To study (a) if children with Language delay (LD) or Typical Language (TL) at 2½ y of age had persistent or transient language difficulties at 6 y of age and, (b) whether or not children with LD at 2½ y of age had language or neuropsychiatric impairments at school age.

At the 2½-y language screening 25 children with LD and children with TL were recruited. At 6-y 22 children from the LD group and 77 children from the TL group were examined. The 7-8-y follow–up concerned 21 of the 22 children with LD who participated at age 6 y. The 6-y examination included several tests of language and linguistic awareness. The 7-8-y follow-up consisted of a multidisciplinary examination of language, intellectual functions and neuropsychiatric disorders.

The 6-y examination showed a highly significant difference between the children with and without LD. At age 7-8 years 62% of the LD children had a neuropsychiatric diagnosis (ADHD or ASD). Half of them also had marked problems with narrative skill according to the Bus Story test and the NEPSY Narrative Memory Subtest independently of co-occurrence of neuropsychiatric disorder.

All children with LD at age 2½ y appeared to be at later risk of ADHD or ASD. Remaining language problems at age 6 y predicted the presence of neuropsychiatric disorders at age 7-8 years. The observed difficulties in the LD children indicate that these children are at high risk of developing problems concerning reading and writing.