ABSTRACT
It is inevitable that we will eventually possess the means to reliably identify many, perhaps most, young children who are at risk for developing language impairments. As chaotic as our efforts may seem at times, we are making steady progress in our knowledge of early development. Breakthroughs in genetics and neuroscience may further accelerate the pace of progress. Meanwhile we are developing a more sophisticated understanding of environmental effects and risk factors. As more and more young children participate in preschool and child-care programs, the age at which children are identified with language impairments will continue to drop.
