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Beyond Toddlerhood: Rates of Impairment, Strengths, and Challenges in the Communication Outcomes of Former Late Talkers.

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Title: Beyond Toddlerhood: Rates of Impairment, Strengths, and Challenges in the Communication Outcomes of Former Late Talkers.
Authors: Mettler, Heidi M.1,2 mettler@uic.edu, Figueroa, Cecilia R.1, Leon, Kimberly1, Alt, Mary1
Source: Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research. Feb2026, Vol. 69 Issue 2, p679-705. 27p.
Subject Terms: *Language & languages, *Communication, *Literacy, *Cognition, *Language acquisition, Speech disorder diagnosis, Word deafness, Research funding, Probability theory, Analysis of covariance, Descriptive statistics, Diagnostic errors, Data analysis software, Psychology of parents
Abstract: Purpose: In this follow-up study, we examined outcomes of children previously identified as late talkers in toddlerhood. Our goals included determining the prevalence of language/literacy disorders in our sample and describing childrens outcomes related to oral language, literacy, cognition, and speech. Method: We administered a battery of behavioral measures to 40 English-speaking children ages 3]=-10 years. We used psychometrically sound tests to identify language/literacy disorders and then compared children with a disorder to those without on our other measures. Results: Of the children we could test with confidence, 19 of 36 (52.8%) presented with a language/literacy disorder based on the Structured Photographic Expressive Language Test--Preschool, Second Edition or the Test of Integrated Language and Literacy Skills Identification Core Score. When we included children with substantially delayed or disordered speech, the total number of children with speech difficulties or a language/literacy impairment was 22 of 39 (56.4%). Bayesian independent-samples t tests showed compelling evidence that those without a language/literacy disorder outperformed those with a disorder on vocabulary, phonemic awareness, spelling, reading comprehension, reading fluency, articulation, and a working memory forward cognitive measure. There was no compelling evidence for group differences on listening comprehension, writing, nonverbal intelligence, and cognitive measures of attention and working memory backward. Conclusion: Using sound diagnostic tests, rates of language/literacy disorders in our sample of former late talkers were higher than past findings in the literature, highlighting the seriousness of late talking as a red flag for future difficulties in advanced oral language and literacy skills. Supplemental Material: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.31041715 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research is the property of American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Education Research Complete
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  Data: Beyond Toddlerhood: Rates of Impairment, Strengths, and Challenges in the Communication Outcomes of Former Late Talkers.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Speech%2C+Language+%26+Hearing+Research%22">Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research</searchLink>. Feb2026, Vol. 69 Issue 2, p679-705. 27p.
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+%26+languages%22">Language & languages</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Communication%22">Communication</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Literacy%22">Literacy</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cognition%22">Cognition</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+acquisition%22">Language acquisition</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Speech+disorder+diagnosis%22">Speech disorder diagnosis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Word+deafness%22">Word deafness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+funding%22">Research funding</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Probability+theory%22">Probability theory</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Analysis+of+covariance%22">Analysis of covariance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Descriptive+statistics%22">Descriptive statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Diagnostic+errors%22">Diagnostic errors</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+analysis+software%22">Data analysis software</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychology+of+parents%22">Psychology of parents</searchLink>
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  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Purpose: In this follow-up study, we examined outcomes of children previously identified as late talkers in toddlerhood. Our goals included determining the prevalence of language/literacy disorders in our sample and describing childrens outcomes related to oral language, literacy, cognition, and speech. Method: We administered a battery of behavioral measures to 40 English-speaking children ages 3]=-10 years. We used psychometrically sound tests to identify language/literacy disorders and then compared children with a disorder to those without on our other measures. Results: Of the children we could test with confidence, 19 of 36 (52.8%) presented with a language/literacy disorder based on the Structured Photographic Expressive Language Test--Preschool, Second Edition or the Test of Integrated Language and Literacy Skills Identification Core Score. When we included children with substantially delayed or disordered speech, the total number of children with speech difficulties or a language/literacy impairment was 22 of 39 (56.4%). Bayesian independent-samples t tests showed compelling evidence that those without a language/literacy disorder outperformed those with a disorder on vocabulary, phonemic awareness, spelling, reading comprehension, reading fluency, articulation, and a working memory forward cognitive measure. There was no compelling evidence for group differences on listening comprehension, writing, nonverbal intelligence, and cognitive measures of attention and working memory backward. Conclusion: Using sound diagnostic tests, rates of language/literacy disorders in our sample of former late talkers were higher than past findings in the literature, highlighting the seriousness of late talking as a red flag for future difficulties in advanced oral language and literacy skills. Supplemental Material: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.31041715 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research is the property of American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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