ABSTRACT
Since the first half of the 19th century, there have been reports of children exhibiting inexplicable deficits in language ability. These children’s language difficulties are not accompanied by the problems so often associated with language disorders. Their hearing appears to be within normal limits, their scores on nonverbal tests of intelligence are within the normal range, and examination reveals no clear evidence of neurological impairment. The labels given to these children have varied over the decades, although in recent years, these children have most often been referred to as children with specific language impairment (SLI).
