
on language disorders in young children: a reorganization of thinking
current questions and confusions about
the use of the term aphasia with reference
to young children seem often to
reflect semantic problems accruing
from professional habits of thinking in
terms of etiologic and pathologic labels.
it is argued that if the term aphasia is
generalized simply to refer to inabilities
or interferences in the development of
language comprehension and use, then
it is the task of an evaluating group to
describe as well as possible, and in detail,
the specific impairments of function
in each child.  this task commonly
requires the use of an extensive period
of "diagnostic teaching," wherein care
is taken to explore which sensory and
motor modalities are working and
which are not, and whether integration
of various stimuli is taking place.
some current ideas are discussed with
reference to descriptions of impairment,
causal factors that are fairly unique in
childhood, some thoughts about the
neurophysiology of the human "language
system," and some psychosocial
factors important for language-learning.
special attention is given to various relations,
in terms of temporal resolving
power, between sensation and sensory
integration.  a scheme, or model, is suggested
which may prove fruitful for
experimental design in attacking some
of these problems at a prelanguage or
premeaning level.  it is argued that the
proportion of "unknowns" can be reduced
by careful study based on information
about impaired functions within the sensory-integrative-motor complex,
without particular regard for "site and
extent of lesion."
