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Communication development in Angelman's syndrome
Author(s) -
JOLLEFF N,
RYAN M M
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
international journal of language and communication disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.101
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1460-6984
pISSN - 1368-2822
DOI - 10.1111/j.1460-6984.1995.tb01676.x
Subject(s) - psychology , gesture , nonverbal communication , manual communication , developmental psychology , angelman syndrome , augmentative and alternative communication , remedial education , communication disorder , language development , dyad , sign language , cognitive psychology , linguistics , language disorder , cognition , mathematics education , philosophy , biochemistry , chemistry , neuroscience , psychiatry , gene
This paper describes the communication development in 11 children with Angelman's syndrome. We have investigated the clinical observation that these children appear to have a greater ability with receptive rather than expressive language and assessed these skills using published communication schedules; the Bzoch‐League (REEL) Scale and the Pre‐verbal Communication Schedule. In addition, we looked at the understanding and use of non‐verbal communication, such as natural gesture. The data collected did not, in fact, show a significant gap between receptive and expressive skills, except in the older children, but it did highlight the fact that these children develop very few words and have difficulty in using gestural or sign systems. It also emphasised the different patterns of ability in familial and non‐familial cases, although the small numbers in this study made it inappropriate to conclude anything significant from the data. The results of the study will be presented and the implications for the children's remedial programmes will be discussed, particularly in the use of Makaton signing and other methods of augmentative communication.