Delays in the reading and spelling of children with cerebral palsy: Associations with phonological and visual processes.
In CP children with normal language, weak phonological or visual-sequential skills still signal reading and spelling delays.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Critten et al. (2019) looked at 15 children with cerebral palsy who speak in full sentences. All kids had normal language for their age.
The team gave short tests of phonological skill, visual memory, and visuospatial perception. They also checked reading and spelling age.
What they found
Kids who scored low on phonological games were the same ones who read slowly. Weak visual-sequential memory and poor visuospatial perception also linked to spelling trouble.
Even with intact language, these processing gaps created literacy delays.
How this fits with other research
Peeters et al. (2009) showed that low IQ plus poor speech predicts weak verbal working memory in CP. Valerie adds that phonological and visual gaps predict reading delays even when language looks fine.
van Rooijen et al. (2012) found that word decoding and fine motor skill drive math success in CP. Valerie mirrors the decoding part: how well kids handle sound and visual codes matters for literacy.
Van der Molen et al. (2010) reviewed Down syndrome and saw phonological awareness helps reading. Valerie gives the CP side: phonological weakness is a red flag here too.
Why it matters
Screen phonological and visual-sequential skills early in CP, not just speech. If either area is shaky, add extra reading supports before failure shows up. Use sound-segmenting games and visual sequence cards in your plan.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: This investigation addresses the question of whether there exists a significant discrepancy in the cognitive abilities of children with cerebral palsy (CP) who, despite the presence of age appropriate communication and language, have reading and spelling delays. AIMS: We wanted to discover whether there was a relationship between the phonological and visual perceptual abilities of children with CP and their progress in reading and spelling. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Fifteen children with CP (aged between 6:9 years and 11:6 years) were assessed on reading and spelling; communication and language; non-verbal reasoning; phonological processing; and visual perception. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Ten of the children had very weak reading and spelling skills. Five children had (mostly) age appropriate scores of reading and spelling. No differences were found between these two groups in non-verbal reasoning or communication and language. However, phonological abilities, visual sequential memory and perception of visuospatial relationships were found to be related to reading and spelling. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The findings suggest that children with CP are at risk for reading and spelling delays when they have poor phonological processing, visual sequential memory and perception of visuospatial relationships. The implications of the findings for classroom practice are discussed.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2019 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2018.12.001