SLP Speech & Language Development Disorders 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A 4-year-old uses mostly two-word utterances and has a mean length of utterance (MLU) of 1.8. This is most consistent with:
- Age-appropriate development
- A language delay of approximately 2 years (Correct answer)
- Expressive language disorder with intact comprehension
- Childhood apraxia of speech
Correct answer: A language delay of approximately 2 years
By age 4, typical MLU is approximately 4.0–5.0 morphemes, so an MLU of 1.8 reflects roughly a 2-year delay.
Question 2: Which condition is characterized by a sudden loss of previously acquired language skills, often associated with an abnormal EEG, in a child with previously typical development?
- Autism spectrum disorder
- Landau-Kleffner syndrome (Correct answer)
- Childhood apraxia of speech
- Selective mutism
Correct answer: Landau-Kleffner syndrome
Landau-Kleffner syndrome (acquired epileptic aphasia) involves regression of language after normal development, with epileptiform EEG activity.
Question 3: A child with Down syndrome is most likely to show which speech-language profile?
- Stronger expressive language than receptive language
- Relatively stronger vocabulary than phonology and grammar (Correct answer)
- Fluent speech with significant word-finding deficits
- Hyperverbal output with pragmatic strengths
Correct answer: Relatively stronger vocabulary than phonology and grammar
Children with Down syndrome typically show a profile of relatively better vocabulary skills compared to phonology and morphosyntax.
Question 4: When assessing a child suspected of having developmental language disorder (DLD), the SLP should use:
- Only parent report measures to avoid test anxiety
- A single standardized test to keep assessment brief
- Multiple measures including standardized tests, language samples, and parent report (Correct answer)
- Only dynamic assessment to avoid cultural bias
Correct answer: Multiple measures including standardized tests, language samples, and parent report
Best practice for diagnosing DLD requires a comprehensive battery including standardized tests, language samples, and informant reports.
Question 5: A child produces 'wabbit' for 'rabbit' and 'wed' for 'red.' This pattern is best described as:
- Stopping
- Gliding (Correct answer)
- Fronting
- Cluster reduction
Correct answer: Gliding
Gliding is the substitution of a glide (/w/ or /j/) for a liquid (/r/ or /l/).
Question 6: Which milestone is expected by 18 months in typical language development?
- Using 2-word combinations
- Having a vocabulary of at least 50 words
- Producing first true words (approximately 5–10) (Correct answer)
- Using pronouns correctly
Correct answer: Producing first true words (approximately 5–10)
By 18 months, most children produce approximately 5–20 words; the 50-word vocabulary and word combinations emerge closer to 24 months.
Question 7: A child consistently omits grammatical morphemes such as plural -s, possessive -'s, and third-person singular -s. This pattern is most characteristic of:
- Phonological disorder
- Developmental language disorder (DLD) (Correct answer)
- Autism spectrum disorder
- Voice disorder
Correct answer: Developmental language disorder (DLD)
Morphosyntactic deficits, particularly with grammatical morphemes, are a hallmark feature of developmental language disorder.
SLP Speech & Language Development Disorders 2
A 4-year-old uses mostly two-word utterances and has a mean length of utterance (MLU) of 1.8.
This is most consistent with: