Prevalence of unsuspected language disorders in a child psychiatric population.

Nonretarded 5- to 12-year-old consecutive referrals to a child psychiatric outpatient clinic underwent a routine systematic language assessment. The assessment battery comprised standardized measures of the receptive and expressive components of syntax, semantics, and phonology. Standardized behavior rating scales also were completed by parents. Of the children referred solely for a psychiatric problem, 28% had a moderate or severe language disorder that previously had not been suspected or diagnosed. These children differed from a comparison group of children with both psychiatric and language disorders in that they were younger and more likely to have an externalizing behavioral problem. The findings indicate that there is a sizeable proportion of children whose language disorders are overlooked possibly because of their disruptive behavior. This suggests the need for routine screening of language in child psychiatric populations.