The Idea of an Essay, Volume 4

178 The Idea of an Essay: Volume 4 speech disorders, evaluating aspects from the first steps of recognition and diagnosis, to treatment and management. Geytenbeek, J., Harlaar, L., Stam, M., Ket, H., Becher, J. G., Oostrom, K., & Vermeulen, J. (2010). Utility of language comprehension tests for unintelligible or non-speaking children with cerebral palsy: a systematic review Review. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology , 52(12), e267. doi:10.1111/j.1469- 8749.2010.03807.x This article aims to identify and understand the utility of standardized tests on non-vocal children with cerebral palsy. Because children with severe cerebral palsy have severely limited mobility, impairments in expressive and receptive communication skills are prevalent in children with severe cerebral palsy. This requires an evaluation of comprehension in spoken and written language, particularly in standardized tests. Twelve standardized tests were identified for this experiment, all of which were developed for children without limited mobility. Only one of these tests was revised and used for children with severe cerebral palsy, hence, a language comprehension test specifically designed for these children is necessary. Larsson, M., Dahlgren Sandberg, A. D., & Smith, M. (2009). Early reading and spelling abilities in children with severe speech and physical impairments: A cross-linguistic comparison. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 30, 77–95. Because non-spoken individuals may develop articulatory code differently than spoken children, spelling and reading abilities may vary, in addition to possibly delayed onset. This article uncovers such implications in attempt to understand possible mechanisms for spelling and reading issues and probable solutions. Lund, S., & Light, J. (2007). Long-term outcomes for individuals who use augmentative and alternative communication: