ERIC Number: EJ1319838
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021
Pages: 13
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0896-3746
EISSN: N/A
Assessing Language Delay in Twins: Low Gesture Use and Birth History Factors
Foran, Lori G.; Evans, Kelli J.; Beverly, Brenda L.
Infants and Young Children, v34 n4 p324-336 Oct-Dec 2021
Identification of language disorders in children younger than 3 years remains challenging despite agreement that early intervention improves outcomes. This study of twin language and gesture development substantiated the twinning effect, an unexplained lag in expressive and receptive language seen in twins, for a group of 88, 16- to 18-month-old twins who did not present with extreme perinatal risk. A valid, parent-report measure revealed word production of 10th percentile and less for 15 twins. Pregnancy complications, but not a positive family history of speech, language, or learning disorders or other case history factors, significantly increased the odds of this early expressive delay. The twinning effect was more pronounced for gesture than for spoken vocabulary: 29 twins fell below gesture norms. This was unexpected. Because gesture signals early communicative intentionality, twins with early expressive delay who present with limited gestures, with or without additional risk factors, warrant priority consideration for early intervention.
Descriptors: Twins, Language Impairments, Developmental Delays, Toddlers, Language Acquisition, Pregnancy, Prenatal Influences, Family Characteristics, Speech Impairments, Learning Problems, Genealogy, Nonverbal Communication, Speech Communication
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Available from: Wolters Kluwer. 351 West Camden Street, Baltimore, MD 21201. Tel: 800-638-3030; e-mail: MR-WKCustomerSupport@wolterskluwer.com; Web site: https://journals.lww.com/pages/default.aspx
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A