Outcomes of severe disorders of language acquisition.

Data on speech, language, performance IQ, school placement, and behavior are presented on 18 subjects diagnosed in childhood as "aphasic" and followed through adolescence. Results reveal that slow but steady growth in language is made, with expressive skills showing somewhat more rapid progress than comprehension. Performance IQ is highly correlated with language skills in later childhood and, along with receptive skill, is a good predictor of school placement. The diagnostic and prognostic implications of this information are discussed.