. 2021 May 17;11(5):654.

doi: 10.3390/brainsci11050654.

Developmental Language Disorder: Early Predictors, Age for the Diagnosis, and Diagnostic Tools. A Scoping Review

Alessandra Sansavini^{1

2}, Maria Elena Favilla³, Maria Teresa Guasti⁴, Andrea Marini^{5

6}, Stefania Millepiedi⁷, Maria Valeria Di Martino⁸, Simona Vecchi⁹, Nadia Battajon¹⁰, Laura Bertolo¹¹, Olga Capirci¹², Barbara Carretti¹³, Maria Paola Colatei¹⁴, Cristina Frioni¹⁵, Luigi Marotta¹⁶, Sara Massa¹⁷, Letizia Michelazzo¹⁸, Chiara Pecini¹⁹, Silvia Piazzalunga²⁰, Manuela Pieretti¹⁸, Pasquale Rinaldi¹², Renata Salvadorini²¹, Cristiano Termine²², Mariagrazia Zuccarini¹, Simonetta D'Amico^{2

23}, Anna Giulia De Cagno¹⁸, Maria Chiara Levorato^{2

24}, Tiziana Rossetto¹⁸, Maria Luisa Lorusso²⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology "Renzo Canestrari", University of Bologna, Viale Berti Pichat 5, 40127 Bologna, Italy.
² CLASTA-Communication & Language Acquisition Studies in Typical & Atypical Population, Piazza Epiro 12D, 00183 Roma, Italy.
³ Department of Education and Human Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Viale Allegri 9, 42121 Reggio Emilia, Italy.
⁴ Department of Psychology, University Milano-Bicocca, Piazza Ateneo Nuovo 1, 20121 Milano, Italy.
⁵ Department of Language and Literatures, Communication, Education and Society, Università di Udine, Via Margreth, 3, 33100 Udine, Italy.
⁶ Scientific Institute IRCCS "Eugenio Medea", San Vito al Tagliamento, 33078 Pordenone, Italy.
⁷ Department of Mental Health, ATNO, Via Cocchi, 7/9, 56121 Pisa, Italy.
⁸ Health Professions Integrated Service, Azienda Ospedaliera dei Colli di Napoli, 80131 Napoli, Italy.
⁹ Department of Epidemiology, Lazio Regional Health Service, Via Cristoforo Colombo, 112, 00154 Rome, Italy.
¹⁰ Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Mother and Child Department, Ca' Foncello Hospital, Via Sant'Ambrogio di Fiera, 37, 31100 Treviso, Italy.
¹¹ AIRIPA Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca e l'Intervento nella Psicopatologia dell'Apprendimento, Via Astichello, 10, 35135, Padova, Galleria G. Berchet, 3, 35131 Padova, Italy.
¹² Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Research Council, Via Nomentana 56, 00161 Rome, Italy.
¹³ Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia 8, 35131 Padova, Italy.
¹⁴ Department of Clinical Medicine, Public Health, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Palazzo Camponeschi, Piazza Santa Margherita 2, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy.
¹⁵ Studio di Psicoterapia e Riabilitazione dell'età evolutiva, Via Annone 1, 00199 Roma, Italy.
¹⁶ Department of Intensive and Robotic Neurorehabilitation, IRCCS Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Lungomare Marconi 36, 00058 S. Marinella, Roma, Italy.
¹⁷ Azienda Usl Toscana Centro, Piazza Santa Maria Nuova 1, 50121 Firenze, Italy.
¹⁸ Federazione Logopedisti Italiani, Via Daniello Bartoli, 00152 Roma, Italy.
¹⁹ Department of Education, Languages, Intercultures, Literatures and Psychology, University of Florence, Complesso di San Salvi, Padiglione 26, Via di San Salvi 12, 50135 Firenze, Italy.
²⁰ Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "L. Sacco", Università degli Studi di Milano, Via G.B.Grassi, 74, 20157 Milano, Italy.
²¹ UO Neurology and Neurorehabilitation, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Viale del Tirreno 331, 56128 Calambrone, Italy.
²² Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Insubria, Via Ravasi 2, 21100 Varese, Italy.
²³ Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, P.le S. Tommasi, 1, 67100 Coppito, Italy.
²⁴ Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Via Venezia 8, 35131 Padova, Italy.
²⁵ Department of Child Psychopathology, Scientific Institute IRCCS E. Medea, Via Don Luigi Monza 20, 23842 Bosisio Parini, Italy.

PMID: 34067874
PMCID: PMC8156743
DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11050654

Developmental Language Disorder: Early Predictors, Age for the Diagnosis, and Diagnostic Tools. A Scoping Review

Alessandra Sansavini et al. Brain Sci. 2021.

. 2021 May 17;11(5):654.

doi: 10.3390/brainsci11050654.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology "Renzo Canestrari", University of Bologna, Viale Berti Pichat 5, 40127 Bologna, Italy.
² CLASTA-Communication & Language Acquisition Studies in Typical & Atypical Population, Piazza Epiro 12D, 00183 Roma, Italy.
³ Department of Education and Human Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Viale Allegri 9, 42121 Reggio Emilia, Italy.
⁴ Department of Psychology, University Milano-Bicocca, Piazza Ateneo Nuovo 1, 20121 Milano, Italy.
⁵ Department of Language and Literatures, Communication, Education and Society, Università di Udine, Via Margreth, 3, 33100 Udine, Italy.
⁶ Scientific Institute IRCCS "Eugenio Medea", San Vito al Tagliamento, 33078 Pordenone, Italy.
⁷ Department of Mental Health, ATNO, Via Cocchi, 7/9, 56121 Pisa, Italy.
⁸ Health Professions Integrated Service, Azienda Ospedaliera dei Colli di Napoli, 80131 Napoli, Italy.
⁹ Department of Epidemiology, Lazio Regional Health Service, Via Cristoforo Colombo, 112, 00154 Rome, Italy.
¹⁰ Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Mother and Child Department, Ca' Foncello Hospital, Via Sant'Ambrogio di Fiera, 37, 31100 Treviso, Italy.
¹¹ AIRIPA Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca e l'Intervento nella Psicopatologia dell'Apprendimento, Via Astichello, 10, 35135, Padova, Galleria G. Berchet, 3, 35131 Padova, Italy.
¹² Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Research Council, Via Nomentana 56, 00161 Rome, Italy.
¹³ Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia 8, 35131 Padova, Italy.
¹⁴ Department of Clinical Medicine, Public Health, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Palazzo Camponeschi, Piazza Santa Margherita 2, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy.
¹⁵ Studio di Psicoterapia e Riabilitazione dell'età evolutiva, Via Annone 1, 00199 Roma, Italy.
¹⁶ Department of Intensive and Robotic Neurorehabilitation, IRCCS Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Lungomare Marconi 36, 00058 S. Marinella, Roma, Italy.
¹⁷ Azienda Usl Toscana Centro, Piazza Santa Maria Nuova 1, 50121 Firenze, Italy.
¹⁸ Federazione Logopedisti Italiani, Via Daniello Bartoli, 00152 Roma, Italy.
¹⁹ Department of Education, Languages, Intercultures, Literatures and Psychology, University of Florence, Complesso di San Salvi, Padiglione 26, Via di San Salvi 12, 50135 Firenze, Italy.
²⁰ Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "L. Sacco", Università degli Studi di Milano, Via G.B.Grassi, 74, 20157 Milano, Italy.
²¹ UO Neurology and Neurorehabilitation, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Viale del Tirreno 331, 56128 Calambrone, Italy.
²² Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Insubria, Via Ravasi 2, 21100 Varese, Italy.
²³ Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, P.le S. Tommasi, 1, 67100 Coppito, Italy.
²⁴ Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Via Venezia 8, 35131 Padova, Italy.
²⁵ Department of Child Psychopathology, Scientific Institute IRCCS E. Medea, Via Don Luigi Monza 20, 23842 Bosisio Parini, Italy.

PMID: 34067874
PMCID: PMC8156743
DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11050654

Abstract

Background: Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is frequent in childhood and may have long-term sequelae. By employing an evidence-based approach, this scoping review aims at identifying (a) early predictors of DLD; (b) the optimal age range for the use of screening and diagnostic tools; (c) effective diagnostic tools in preschool children.

Methods: We considered systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and primary observational studies with control groups on predictive, sensitivity and specificity values of screening and diagnostic tools and psycholinguistic measures for the assessment of DLD in preschool children. We identified 37 studies, consisting of 10 systematic reviews and 27 primary studies.

Results: Delay in gesture production, receptive and/or expressive vocabulary, syntactic comprehension, or word combination up to 30 months emerged as early predictors of DLD, a family history of DLD appeared to be a major risk factor, and low socioeconomic status and environmental input were reported as risk factors with lower predictive power. Optimal time for screening is suggested between age 2 and 3, for diagnosis around age 4. Because of the high variability of sensitivity and specificity values, joint use of standardized and psycholinguistic measures is suggested to increase diagnostic accuracy.

Conclusions: Monitoring risk situations and employing caregivers' reports, clinical assessment and multiple linguistic measures are fundamental for an early identification of DLD and timely interventions.

Keywords: age of assessment; developmental language disorder; diagnostic tools; early predictors; evidence-based medicine; language delay; late talkers; screening tools.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

**Figure 1**
Flow diagram of the included studies.

See this image and copyright information in PMC

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Developmental Language Disorder: Early Predictors, Age for the Diagnosis, and Diagnostic Tools. A Scoping Review

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Developmental Language Disorder: Early Predictors, Age for the Diagnosis, and Diagnostic Tools. A Scoping Review

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