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Speech and Language Impairment

Inheritance patterns and prenatal diagnosis

Inheritance patterns
Primary problem ­ patterns of inheritance are not known, but there is increasing evidence for genetic predispositions to difficulties with speech and language development.

Secondary problem - will depend upon the cause of the condition but there is good evidence of increased risk of difficulties in acquiring literacy skills, especially reading and spelling, with emerging evidence of increased likelihood of writing difficulties. These children are also at increased risk of behavioural, emotional and social difficulties.

Prenatal diagnosis
This will be possible when the secondary problem is associated with a specific disorder for which prenatal diagnosis has been developed.

View What are the causes? What are the causes?  |  Is there support? View Is there support?

Medical text written November 1991 by Contact a Family. Approved November 1991 by Professor M Patton, Professor of Medical Genetics, St Georges Hospital Medical School, London, UK and Dr J E Wraith, Consultant Paediatrician, Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Manchester, UK. Updated November 2001 by Professor Geoff Lindsay and Professor Julie Dockrell, Institute of Education, London, UK. Last updated December 2005 by Professor Geoff Lindsay, Professor of Special Educational Needs and Educational Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.

 

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