Specific Language Impairment in School Age children: literature review

Abstract

Introduction: There is significant damage in school learning process resulting from specific language impairment not detected and treated in due time. Difficulties caused by this disorder may lead to persistence into adolescence and adulthood and depending on its severity there is a probability of not being overcome. Objective: To conduct a systematic review of studies on the specific language impairment in children 6-14 years. Method: A literature review was carried on the following databases: SciELO Chile, SciELO Brazil, ProQuest and EBSCO. Information search was undertaken from March and August 2014, taking into account the period from 2004 to 2014. Databases were searched for the following key terms: Child Language, Language Disorders and Language Development, including publications in Spanish, English and Portuguese. Results: After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, the 22 articles selected showed a higher number of publications from 2011, in English, with focus on childhood and covering both cognitive and linguistic aspects. Conclusion: Studies with school-age subjects between 10 and 14 years old are less numerous. The review highlights the limited literature in Latin American Spanish.