Infants' vocalizations as a diagnostic tool.

This article reviews the literature concerning infants' vocalizations and their relation to development of language and to diagnosis in studies of pathology. Some researchers believe that pre-speech vocalizations are reflexes, random activities that serve as practice for motor activities. Others believe they are directly related to the development of language. The literature reviewed dealing with the relationship between abnormal cries and pathology suggest a differential diagnosis of certain pathologies. Crying should be included in the collected symptoms to achieve a more accurate and comprehensive diagnosis.