Developmental Language Disorder

DLD starts in childhood, but some people will be diagnosed as teenagers or adults. So, it is important to know the signs of DLD.

A person with DLD can have difficulties understanding what is said to them (receptive language) and speaking to others (expressive language). These language difficulties will be present throughout their life and impact their daily life at home, school or work. DLD can vary from person to person. Their needs will be different depending on age and the types of difficulties they have with language.

Some of the signs of DLD include:

• Starting to talk later than their siblings or peers
• Difficulty learning new words and putting words into sentences
• Difficulty telling a story in order; leaving details out
• Difficulty answering questions
• Struggling to be understood by people outside their family
• Struggling to explain their thoughts and feelings
• Finding it hard to follow instructions
• Watching their peers to find out what to do rather than following instructions
• Difficulty learning and remembering new information
• Appearing to not be listening or distracted
• Becoming frustrated and using behaviors that can be challenging
• Difficulty learning to read and write
• Struggling to join activities and discussions; Avoiding conversations and social situations

A person with DLD may also present with other co-occurring difficulties such as dyslexia, ADHD, dysgraphia, dyscalculia and developmental coordination disorder/dyspraxia. 
Depending on the individual, various services may be beneficial to an individual with DLD.