A Follow-up Study of Children with Phonologic Disorders of Unknown Origin

Recent emphasis on early intervention programming for children with speech delays of unknown origin has yielded considerable literature on alternative forms of assessment and management. Less is known about the long-term special educational needs of such children. This study reviews the exceptional educational needs histories of 36 children who had received preschool speech services at a phonology clinic. Findings indicate that a high percentage of children continued to have speech and language and other special educational needs as they neared middle school and beyond. Many children eventually required special class placements. Discussion focuses on issues in classification, prediction, and management. On the bases of both original and follow-up data in this and other studies, the term phonological disorder appears to be appropriate for approximately 75%-80% of children referred early for speech disorders of unknown origin.