Maternal Child-Directed Speech toward Children with Infantile Spasm or West Syndrome
Saved in:
| Title: | Maternal Child-Directed Speech toward Children with Infantile Spasm or West Syndrome |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Le Normand M. T., Christelle Gosme, Marluce Leitgel-Gille, Roberta Simas, Xavier Jeudon, Bernard Golse, Lisa Ouss |
| Source: | International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders. 2026 61(2). |
| Availability: | Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 15 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Parent Child Relationship, Interpersonal Communication, Mothers, Seizures, Intellectual Disability, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Speech Communication, Language Usage, Developmental Stages, Interaction, Toddlers, Foreign Countries |
| Geographic Terms: | France |
| DOI: | 10.1111/1460-6984.70215 |
| ISSN: | 1368-2822 1460-6984 |
| Abstract: | Background: Maternal child-directed speech (MCDS) plays a critical role in early language and communicative development, yet little is known about how it adapts to neurodevelopmental conditions such as Infantile Spasms/West Syndrome (WS), particularly when co-occurring with intellectual disability (WID) or autism spectrum disorder (WASD). Aims: This study investigated how mothers adapt their speech when interacting with children with WS, including those with WID and WASD, compared to age-matched typically developing (TD) children. Methods and Procedures: Forty-four mother--child dyads participated in standardized free play sessions. MCDS was transcribed and analysed using the Child Language Data Exchange System (CHILDES), focusing on lexical diversity, noun, verb, adjective and pragmatic features (e.g., exclamations, directiveness, questions, attention-directing expressions, mental state references). Outcomes and Results: Lexical diversity did not differ significantly between groups. However, clear group differences were found in pragmatic use: mothers of children with WS produced more exclamations, attention-directing expressions, and mental state references, suggesting adaptive strategies to sustain engagement. In the WS and TD groups, MCDS features were significantly associated with children's developmental quotients (DQ), a pattern not observed in the WID or WASD subgroups. Conclusions and Implications: Findings suggest that mothers flexibly adjust their communicative input to children's developmental and interactional needs, with unique adaptations evident in WS. These results underscore the importance of tailoring parent-mediated interventions to support communication in children with complex neurodevelopmental contexts. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1500692 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Background: Maternal child-directed speech (MCDS) plays a critical role in early language and communicative development, yet little is known about how it adapts to neurodevelopmental conditions such as Infantile Spasms/West Syndrome (WS), particularly when co-occurring with intellectual disability (WID) or autism spectrum disorder (WASD). Aims: This study investigated how mothers adapt their speech when interacting with children with WS, including those with WID and WASD, compared to age-matched typically developing (TD) children. Methods and Procedures: Forty-four mother--child dyads participated in standardized free play sessions. MCDS was transcribed and analysed using the Child Language Data Exchange System (CHILDES), focusing on lexical diversity, noun, verb, adjective and pragmatic features (e.g., exclamations, directiveness, questions, attention-directing expressions, mental state references). Outcomes and Results: Lexical diversity did not differ significantly between groups. However, clear group differences were found in pragmatic use: mothers of children with WS produced more exclamations, attention-directing expressions, and mental state references, suggesting adaptive strategies to sustain engagement. In the WS and TD groups, MCDS features were significantly associated with children's developmental quotients (DQ), a pattern not observed in the WID or WASD subgroups. Conclusions and Implications: Findings suggest that mothers flexibly adjust their communicative input to children's developmental and interactional needs, with unique adaptations evident in WS. These results underscore the importance of tailoring parent-mediated interventions to support communication in children with complex neurodevelopmental contexts. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1368-2822 1460-6984 |
| DOI: | 10.1111/1460-6984.70215 |
