This essential text will prepare SLPs to make the best possible clinical decisions--and improve the communication and overall quality of life for children and adolescents with developmental language disorders. Addresses a broad age span and teaches b

Now in its second edition, Speech and Language Therapy: the decision-making process when working with children reveals how recent research and changes in health and education services have affected the decision-making process in the assessment and management of children with speech and language problems. With individual chapters written by experts in their field, this book: Illustrates how the decisions made by practitioners may vary within different work settings Shows how these decisions may need to be adapted when working with specific client groups Explores how such decisions are part of effective evidence-based practice Offers an overview of the skills required by the developing professional Provides insight into working as a newly qualified therapist in the current job market. Rigorously underpinned with current research and revised legislation, this is an important textbook for speech and language therapy students, potential students and specialist teachers in training. Speech and Language Therapy: the decision-making process when working with children will also be relevant to newly qualified therapists, therapists returning to the profession, specialist teachers and Special Educational Needs Coordinators.

This book constitutes a clear, comprehensive, up-to-date introduction to the basic principles of psychological and educational assessment that underlie effective clinical decisions about childhood language disorders. Rebecca McCauley describes specific commonly used tools, as well as general approaches ranging from traditional standardized norm-referenced testing to more recent ones, such as dynamic and qualitative assessment. Highlighting special considerations in testing and expected patterns of performance, she reviews the challenges presented by children with a variety of problems--specific language impairment, hearing loss, mental retardation, and autism spectrum disorders. Three extended case examples illustrate her discussion of each of these target groups. Her overarching theme is the crucial role of well-formed questions as fundamental guides to decision making, independent of approach. Each chapter features lists of key concepts and terms, study questions, and recommended readings. Tables throughout offer succinct summaries and aids to memory. Students, their instructors, and speech-language pathologists continuing their professional education will all welcome this invaluable new resource. Distinctive features include: A comprehensive consideration of both psychometric and descriptive approaches to the characterization of children's language A detailed discussion of background issues important in the language assessment of the major groups of children with language impairment Timely information on assessment of change--a topic frequently not covered in other texts Extensive guidance on how to evaluate individual norm-referenced measures for adoption An extensive appendix listing about 50 measures used to assess language in children A test review guide that can be reproduced for use by readers.

A valuable reference for students and clinicians, Intervention in Child Language Disorders: A Comprehensive Handbook focuses on interventions that have been shown to be effective in helping children overcome language impairments. The Handbook is comprehensive with regard to children's ages, covering language disorders in children from infancy to high school age. Addressing fundamental principles and clinical practice methods, this indispensable resource presents creative clinical ideas and treatment examples based on a firm theoretical foundation. Intervention in Child Language Disorders: A Comprehensive Handbook discusses language disorders resulting from a wide range of etiologies, including learning disabilities, mental retardation, physical impairments, autism, hearing impairments, brain injury and specific language impairments. This comprehensive and informative text will help students and speech-language pathologists provide optimal interventions for children with language disorders.

Chapters written by leading authorities offer current perspectives on the origins and development of language disorders. They address the question: How can the child's linguistic environment be restructured so that children at risk can develop important adaptive skills in the domains of self-care, social interaction, and problem solving? This theory-based, but practical book emphasizes the importance of accurate definitions of subtypes for assessment and intervention. It will be of interest to students, researchers, and practitioners in the field of developmental language disorders.

This book examines the typical pattern of communication development in children and adolescents to enable primary care physicians as well as other clinicians, therapists, and practitioners to assist parents in making informed decisions based on current research. It offers an overview of communication disorders in children and adolescents that typically present before adulthood. The book describes current assessment, diagnostic procedures, and evidence-based interventions. Chapters outline the standard course of speech milestones and ages to begin screening for deficits and their risk factors. Subsequent chapters review best practices for every aspect of treatment, including care planning, discussing disorders and interventions with parents, making referrals, and collaborating with other providers. The book also discusses evidence-based interventions for specific disorder types such as language impairment, stuttering, language disabilities, and hearing impairment. In addition, the book offers guidance on how to speak about care planning as well as quality of life issues related to communication disorders with other caregivers and parents. Featured topics include: Screening and identification procedures of communication disorders. Key elements to providing family-centered care. Common causes, assessment, and treatment of specific language impairment (SLI) in children. Hearing loss and its impact on the development of communication in children. Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and the role of attention in the development of language in children. Communication development in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The Clinical Guide to Assessment and Treatment of Communication Disorders is a must-have resource for clinicians and related professionals, researchers and professors, and graduate students in the fields of child, school, and developmental psychology, pediatrics and social work, child and adolescent psychiatry, primary care medicine, and related disciplines.

Developmental language disorders (DLD) occur when a child fails to develop his or her native language often for no apparent reason. Delayed development of speech and/or language is one of the most common reasons for parents of preschool children to seek the advice of their family doctor. Although some children rapidly improve, others have more persistent language difficulties. These long-term deficits can adversely affect academic progress, social relationships and mental well-being.Although DLDs are common, we are still a long way from understanding what causes them and how best to.