Communication is one of life’s most fundamental joys, yet one often taken for granted until it is lost or fails to develop. Yet for millions of children each year, the skills that encompass communication stall or do not emerge at all. Even a mild disorder or temporary interruption in development can have long-term effects and result in serious and far-reaching deficits that touch every aspect of a child’s life. Each year, millions of children and their families join the ranks of those who are navigating a life they never expected, and frequently feel they are unable to take on. While it is critical to address the child’s deficits with supports and specific interventions, it is equally important to directly address the impact on the family, from the marital relationship to the well-being of siblings. With a warm and compassionate approach, Suzanne Ducharme provides parents with comprehensive information about speech and language development and the intervention process, but also delves deeply into the fears, concerns, and questions that every parent faces when something goes wrong. She provides families with information and resources, but also support and perspective. Using real stories throughout, Ducharme is able to illustrate the range of difficulties, challenges, and triumphs of families who love and support children with speech and language issues.

For effective use, this book should be purchased alongside the illustrated picture book Harry’s Story. Both books can be purchased together as a set, Supporting Children with DLD: A Picture Book and User Guide to Learn About Developmental Language Disorder [978-0-367-70920-4]. Supporting Children with DLD, has been developed to help raise awareness of Developmental Language Disorder, and to highlight the impact of the condition from the child’s point of view. With activities, prompts and sample questions, this is an essential resource to enable adults to understand the reality of living with DLD, helping children feel heard and respected, as well as providing a solid foundation for tailoring support to individual needs. Drawing on specific examples from Harry’s Story, the book does not assume any prior knowledge of DLD and is designed to offer the reader accessible information and practical advice, teaching as you go. This book: Highlights the link between spoken and written language, addressing the need to recognise the literary difficulties faced by children with DLD Provides practical activities and worksheets that can be used to help children express themselves and ask for help Offers strategies for supporting children’s understanding of language, based on common situations and experiences explored in Harry’s Story Written to be an accessible introduction to DLD and its effect on children’s lives, this is an essential resource for parents and professionals looking to understand the condition.

Speech and language are central to the human experience; they are the vital means by which people convey and receive knowledge, thoughts, feelings, and other internal experiences. Acquisition of communication skills begins early in childhood and is foundational to the ability to gain access to culturally transmitted knowledge, organize and share thoughts and feelings, and participate in social interactions and relationships. Thus, speech disorders and language disorders-disruptions in communication development-can have wide-ranging and adverse impacts on the ability to communicate and also to acquire new knowledge and fully participate in society. Severe disruptions in speech or language acquisition have both direct and indirect consequences for child and adolescent development, not only in communication, but also in associated abilities such as reading and academic achievement that depend on speech and language skills. The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program for children provides financial assistance to children from low-income, resource-limited families who are determined to have conditions that meet the disability standard required under law. Between 2000 and 2010, there was an unprecedented rise in the number of applications and the number of children found to meet the disability criteria. The factors that contribute to these changes are a primary focus of this report. Speech and Language Disorders in Children provides an overview of the current status of the diagnosis and treatment of speech and language disorders and levels of impairment in the U.S. population under age 18. This study identifies past and current trends in the prevalence and persistence of speech disorders and language disorders for the general U.S. population under age 18 and compares those trends to trends in the SSI childhood disability population.

Children with Specific Language Impairment covers all aspects of SLI, including its history, possible genetic and neurobiological origins, and clinical and educational practice.

In this essential textbook for students, Trevor Cotterill delves into the four broad areas of need identified in the SEND Code of Practice (2015), providing a spotlight on current research into a range of identified difficulties as well as outlining the appropriate pedagogical approaches required to support these needs in children and young people. Closely mirroring the SEND Code of Practice (2015), each distinct area of need associated with cognition and learning, communication and interaction, physical and sensory issues and social, emotional and mental health difficulties features essential overviews of research and current thinking within each area. Supported with case studies, learning objectives and reflection points, this text includes discussions on autistic spectrum disorders, profound and multiple learning difficulties, ADHD, mental health, physical and sensory difficulties and adverse childhood experiences as they relate to the SEND Code of Practice (2015). Fully endorsed by evidence-based research involving children, young people, adults and their families, this text encourages students to understand that SEND is a complex area and provides opportunities to reflect on previous experience, harnessing them with knowledge for future practice. Concise yet rigorous in its explanations and coupled with signposted activities and suggestions for further reading throughout, A Student Guide to the SEND Code of Practice will be invaluable to undergraduate students undertaking a programme of study incorporating special educational needs and disability as a single or joint honours.

Paediatric speech and language therapists are challenged by diminished resources and increasingly complex caseloads. The new edition addresses their concerns. Norms for speech development are given, differentiating between the emergence of the ability to produce speech sounds (articulation) and typical developmental error patterns (phonology). The incidence of speech disorders is described for one UK service providing crucial information for service management. The efficacy of service provision is evaluated to show that differential diagnosis and treatment is effective for children with disordered speech. Exploration of that data provides implications for prioritising case loads. The relationship between speech and language disorders is examined in the context of clinical decisions about what to target in therapy. New chapters provide detailed intervention programmes for subgroups of speech disorder: delayed development, use of atypical error patterns, inconsistent errors and development verbal dyspraxia. The final section of the book deals with special populations: children with cognitive impairment, hearing and auditory processing difficulties. The needs of clinicians working with bilingual populations are discussed and ways of intervention described. The final chapter examines the relationship between spoken and written disorders of phonology.

Accessibly written with the needs of trainee teachers and Higher Level Teaching Assistants in mind, this new edition of Wendy Spooner’s popular SEN Handbook provides an up-to-the-minute introduction to key issues. Student teachers and teaching assistants will find the case studies and vignettes invaluable as they bring these issues to life, and present important opportunities for reflection on how these issues relate to practice. Core standards for teachers, QTS and HLTA qualifications are highlighted enabling the reader to understand exactly what is expected of them – and how to achieve it. Coverage includes: self-assessment of your own attitudes towards SEN issues legal definitions and current legislation and guidance identification, assessment and support for children with SENs across the Key Stages issues of inclusion and exclusion a range of teaching approaches and strategies school-based training and SEN issues that may arise further reading, websites and resources lists. Practical and comprehensive, this is an invaluable resource for all teaching professionals working towards providing inclusive learning environments.