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Background and Aim: Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an inherited metabolic disease. The aim of this study was investigation the intelligence and language function in children with PKU based on the age of treatment onset and quality of dietary control.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the language and intelligence of 31 children with PKU at the age of 4 to 6.5 years were investigated by test of language development-third edition ( TOLD-3) and Wechsler preschool and primary scale of intelligence (WIPPSI), respectively the data compared with of 42 normal children. Patients were classified into 2 groups with different level of dietary control as good and poor [serum phenylalanine (Phe) level less and more than 6 mg/dl, respectively].

Results: There were significantly differences (p=0.001) between children with PKU and controls in intelligence and language scores. Early treatment improved significantly the intelligence and language scores in comparison with late treatment (p=0.019). Comparing late treatment before and after the age of 1 year showed that late treatment until 1 years of age improved significantly (p=0.050) all of functions except performance intelligence quotient (IQ). In early treated PKU, good dietary control improved significantly (p=0.021) and also, verbal and total IQ in comparison with poor dietary control.

Conclusion: Although, the language development in children with PKU is affected by age of treatment onset, cognitive development features such as verbal and total IQ is affected not only by the time of treatment onset but also by the quality of dietary control.

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Background and Aim: Students with borderline intelligence quotient experience types of language disorders that are seen in their narratives, too. This research aimed to investigate the linguistic characteristics of picture-elicited narratives in school-aged children with borderline intelligence quotient.

Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 30 students with borderline intelligence quotient and 25 typically developing children at the age of 6-13 years were randomly selected from a population of four schools. Narrative discourse was elicited with description of pictures of one storybook.

Results: Students with borderline IQ were weaker than typically developing children in complex (p<0.001), compound sentences (p<0.001) and produced more ungrammatical sentences (p=0.007). Students with borderline intelligence quotient produced fewer related (p<0.001) but more unrelated information (p=0.033) and types of cohesive (p=0.010) and "HAM" conjunction (p=0.022) was fewer in them.

Conclusion: Students with borderline intelligence quotient showed more linguistic impairment in description of story.

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Background and Aim: Students with hearing impairment show delayed development of theory of mind (ToM) compared with normal children. One factor impacting development of theory of mind is parent-child interaction. The present study investigated the relationship between maternal emotional intelligence and theory of mind in students with hearing impairment.

Methods: The present study employed correlational research. 40 students with profound hearing impairment (age range: 8-14 years) and their mothers were selected to participate. Measurement instruments included the false belief task and emotional intelligence questionnaire. The questionnaire was completed by mothers. Correlational analysis and multiple regression methods were used for data analysis.

Results: Results indicated no significant correlation between the total score on false belief task and the emotional intelligence score and its components (p>0.01). Multiple regression analysis showed that maternal emotional intelligence and its components cannot predict student's scores in false belief tasks (p>0.01).

Conclusion: The results show that there is no significant correlation between maternal emotional intelligence and theory of mind in students with hearing impairment. Therefore, maternal emotional intelligence cannot predict the development of theory of mind in students with hearing impairment.

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Background and Aim: School-aged children with borderline intelligence quotient (IQ) have different comprehension and narrative skills compared with normal children. This research compared dysfluencies and story comprehension of these students with normal students.

Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 30 students with borderline intelligence quotient and 25 normal students were compared. Stratified random sampling was used for selection of students. Picture-elicited narrative and comprehension tests were used to study students. The Mann-Whitney U test and the analysis of covariance Spearman correlation test were used for data analysis.

Results: Students with borderline intelligence quotient produced word dysfluencies and phrasal nonfluencies more than normal students (p=0.005, p=0.01, respectively). They also performed more poorly in story comprehension (p=0.002). There was a significant association between phrasal disfluency and story comprehension (r=-0.21).

Conclusion: Students with borderline intelligence quotient show more dysfluencies in narration and are weaker in story comprehension. There are negative associations between phrasal disfluency and story comprehension.