IngentaConnect Discourse after Closed Head Injury in Young Children

Authors: Chapman S.B.¹; Levin H.S.²; Wanek A.¹; Weyrauch J.¹; Kufera J.²

Source: Brain and Language, Volume 61, Number 3, February 1998 , pp. 420-449(30)

Abstract:

This study examined narrative discourse in 23 children, ages 6 to 8 years, who sustained a severe closed head injury (CHI) at least 1 year prior to assessment. Narratives were analyzed at multiple levels using language and information structure measures. Results revealed significant discourse impairments in the CHI group on all measures of information structure, whereas differences in the linguistic domain failed to reach significance. In addition, effects of age at injury and lateralization of lesion on discourse were considered. Although no significant differences were found according to age at injury, a consistent pattern of generally poorer discourse scores was found for the early injured group (<5 years). With regard to lesion focus, the group findings were unimpressive. However, preliminary examination of individual CHI cases with relatively large lateralized lesions suggested that the late injured children may show the language-brain patterns reported in brain-injured adults, whereas early injured children may not. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.

Language: English

Document Type: Research article

Affiliations: 1: Callier Center for Communication Disorders, University of Texas, Dallas, Texas 2: Division of Neurological Surgery, University of Maryland Medical System, Baltimore, Maryland

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