This project asks why some neurodivergent children develop no or minimal spoken language during childhood. Primary school aged children with autism, intellectual disability and/or other genetic conditions will be followed over a period of three years, to investigate differences in their language and communication trajectories in a longitudinal observational study. The project is deliberately inclusive and transdiagnostic, targetting any 4 to 12 year olds who are unable to use spoken language in a flexible, frequent and communicative way. We are particularly interested in how sensory-motor skills relate to expressive language development, and how prevalent speech-motor planning difficulties are in this population. It will harness parent-gathered data using technology (e.g. smartphones, wearable devices), to maximise participation and obtain a realistic picture of everyday language use. This will help us understand why some neurodivergent people have difficulty acquiring oral communication skills, and how best to support them. This project is supported by a Dorothy Hodgkin Research Fellowship awarded to Dr Jo Saul in November 2022 and its aims and methods have been guided by a steering group comprising parents and professionals with lived experience of caring for minimally verbal or non-speaking children.
