Semantic pragmatic disorder

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Semantic-Pragmatic Disorder is a subtype of specific language impairment (SLI) that is often regarded to be a high-functioning autistic spectrum disorder. It was originally defined in the literature on Language Disorder in 1983, by Rapin and Allen, although at that time it was classified as a syndrome. [1] They referred to a group of children who presented with mild autistic features and specific semantic pragmatic language problems. More recently, the term "pragmatic language impariment" (PLI) has been proposed. [2][3]

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According to Bishop & Norbury (2002), children with semantic-pragmatic disorder have fluent, complex and clearly articulated expressive language but exhibit problems with the way their language is used. These children are typically:

  • verbose
  • have problems understanding and producing connected discourse
  • give conversational responses that are socially inappropriate, tangential and/or stereotyped.

There is a great deal of debate over the relationship between semantic-pragmatic disorder and autistic disorder as the clinical profile of semantic-pragmatic disorder is often seen in children with high-functioning autism.

For a while, some language therapists maintained there was still an important difference between children with semantic pragmatic disorder and children with autistic spectrum disorder . They believed the autistic features seen in children with semantic pragmatic disorder were only a result of their difficulty with language.

However, further research has shown that there is probably a single underlying cognitive impairment which produces both the autistic features and the semantic pragmatic disorder . The fact that children with semantic pragmatic disorder have problems understanding the meaning and significance of events, as well the meaning and significance of speech, seems to bear this out. For example, Shields, Varley, Broks, and Simpson (1996a, b) have concluded that semantic-pragmatic disorder is a form of high-functioning autism. [4][5]

Some researchers would contend this conclusion. For example, Bishop & Norbury (2002)[6] argue that "it is dangerous to assume that all children with pragmatic difficulties have autism or PDDNOS" (p.1) as they identified a subset of children with pragmatic difficulties who do not show other social and communication problems linked to autistic disorder. However, they acknowledge the similarities between autistic disorder and language impairment and argue that a dimensional model such as that proposed by Bishop (2000) may best explain the relationship between these disorders.

Hyperlexia is a similar but not the same disorder.

  1. ^ Rapin, I., & Allen, D. (1983). Developmental language disorders: Nosologic considerations. In U. Kirk (Ed.), Neuropsychology of language, reading, and spelling (pp. 155–184). : Academic Press.
  2. ^ Conti-Ramsden, G., & Botting, N. (1999). Classification of children with specific language impairment: Longitudinal considerations. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 42, 1195–1204.
  3. ^ Bishop, D.V.M. (2000). Pragmatic language impairment: A correlate of SLI, a distinct subgroup, or part of the autistic continuum? In D.V.M. Bishop & L.B. Leonard (Eds.), Speech and language impairments in children: Causes, characteristics, intervention and outcome (pp. 99–113). Hove, UK: Psychology Press.
  4. ^ Shields, J., Varley, R., Broks, P., & Simpson, A. (1996a). Social cognition in developmental language disorders and high-level autism. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 38, 487–495.
  5. ^ Shields, J., Varley, R., Broks, P., & Simpson, A. (1996b). Hemispheric function in developmental language disorders and high-level autism. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 38, 473–486.
  6. ^ Bishop, D.V.M. & Norbury, C.F. (2002). Exploring the borderlands of autistic disorder and specific language impairment: a study using standardised diagnostic instruments. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 43(7), 917-929.


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