Semantic-pragmatic disorder is very similar to Asperger Syndrome and a common characteristic of people with nonverbal learning disabilities and hyperlexia. The condition involves deficits in social and nonverbal communication such as the give and take of communication as well as interpreting cues from body language and expression. While Semantic-Pragmatic Disorder itself is almost always milder than Asperger's, the vast majority of people with Asperger Syndrome have pragmatic language deficits and could benefit from the techniques for dealing with this disorder. Semantic-Pragmatic Disorder may be a variant PDD or it may be just a descriptive term for the language impairment in autistic spectrum disorders. The following is the summary from SEMANTIC PRAGMATIC IMPAIRMENTS by Dr. Jane Shields: "Semantic Pragmatic Disorder" is a term which has been used, mostly in the UK and by speech and language therapists, for the last 10 - 15 years. The term was originally used to describe a developmental language disorder, affecting two aspects of communication: "semantics" and "pragmatics". In recent years, there has been debate about whether or not "semantic pragmatic disorder" is in fact an appropriate diagnosis, or merely a descriptive term for the nature of communication difficulty found in verbal people with autism. Research findings indicate that "semantic pragmatic disorder" does belong within the autistic spectrum and has the same underlying triad of socio-cognitive deficits as high functioning autism. Within the National Autistic Society, professionals no longer use the term "semantic pragmatic disorder" as a diagnostic term. Articles Semantic Pragmatic Disorder by Margo Sharp, Chief Speech and Language Therapist at Heatherlands Language Unit, England Autism, Asperger's syndrome and semantic-pragmatic disorder: Where are the boundaries? What is Semantic-pragmatic Disorder? by Julia Muggleton Books Author: Ellyn Lucas Arwood Title: Semantic and Pragmatic Language Disorders Publisher: out of print ISBN 089443327X; 0834202727 Date: 1991 Author: Elizabeth Booth Johnston, et al. Title: A Sourcebook of Pragmatic Activities: theory and intervention for language therapy. 2nd ed. Publisher: Tucson, AZ: Communication Skill Builders, ISBN 0-88450-441-7 Date: 1991 Author: Bonnie Brinton, Martin Fujiki Title: Conversational Management With Language-Impaired Children: Pragmatic Assessment and Intervention Publisher: Aspen Publishers, Inc. ISBN 0834200929 Date: October 1989 Author: Judith F. Duchan Title: Communication Problems of Autistic Children : The Role of Context Publisher: Aspen Publishers, Inc. ISBN 0894434330 Date: December 1982

Websites about Semantic Pragmatic Disorder If there are any, I'd like to know. Please e-mail: Kalen The best (and only) information on SPD can be found at: OASIS: Online Asperger Syndrome Information and Support American Hyperlexia Association (AHA)

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