Common Signs of Developmental Language Disorder
Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is a common brain difference that makes it difficult to understand and use language. But, many people have never heard of it, and it frequently goes undiagnosed. Here are some of the common signs and symptoms to look out for.
“Ariel doesn’t seem to be making many friends, but it’s probably because she’s just so shy.” “Devonte seems to tune out in class. I think he has difficulty focusing.” “Jayden hates reading but only because he’d rather be playing.”
Do any of these sound familiar to you? Difficulty focusing in conversation, engaging in group conversations, and avoiding reading can be signs of a developmental language disorder (DLD). DLD is a brain difference that makes understanding and using language difficult. We’ve talked about the disorder in a previous post. Actually, many parents of children with DLD were initially unaware of their child’s difficulty with spoken language (Hendricks, Adlof, Alonzo, Fox, & Hogan, 2019)! Here, we talk about why DLD goes undiagnosed and some common signs that your child is experiencing a language disorder. Also, check out our graphics at the bottom for the highlights :)
If DLD is so common, why haven’t I heard about it?
In the past, DLD has been described by many other terms, which often wern’t specific in describing what exactly the child was experiencing. (You may be more familiar with “mixed receptive and expressive language disorder” or “specific language impairment.”) Thankfully, professionals have moved towards the common term developmental language disorder to be more clear both nationally and internationally.
DLD causes children to learn language and language rules, like grammar or sentence structure, more slowly and effortfully. So, a child with DLD does not have errors in their language that are highly unusual; it may seem like they have somewhat “immature” speech.
DLD is considered an “invisible” disorder, meaning that there are no visual characteristics to help identify it. Often, children with DLD do great in conversations with familiar people or when discussing familiar topics. But, when these children are challenged with language, like when reading a textbook,learning about photosynthesis, or listening to a friend tell jokes, they really struggle.
Children with DLD all have different strengths and weaknesses. While improving the use of pronouns (i.e. “him goes to the store.” → “he goes to the store.”) may be a goal for one child, another child may be targeting their use of auxiliary (helping) verbs, like “is,” “are,” “do,” etc, and still another might be working to improve their ability to write a persuasive essay.
How can I tell if my child has DLD?
I wish I could give you a clear outline for determining if your child has DLD. But, that’s what SLPs are here for! SLPs will conduct a thorough evaluation of your communication skills which includes, based on their age, their understanding and use of oral and written language, medical history, educational history, social communication skills, among other areas. The clinician will likely include standardized tests, caregiver interviews, and language and possibly writing samples as a part of the evaluation.
While a trained SLP is needed to diagnose DLD, caregivers, teachers, pediatricians, and other people in a child’s life can be on the lookout for common signs and symptoms, which we’ve outlined below.
Preschool-aged children may have difficulty with:
Following directions
Answering simple questions
Pointing to objects or pictures when you name them
Taking turns in conversations
Asking questions
Relaying simple stories clearly, when compared to their same-aged friends
Difficulty singing along with familiar songs or nursery rhymes
Difficulty using pronouns, like “her broke it”
Using very short sentences, like “Mommy go car” or “no me want”
School-aged children may have difficulty with:
Following 2+ step directions
Listening to and understanding stories
Answering questions about the “here and now” or about things in the past or future
Clearly explaining something they read or watched or a real event that happened.
Using and understanding complex sentences
Writing complex sentences to express their idea
Spelling
Summarizing what they read or heard
Learning new vocabulary easily
Learning academic material, like math, social studies, reading, etc.
Remembering information they have learned
Remember, DLD presents differently with each child. If your child is having trouble academically or socially, and you suspect language might be a contributing factor, let’s set up a complimentary consultation to talk about your concerns.
References
Archibald, L. (2019, October 07). Why is DLD Hard to Recognize? Retrieved December 13, 2020, from https://dldandme.org/recognizing-dld/
Bishop, D. V. (2017). Why is it so hard to reach agreement on terminology? The case of developmental language disorder (DLD). International journal of language & communication disorders, 52(6), 671-680.
Hendricks, A. E., Adlof, S. M., Alonzo, C. N., Fox, A. B., & Hogan, T. P. (2019). Identifying children at risk for developmental language disorder using a brief, whole-classroom screen. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 62(4), 896-908. doi:10.1044/2018_jslhr-l-18-0093
Hogan, T. (2019, October 07). Signs of dld across the lifespan. Retrieved February 10, 2021, from https://dldandme.org/signs-of-dld/
Language In Brief. (n.d.). Retrieved December 13, 2020, from https://www.asha.org/practice-portal/clinical-topics/spoken-language-disorders/language-in-brief/
Paul, R., Chawarska, K., & Volkmar, F. (2008). Differentiating ASD from DLD in toddlers. Perspectives on language learning and education, 15(3), 101-111.
Preschool language disorders. (n.d.). Retrieved February 10, 2021, from https://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/preschool-language-disorders/
Tighe, J. (2021, January 12). Talking with teachers about dld. Retrieved February 10, 2021, from https://dldandme.org/talking-with-teachers-about-dld/