Diagnosing Specific Language Impairment

A child with specific language impairment (SLI) does not acquire normal language ability at the appropriate age. Findings in SLI studies are contradictory and the core problem of the disorder is still under debate. The present work suggests that deficient discrimination and memory functions are the essential factors underlying SLI. However the environmental support that children with SLI receive seems to correspond insufficiently to the underlying factors. Moreover the possible effects of SLI and its underlying factors on psychomotor and social-emotional development merit reconsideration.