Autistic Spectrum Disorder

Difficulty analysing, integrating and processing information; misinterpretation of social cues.

Variability in speech production from functionally nonverbal to echolalic (repetitive) speech to nearly typical speech.

Use of language in social situations is more challenging than producing language forms (e.g. articulating speech sounds & using sentence structure)

Tendency to use verbal scripts.

Difficulty selecting the right words to represent intended meaning. Unusual rate, pitch, rhythm and intonation.

Brain Injury

Difficulty making connections, inferences and using information to solve problems.

Problems with attention and memory affect language processing.

Difficulties understanding figurative language and multiple meaning words.

Often great difficulty in using language appropriately across contexts, especially conversation.

May have difficulties initiating conversation or tasks.

Cerebral Palsy

Language comprehension and expression can be affected by cognitive status.

If language is intact, may have no functional speech but be able to communicate well with Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC).

Speech sound discrimination, information processing and attention can be areas of challenge.

Dysarthric speech – slower rate, with shorter phrases or prolonged pauses, hypernasality.

Voice quality can be breathy or harsh, with a low or monotone pitch or there may be poor breath support for the voice.

Apraxic speech – sound substitutions that can be inconsistent.

Foetal drug or alcohol exposure

Difficulty comprehending verbal information, especially understanding abstract concepts, multiple word meanings, and words indicating time and space.

Talk less in infancy, poor use of gestures and delays in oral language; poor word retrieval, shorter sentences, and less well-developed conversational skills.

Hearing impairment

Difficulty with sound perception and discrimination, voice recognition, and understanding of speech

Limited speech depending on degree of hearing loss

Elements of speech affected- vocal resonance, speech sound accuracy

Elements of language affected- may produce shorter, simpler sentences, may omit word endings e.g. ‘ed’, ‘es’.

Effects on learning if undetected.

A child who is capable of speaking however in particular situations he/she refuses to speak.

It is commonly associated with social anxiety, excessive sensitivity to the reactions of others and fearfulness.

It most frequently appears in early childhood.

Semantic Pragmatic Disorder (related to ASD)

Fluent speaker but say more than they can understand.

May have difficulties with appropriate eye contact / facial expression and difficulties reading non-verbal communication in others.

Problems with abstract concepts (next week; guess); over-literal.

Difficulties with socially appropriate language. May say apparently irrelevant things, so may appear rude / arrogant.

May be a late reader or very early reader but little understanding of spoken language.

Follows rules, expects others to.

A ‘loner’ or over-friendly.

Tends to do poorly at team events and games, dislike crowds/ social events.

Easily distracted in a busy environment.