Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 November 2008
This study examined the onset and acquisition of language comprehension and production in a language delayed child through the analysis of a daily diary kept from 2;5 to 3;10, in order to determine whether such data might contribute to our understanding of normal language development. The onset of both comprehension and production was substantially delayed, yet both underwent word spurts that approximated the normal rate of acquisition. The gap between comprehension and production was also greater than that found in normal children. The existence of the normal spurts was interpreted as indicating biologically determined milestones that are vital in the acquisition process. It is suggested that clinical intervention should set these milestones as goals of therapy.