What is DLD?
DLD stands for Developmental Language Disorder. DLD used to be called Specific Language Impairment. In 2016, the CATALISE consortium of experts agreed that for a diagnosis of DLD to be given, the following criteria must be reached:
- The child must be having difficulty using and/ or understanding spoken language.
- The child’s difficulties must be considered persistent (i.e., unlikely to catch up spontaneously).
- The child’s language difficulties must be impacting on them in everyday life – socially and/ or academically
- The child must not have a known “bio-medical” condition that may help to explain their language difficulties. These include brain injury, genetic conditions such as Downs Syndrome, cerebral palsy, sensori-neural hearing loss, autism and intellectual disability. Children with these “biomedical conditions” who have language difficulties, can be considered to have a Language Disorder Associated with their specific condition, rather than DLD.
Understanding and Supporting Young Children with Language Difficulties
Recognizing Language Difficulties
Young children with language difficulties may be late to talk and may not yet be combining two words together at 24 months. Their attention may be less well developed than other children of the same age. They may be using less gesture to communicate. Their understanding of language may be affected. For example, they may find it difficult to point to or show you things when you ask.
Diagnosis and Assessment
DLD cannot be reliably diagnosed under 3 – 4 years. A speech and language therapy assessment can help to determine if your child has language difficulties. Assessment can help to better understand what specific parts of language are affected and if the child may benefit from seeing other professionals, e.g., ENT, Occupational Therapy, Autism diagnostic team. Under 3 years of age, SLT assessment typically involves gathering lots of information from parents, observing the child and doing a play-based assessment.
Therapeutic Approaches
Therapy for this age is typically done by working with and through parents. There are lots of evidence-based strategies that parents can use in their everyday interactions to help their young child develop language. The Hanen Centre in Canada have lots of advice and information for parents of young children.
Understanding Language Disorders in School-Aged Children
DLD can be more reliably diagnosed from 5 years of age and on. Sometimes a diagnosis cannot and should not be given until a child has had some speech and language therapy input. How the child responds to therapy helps the SLT to understand if their difficulties are likely to be persistent or not.
Understanding Language for Children with Language Disorder
A child with DLD may have difficulty following instructions. They may complete only part of the instruction or need you to repeat the instruction multiple times for them to process and remember it.
Learning and Using Word for Children with Language Disorder
A child with DLD may find it difficult to learn new words and have a smaller vocabulary. They might use the wrong name/ word. They might over-use words like “stuff” or “thing” to compensate for their difficulties.
Grammar for Children with Language Disorder
Children with DLD often speak using shorter sentences. They might miss out important words or the sentence might be jumbled. They might miss out on small parts of words that tell us about grammar, like the addition of-s for plurals or -ed for past tense.
Discourse/ Narrative for Children with Language Disorder
Children with DLD, particularly older children, may have obvious difficulties with explaining and telling news or stories. Information may be given in a mixed up order. They may give too much or too little information. Their understanding of others’ stories can also be affected.
How Can Parents Help their Child with a Language Disorder?
Once your child has received a diagnosis of DLD, there are many things you can do to help them
Build Your Understanding of DLD
There are a number of organizations that can help parents gain an in-depth understanding of DLD. These include Afasic and RADLD.
Use Your Child’s Strengths
Children with DLD often learn better through seeing and doing and when given more time. When talking with your child, consider:
- Pausing more to give them more time to process and form their response.
- Using gestures/ pointing and showing when appropriate
- Writing down key words or making relevant “doodles” while chatting
- Using visual timetables to help the child understand their day, week or when an event is coming
- Comic Strip Conversations can be used to problem solve difficulties at school or with friends
- Encourage them to take part in activities that are more visual or involve learning by doing to support their self-esteem, e.g., art and crafts, sports
Advocate for Your Child with a Language Disorder
Without the right support children with DLD are at risk of not reaching their potential in school. Research shows that children and young people can be at risk of social, emotional and mental health difficulties. It is important to work with your child’s school to help them understand DLD and how it impacts on your particular child.
How Riverside SLT can help your child with DLD or Language Disorder
Eibhlin provides assessment and therapy for children with Developmental Language Disorder and their families
- Understanding Developmental Language Disorder
- Recognising Early Signs in Children
- Comprehensive Diagnostic Approach
- Tailored Speech and Language Interventions
- Supporting Families
