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Expressive language delay

MedGen UID:
141568
Concept ID:
C0454641
Disease or Syndrome
Synonym: Delayed expressive language
SNOMED CT: Developmental expressive language delay (229734008); Expressive developmental language delay (229734008); Expressive language delay (229734008)
 
HPO: HP:0002474

Definition

A delay in the acquisition of the ability to use language to communicate needs, wishes, or thoughts. [from HPO]

Conditions with this feature

Sotos syndrome
MedGen UID:
61232
Concept ID:
C0175695
Disease or Syndrome
Sotos syndrome is characterized by a distinctive facial appearance (broad and prominent forehead with a dolichocephalic head shape, sparse frontotemporal hair, downslanting palpebral fissures, malar flushing, long and narrow face, long chin); learning disability (early developmental delay, mild-to-severe intellectual impairment); and overgrowth (height and/or head circumference =2 SD above the mean). These three clinical features are considered the cardinal features of Sotos syndrome. Major features of Sotos syndrome include behavioral problems (most notably autistic spectrum disorder), advanced bone age, cardiac anomalies, cranial MRI/CT abnormalities, joint hyperlaxity with or without pes planus, maternal preeclampsia, neonatal complications, renal anomalies, scoliosis, and seizures.
Floating-Harbor syndrome
MedGen UID:
152667
Concept ID:
C0729582
Disease or Syndrome
Floating-Harbor syndrome (FHS) is characterized by typical craniofacial features; low birth weight, normal head circumference, and short stature; bone age delay that normalizes between ages six and 12 years; skeletal anomalies (brachydactyly, clubbing, clinodactyly, short thumbs, prominent joints, clavicular abnormalities); severe receptive and expressive language impairment; hypernasality and high-pitched voice; and intellectual disability that is typically mild to moderate. Difficulties with temperament and behavior that are present in many children tend to improve in adulthood. Other features can include hyperopia and/or strabismus, conductive hearing loss, seizures, gastroesophageal reflux, renal anomalies (e.g., hydronephrosis / renal pelviectasis, cysts, and/or agenesis), and genital anomalies (e.g., hypospadias and/or undescended testes).
Familial developmental dysphasia
MedGen UID:
374015
Concept ID:
C1838630
Disease or Syndrome
A severe form of developmental verbal apraxia with characteristics of a deficit in spontaneous speech, writing, grammatical judgment and repetition, defective articulation, moderate to severe degree of dyspraxia, a reduced use of consonant clusters and comprehension delay. Hearing and intelligence are normal. Inheritance is autosomal dominant with full penetrance.
Specific language impairment 2
MedGen UID:
338273
Concept ID:
C1847605
Disease or Syndrome
Specific language impairment (SLI) is diagnosed in children who exhibit significant language deficits despite adequate educational opportunity and normal nonverbal intelligence. SLI2 represents a locus influencing language-related traits on chromosome 19q (SLI Consortium, 2002, SLI Consortium, 2004). For a phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of specific language impairment, see SLI1 (602081).
Potocki-Lupski syndrome
MedGen UID:
444010
Concept ID:
C2931246
Disease or Syndrome
Potocki-Lupski syndrome (PTLS) is characterized by cognitive, behavioral, and medical manifestations. Cognitively, most individuals present with developmental delay, later meeting criteria for moderate intellectual disability. Behaviorally, issues with attention, hyperactivity, withdrawal, and anxiety may be seen. Some individuals meet criteria for autism spectrum disorder. Medically, hypotonia, oropharyngeal dysphagia leading to failure to thrive, congenital heart disease, hypoglycemia associated with growth hormone deficiency, and mildly dysmorphic facial features are observed. Medical manifestations typically lead to identification of PTLS in infancy; however, those with only behavioral and cognitive manifestations may be identified in later childhood.
Intellectual disability, autosomal recessive 18
MedGen UID:
481895
Concept ID:
C3280265
Mental or Behavioral Dysfunction
MRT18 is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by impaired intellectual development with or without epilepsy. Other features may include spasticity, congenital heart disease, brain abnormalities, and atypical electroencephalography (summary by Trehan et al., 2015).
Chromosome 10q23 deletion syndrome
MedGen UID:
906099
Concept ID:
C4225669
Disease or Syndrome
The 10q22.3-q23.2 region is characterized by a complex set of low-copy repeats (LCRs), which can give rise to various genomic changes mediated by nonallelic homologous recombination (NAHR). Recurrent deletions of chromosome 10q22.3-q23.2, including the BMPR1A gene (601299) have been associated with dysmorphic facies, developmental delay, and multiple congenital anomalies. Some patients with deletions that extend distally to include the PTEN gene (601728) have a more severe phenotype with infantile/juvenile polyposis, macrocephaly, dysmorphic facial features, and developmental delay (summary by van Bon et al., 2011).
Optic atrophy 11
MedGen UID:
934595
Concept ID:
C4310628
Disease or Syndrome
Optic atrophy-11 (OPA11) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by delayed psychomotor development, intellectual disability, ataxia, optic atrophy, and leukoencephalopathy on brain imaging. Laboratory studies are consistent with mitochondrial dysfunction (summary by Hartmann et al., 2016). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of optic atrophy, see OPA1 (165500).
Intellectual disability, autosomal dominant 42
MedGen UID:
934741
Concept ID:
C4310774
Mental or Behavioral Dysfunction
GNB1 encephalopathy (GNB1-E) is characterized by moderate-to-severe developmental delay / intellectual disability, structural brain abnormalities, and often infantile hypotonia and seizures. Other less common findings include dystonia, reduced vision, behavior issues, growth delay, gastrointestinal (GI) problems, genitourinary (GU) abnormalities in males, and cutaneous mastocytosis.
Mullegama-Klein-Martinez syndrome
MedGen UID:
1683985
Concept ID:
C5193008
Disease or Syndrome
Mullegama-Klein-Martinez syndrome (MKMS) is an X-linked recessive disorder with features of microcephaly, microtia, hearing loss, developmental delay, dysmorphic features, congenital heart defect, and digit abnormalities. Females are generally affected more severely than males (Mullegama et al., 2019).
Neurodevelopmental disorder with cardiomyopathy, spasticity, and brain abnormalities
MedGen UID:
1750805
Concept ID:
C5436848
Disease or Syndrome
Neurodevelopmental disorder with cardiomyopathy, spasticity, and brain abnormalities (NEDCASB) is an autosomal recessive multisystemic disorder characterized by global neurodevelopmental delay, severely impaired intellectual development, poor overall growth, and spasticity of the lower limbs resulting in gait difficulties. Most affected individuals also develop progressive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in childhood or have cardiac developmental anomalies. Additional more variable features include dysmorphic facies and axonal sensory peripheral neuropathy. Brain imaging tends to show thin corpus callosum and polymicrogyria (summary by Garcia-Cazorla et al., 2020).
Neurologic, endocrine, and pancreatic disease, multisystem, infantile-onset 2
MedGen UID:
1778117
Concept ID:
C5543623
Disease or Syndrome
Infantile-onset multisystem neurologic, endocrine, and pancreatic disease-2 (IMNEPD2) is an autosomal recessive multisystemic disorder characterized by cholestatic hepatitis, poor feeding associated with poor overall growth, and hypoglycemia apparent from infancy. Most, but not all, patients have variable global developmental delay. Additional common features include sensorineural deafness, retinal abnormalities with visual defects, and hypotonia. Some patients have endocrine abnormalities, including hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia, pancreatic dysfunction, hypothyroidism, and primary amenorrhea. Additional features may include hypertriglyceridemia, anemia, proteinuria, increased lactate, and recurrent infections. Brain imaging often shows dysmyelination, thin corpus callosum, cerebral atrophy, and white matter abnormalities. Although the clinical manifestations and severity of the disorder are highly variable, death in early childhood may occur (summary by Williams et al., 2019 and Zeiad et al., 2021). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of IMNEPD, see IMNEPD1 (616263).
Parkinsonism-dystonia 3, childhood-onset
MedGen UID:
1808365
Concept ID:
C5676913
Disease or Syndrome
Childhood-onset parkinsonism-dystonia-3 (PKDYS3) is an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder with onset in infancy or early childhood. Affected individuals present with progressive movement abnormalities, including parkinsonism with tremor, dystonia, myoclonus ataxia, and hyperkinetic movements such as ballismus. The parkinsonism features may be responsive to treatment with levodopa, although many patients develop levodopa-induced dyskinesia. Some patients may have mild cognitive impairment or psychiatric disturbances (summary by Burke et al., 2018 and Skorvanek et al., 2022). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of PKDYS, see 613135.
Branchial arch abnormalities, choanal atresia, athelia, hearing loss, and hypothyroidism syndrome
MedGen UID:
1824056
Concept ID:
C5774283
Disease or Syndrome
Branchial arch abnormalities, choanal atresia, athelia, hearing loss, and hypothyroidism syndrome (BCAHH) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by choanal atresia, athelia or hypoplastic nipples, branchial sinus abnormalities, neck pits, lacrimal duct anomalies, hearing loss, external ear malformations, and thyroid abnormalities. Additional features may include developmental delay, impaired intellectual development, and growth failure/retardation (summary by Cuvertino et al., 2020 and Baldridge et al., 2020).
Hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia, familial, 8
MedGen UID:
1824072
Concept ID:
C5774299
Disease or Syndrome
Familial hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia-8 (HHF8) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by protein-related hypoglycemia and persistent mild hyperammonemia (summary by Shahroor et al., 2022). For a phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of familial hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia, see HHF1 (256450).
Congenital myopathy 22A, classic
MedGen UID:
1841089
Concept ID:
C5830453
Disease or Syndrome
Classic congenital myopathy-22A (CMYO22A) is an autosomal recessive muscle disorder characterized by onset of muscle weakness in utero or soon after birth. Early features may include fetal hypokinesia, breech presentation, and polyhydramnios. Affected individuals are born with severe hypotonia and require respiratory and feeding assistance. Those who survive the neonatal period show a 'classic' phenotype of congenital myopathy with delayed motor development, difficulty walking, proximal muscle weakness of the upper and lower limbs, facial and neck muscle weakness, easy fatigability, and mild limb contractures or foot deformities. Some have persistent respiratory insufficiency; dysmorphic facial features may be present (Zaharieva et al., 2016). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of congenital myopathy, see CMYO1A (117000).
Congenital myopathy 22B, severe fetal
MedGen UID:
1841137
Concept ID:
C5830501
Disease or Syndrome
Severe fetal congenital myopathy-22B (CMYO22B) is an autosomal recessive muscle disorder characterized by in utero onset of severe muscle weakness manifest as fetal akinesia. The pregnancies are often complicated by polyhydramnios, and affected individuals develop fetal hydrops with pulmonary hypoplasia, severe joint contractures, and generalized muscle hypoplasia. Those who are born have respiratory failure resulting in death. Dysmorphic facial features may be present. The features in these patients overlap with fetal akinesia deformation sequence (FADS; see 208150) and lethal congenital contractures syndrome (LCCS; see 253310) (Zaharieva et al., 2016). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of congenital myopathy, see CMYO1A (117000).
Nemaline myopathy 5C, autosomal dominant
MedGen UID:
1841185
Concept ID:
C5830549
Disease or Syndrome
Autosomal dominant nemaline myopathy-5C (NEM5C) is a relatively mild skeletal muscle disorder with wide clinical variability, even within families. Affected individuals develop symptoms of muscle weakness in the first or second decades; those with earlier onset tend to have a more severe disease course. Features include difficulty walking on the heels, waddling gait, proximal muscle weakness affecting the upper and lower limbs, and Gowers sign. Additional features may include myopathic facies, high-arched palate, scoliosis or kyphosis, and ankle weakness. Patients remain ambulatory into late adulthood. Skeletal muscle biopsy shows hypotrophy of type 1 fibers, hypertrophy of type 2 fibers, fiber size variation, and myofibrillar disorganization. Nemaline rods in type 1 fibers are often observed, but are not always present (Konersman et al., 2017; Holling et al., 2022). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of nemaline myopathy, see NEM2 (256030).
Intellectual developmental disorder, autosomal dominant 73
MedGen UID:
1841272
Concept ID:
C5830636
Mental or Behavioral Dysfunction
Autosomal dominant intellectual developmental disorder-73 (MRD73) is a highly variable neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired intellectual development that ranges from mild to severe, speech delay, behavioral abnormalities, and nonspecific dysmorphic facial features (Janssen et al., 2022).
Alfadhel syndrome
MedGen UID:
1845825
Concept ID:
C5882735
Disease or Syndrome
Alfadhel syndrome (AFDL) is an autosomal recessive neurodevelopmental disorder with features of global developmental delay, hypotonia, and facial dysmorphism (Asiri et al., 2020, Bertoli-Avella et al., 2021).

Professional guidelines

PubMed

Neumann K, Kauschke C, Fox-Boyer A, Lüke C, Sallat S, Kiese-Himmel C
Dtsch Arztebl Int 2024 Mar 8;121(5):155-162. doi: 10.3238/arztebl.m2024.0004. PMID: 38377329
Chung WK, Herrera FF; Simon's Searchlight Foundation
Cold Spring Harb Mol Case Stud 2023 Dec;9(4) Epub 2024 Jan 10 doi: 10.1101/mcs.a006316. PMID: 38050025Free PMC Article
Liu XL, Zahrt DM, Simms MD
Pediatr Clin North Am 2018 Feb;65(1):73-90. doi: 10.1016/j.pcl.2017.08.022. PMID: 29173721

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Neumann K, Kauschke C, Fox-Boyer A, Lüke C, Sallat S, Kiese-Himmel C
Dtsch Arztebl Int 2024 Mar 8;121(5):155-162. doi: 10.3238/arztebl.m2024.0004. PMID: 38377329
Senent-Capuz N, Baixauli-Fortea I, Moret-Tatay C
Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021 Aug 3;18(15) doi: 10.3390/ijerph18158214. PMID: 34360506Free PMC Article
Thurm A, Manwaring SS, Cardozo Jimenez C, Swineford L, Farmer C, Gallo R, Maeda M
Infant Ment Health J 2018 Sep;39(5):569-580. Epub 2018 Aug 14 doi: 10.1002/imhj.21735. PMID: 30105861Free PMC Article
de Vries BB, Tyson J, Winter RM, Malcolm S
Am J Med Genet 2002 Apr 22;109(2):117-20. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.10318. PMID: 11977159
McDade A, McCartan P
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Diagnosis

Neumann K, Kauschke C, Fox-Boyer A, Lüke C, Sallat S, Kiese-Himmel C
Dtsch Arztebl Int 2024 Mar 8;121(5):155-162. doi: 10.3238/arztebl.m2024.0004. PMID: 38377329
Feltner C, Wallace IF, Nowell SW, Orr CJ, Raffa B, Middleton JC, Vaughan J, Baker C, Chou R, Kahwati L
JAMA 2024 Jan 23;331(4):335-351. doi: 10.1001/jama.2023.24647. PMID: 38261038
Liu XL, Zahrt DM, Simms MD
Pediatr Clin North Am 2018 Feb;65(1):73-90. doi: 10.1016/j.pcl.2017.08.022. PMID: 29173721
Nelson RA, McNamara M, Ellis W, Stein-Wexler R, Moghaddam B, Zwerdling T
Am J Med Genet A 2009 Oct;149A(10):2265-9. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.a.33014. PMID: 19764022
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Clin Dysmorphol 2004 Jul;13(3):191-194. doi: 10.1097/01.mcd.0000134479.65125.08. PMID: 15194959

Therapy

Feltner C, Wallace IF, Nowell SW, Orr CJ, Raffa B, Middleton JC, Vaughan J, Baker C, Chou R, Kahwati L
JAMA 2024 Jan 23;331(4):335-351. doi: 10.1001/jama.2023.24647. PMID: 38261038
Cohenour TL, Gulsrud A, Kasari C
Autism Res 2023 Sep;16(9):1739-1749. Epub 2023 Jul 5 doi: 10.1002/aur.2973. PMID: 37408377Free PMC Article
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Horm Res Paediatr 2019;92(2):115-123. Epub 2019 Nov 12 doi: 10.1159/000503782. PMID: 31715605
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Int J Lang Commun Disord 2019 May;54(3):451-464. Epub 2019 Jan 24 doi: 10.1111/1460-6984.12451. PMID: 30680870
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Arch Dis Child 2009 Feb;94(2):110-6. Epub 2008 Aug 14 doi: 10.1136/adc.2008.141572. PMID: 18703544Free PMC Article

Prognosis

Everitt A, Hannaford P, Conti-Ramsden G
Int J Lang Commun Disord 2013 Sep-Oct;48(5):534-53. Epub 2013 Jul 25 doi: 10.1111/1460-6984.12028. PMID: 24033652
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Clinical prediction guides

Thurm A, Manwaring SS, Cardozo Jimenez C, Swineford L, Farmer C, Gallo R, Maeda M
Infant Ment Health J 2018 Sep;39(5):569-580. Epub 2018 Aug 14 doi: 10.1002/imhj.21735. PMID: 30105861Free PMC Article
Everitt A, Hannaford P, Conti-Ramsden G
Int J Lang Commun Disord 2013 Sep-Oct;48(5):534-53. Epub 2013 Jul 25 doi: 10.1111/1460-6984.12028. PMID: 24033652
Nelson RA, McNamara M, Ellis W, Stein-Wexler R, Moghaddam B, Zwerdling T
Am J Med Genet A 2009 Oct;149A(10):2265-9. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.a.33014. PMID: 19764022
Buysse K, Menten B, Oostra A, Tavernier S, Mortier GR, Speleman F
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J Child Psychol Psychiatry 1986 Jul;27(4):545-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.1986.tb00641.x. PMID: 3745353

Recent systematic reviews

Feltner C, Wallace IF, Nowell SW, Orr CJ, Raffa B, Middleton JC, Vaughan J, Baker C, Chou R, Kahwati L
JAMA 2024 Jan 23;331(4):335-351. doi: 10.1001/jama.2023.24647. PMID: 38261038

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