The study of childhood language disorders: nineteenth century perspectives

Childhood language disorders have been known and studied at least as far back as the early nineteenth century. The results of the early investigations, however, have essentially been forgotten. The aim of this article is to recall the investigators of the nineteenth century and their findings. Throughout most of that period efforts were directed simply at establishing the existence of mutism without deafness or "idiocy." In the last two decades an "information explosion" took place, authored by a small group of German-speaking physicians. On the basis of their clinical observations they described the disorders, offered theories on their nature and etiology, and devised therapy programs. These findings and theoretical constructions are presented, along with information on the probable sources of the authors' ideas. Although resemblances to modern concepts are often striking, it seems unlikely that the earlier work is the source of the more recent ones.