Study on Prediction of Prognosis in Specific Language Impaired Preschoolers

This study was carried out in order to predict the prognosis of children with specific language impairment. Subjects were 134 children who were diagnosed as specific language impairment under the age of three. Their language development was estimated by the developmental test (Kyoto scale of psychological development). They were follow up before the entrance into primary school. Cox\u27s proportional hazard regression model was used to investigate whether any factors of the developmental test were confounding the underlying catch up time. The language-social developmental quotient on Kyoto scale of psychological development was identified as prognostic factors of catch up time. It was useful for purpose of prognosis to classify specific language impairment into two subtypes according to the results of the language-social developmental quotient. In the group having language-social developmental quotient below 72.5, the prognosis of language development was poor. These children should be received continuous intervention as early as preschool period