Visual symbol and manual sign learning by children with phonologic programming deficit syndrome.

A study was done of eight children with phonologic programming deficit syndrome (PPDS) and of eight normally developing children, to evaluate learning and recall of Blissymbols and of Signed English manual signs. The results support the view that children with this syndrome not only have motor speech deficits, but also deficits in symbolic processing. Decisions about intervention for nonverbal children should take account of their probable deficits in symbol learning.