Language Disorder vs. Delay? | Autism PDD

Through ABA and speech therapy my 3 yo son has come a long way in terms of language over the past few months since he started. Im thrilled that every day hes saying new words and he seems to pick up new language easily, which is why I verbally model EVERYTHING for him, in hopes that he'll acquire that language as his own.

However, although he seems to grasp words and phrases well, hes still not asking questions (other than "where" something is that he cant find, once in a while), doesnt use pronouns such as he/she, and his use of language in pretend play (ie playing with fisher price people) is very limited.

Its hard to know which parts of the language issues that ASD kids have are delays, and which are disordered. My son never pointed and labeled as a 2 year old, but now does it all the time (I take it this is a delay).

For those of you whose kids became much more adept at abstract language (ie asking questions), were there things you did to bring this out or did this just come as a natural progression as their language became more advanced with time?

Thanks in advance.

For my son, it was a natural progression encouraged by therapy. He started pointing at 20 months and said his first word about the same time. At 24 months he had 5 words, at 25 months it was 25 and then the burst continued. At 3, he was just starting to ask wh questions and using pronouns but conversing with him was still difficult. At 3 1/2, his language and pretend play is amazing and he is conversing really well. He asks all of the wh questions except "why" though is starting to answer why questions now so it's probably just a matter of time. His pronoun usage is better but still not always correct. His ST said his language followed a "typical but delayed" pattern.

We made a point of asking him a lot of questions - especially about things we knew the answers to and prompting him for the answers. For example, "Who did you see at school today? Pause - Joey." That seemed to help develop his language and the recall concept. Also, throughout the day I'd ask "What are you doing?" "Where are we going?" "What is that (pointing to object) etc. He started with what questions first, then where and who.

Thanks NorwayMom. This is what confuses me-- my 3 yo is on track for most of the milestones listed. However, his peers are using much more abstract language, asking questions, etc. I wonder why none of that is listed under the 36 mo developmental milestones?

Does anyone else think that list seems inaccurate when you look at a typical 3 yo and what they are able to do with language?

I think that list seems right for a 3 year old. That is about where my 3 year old ds is. He was a bit delayed early on but seems on target now. He does ask questions, but right now they are more contained to what and where.

Interestingly, my 5 year old is probably at that point on the list which is why her and her brother seem like they are on the same level.

She was dx with a pragmatic speech disorder at 27 months and has been in speech since. The PDD did not become something that was really investigated until age 4. Although, I had wondered in the past but then she would start doing better in the areas I worried about.

I think your ds sounds like he is right on track.

There will always be kids above the curve. Such is life.

Just to put it in perspective, below are the language milestones for age 36 months (www.cdc.gov/actearly). Pronouns are on the list.

My son had a problem with the pronoun I up until age 5 (he would say his name instead of I). We had to address it directly. Even at age 9, he still slips up occasionally (rarely), so perhaps this suggests that his language is "disordered."

Other than that, most of my son's language acquisition has come from more or less normal stimulation. He never went through a questioning phase, but seems to have mastered that on his own. He gets along pretty well, conversationally, but at age 9, he still does "developmental stuttering" (stuttering due to language difficulties, without the frustration and self-consciousness associated with regular stuttering).

Anyhow, here are those language milestones for age 36 months:

Follows a two- or three-part command
Recognizes and identifies almost all common objects and pictures
Understands most sentences
Understands placement in space ("on," "in," "under")
Uses 4- to 5-word sentences
Can say name, age, and sex
Uses pronouns (I, you, me, we, they) and some plurals (cars, dogs, cats)
Strangers can understand most of her words

I taught all the wh... questions by prompting. Setting up scenarios to encourage them. I found 'what', 'who' and 'where' came easier than 'why' and 'when' and 'how' were the hardest to get rolling. It's part of all aba programs i think. horizon39307.5565393519Daniel is 11 and he had learning wh questions in with the St. He also was working on auditory processing things as well. Daniel, st since age 1 for loss of lang. skills. The St told me this skill also takes longer in males any how. Both our kids would say we do nothing at school. Daniel's main issue is comprehension of reading/lang which both go together. I also look at Daniel in school is the yougest 1 each year since he has a May birthday also which almost makes him 6 months-1 year younger than his peers. If I had to do it all over no K until age 6 instead of 5. [QUOTE=tkny12]

Does anyone else think that list seems inaccurate when you look at a typical 3 yo and what they are able to do with language?

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I know exactly what you are saying!! Although Adam does not qualify for speech therapy anymore he still is not at a level that his peers are at and he is 5. He is lacking spontanous describing of things that do not necessarily have to do with his wants or needs, that most kids have at his age. Do you know what I mean?? Like for instance...My older two children if asked how their day was at this age might just say..."OK" or they may if they had a great day or a bad day say, "YOu know what happend mommy? So and so did this and it made me ____" Or what ever. Adam NEVER elaborates about ANYTHING. It's not like he doesn't have the language to do so either...HE DOES....but he's not utilizing it.

Karrie

A lot of milestone lists are based on the 50th percentile. The CDC's list didn't specify that, so I don't really know if it's the case here -- it might explain why some 36 month olds seem to have more complex language than the milestones would imply.

Here's Greenspan's list for comparison (from www.firstsigns.org):

At 36 Months:

Enjoy pretending to play different characters with you or talking for dolls or action figures?
Enjoy playing with children of the same age, perhaps showing and telling another child about a favorite toy?
Use thoughts and actions together in speech and in play in a way that makes sense, like “sleepy, go take nap” and “baby hungry, feed bottle”?
Answer “what,” “where,” and “who” questions easily?
Talk about interests and feelings about the past and the future?

[QUOTE=NorwayMom]

At 36 Months:

Enjoy pretending to play different characters with you or talking for dolls or action figures?
Enjoy playing with children of the same age, perhaps showing and telling another child about a favorite toy?
Use thoughts and actions together in speech and in play in a way that makes sense, like “sleepy, go take nap” and “baby hungry, feed bottle”?
Answer “what,” “where,” and “who” questions easily?
Talk about interests and feelings about the past and the future?

[/QUOTE]

My son does all of this now, really well, at age 6, but if I'd seen this list when he was 36 months old I probably would have been hysterical because he wasn't even close to doing a single one of these things!

Daniel wasn't doing this at 3 years old. He even feared the playground then. He started at a preschool which he did well at. The teacher saw him as a adhd kid ready for K. He knew all his constant sounds/colors/shapes.At 3 he was a head of the class in acedemics. He lacked the potty thing also.

They really do those things at 3y????

I have forgotten what normal was/is?

Jacob still isn't doing those things completely--at 7.5yo!!

Enjoy pretending to play different characters with you or talking for dolls or action figures?He doesn't do this. I'm sure he would be able to--if you made him. But he has no interest in this--except to make them "fly" like star wars ships!!
Enjoy playing with children of the same age, perhaps showing and telling another child about a favorite toy? He can do this!
Use thoughts and actions together in speech and in play in a way that makes sense, like “sleepy, go take nap” and “baby hungry, feed bottle”? Never has done this either. He is passed that point of "dolls". It's all about Star Wars!
Answer “what,” “where,” and “who” questions easily? YES!!! Finally--he started doing this at age 5y---but I can't say "easily". He can't express himself and answer questions too well.
Talk about interests and feelings about the past and the future? Of course he talks about HIS interests--but not much in the feelings.

All of these are developing for him. At what stage is it considered a disorder or delay? Since they are developing, slowly----but is getting better. I would think delay.

Disorder--I would think ---it never gets better.
Thanks for the replies. When I see lists posted like that, that to me, do not truly represent the language skills of a typical child at that age, I worry that eventually Ryan will not qualify for speech therapy. His speech resembles that of an 18 month old that is just gaining language (labeling, pointing, manding, answering simple questions). His peers at 3 years old are all able to engage in rich dialouge and that seems so far off for Ryan....
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