (AU)