Developmental Language Disorder and Uninhibited Primitive Reflexes in Young Children

Abstract

Purpose

Developmental language disorder (DLD) is a developmental disorder where children fail to acquire language in the absence of a clear cause. Many studies have reported general motor deficits in children with DLD, but no studies have uncovered a cure. The purpose of our study is to better understand the underlying motor deficits in DLD, starting from uninhibited primary reflexes—which are the most basic stage of motor development. Knowledge of this motor–language relationship should lead to earlier and more targeted interventions in young children with DLD.

Method

Children with DLD ( n = 75, age range: 4–10 years) and 99 age-matched typically developing (TD) children completed a nonword repetition test to assess DLD and six other tests to assess primitive reflexes.

Results

Children with DLD demonstrated higher levels of persistent primitive reflexes compared to TD children. As the scores for neuromotor immaturity increased, nonword repetition test scores decreased ( r = −.44, p < .01). Results indicated that TD children exhibited lower neuromotor immaturity ( M = 7.63, SD = 3.75) compared to children with DLD ( M = 13.51, SD = 4.47). All primitive reflexes (the Moro reflex, the symmetrical tonic neck reflex in flexion and in extension, the asymmetrical tonic neck reflex, the tonic labyrinthine reflex, and the Galant reflex) turned out to be statistically significantly different for the TD and DLD groups ( p < .001). We also observed some differences between sexes.

Conclusions

Children with impaired language development underwent slower neuromotor development. However, further research is needed to determine whether motor intervention programs that inhibit primitive reflexes are helpful for children with DLD.