Does your child have difficulties following instructions in class or sharing about his or her day in school? If yes, these are some of the possible signs that your child has a Developmental Language Disorder.
Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is a hidden but very common condition. It is diagnosed when a child's difficulties understanding and/or using language significantly affect his or her everyday social interactions and learning in school. Children with DLD may find it challenging to follow instructions, and understand or answer questions. They may also struggle with grammar and vocabulary.
Roughly one in 14 children has DLD and it is usually diagnosed after the age of five. [1]
In DLD, language difficulties are not associated with other conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorder or Down Syndrome.
"The exact cause of DLD is unknown, although current evidence suggests it has genetic links. A family history of DLD, prematurity and low birth rate may put a child at a higher risk [2]," shares Ms Jessica Lim, speech therapist, Department of Speech Therapy, Sengkang General Hospital.
If your school-going child has difficulties with any of the following, you are advised to seek further assessment by a Speech and Language Therapist (SLT):
Listening and understanding instructions and stories
Finding the right words and using complex sentences
Remembering information they have learnt
Having conversations with friends and family
For children aged five and below, it is advisable to seek further support if your child is not meeting his or her developmental communication milestones, or if you have any concerns regarding your child's communication. Early identification and intervention are key to ensuring the best outcomes for children with language difficulties.
"Without timely support, children with DLD may struggle to keep up with their peers in school. Difficulty understanding classroom instructions and communicating one's thoughts and ideas may affect academic performance and social interactions in school. Over time, these difficulties may result in increased anxiety and frustration for the child," adds Ms Lim.
An SLT may evaluate a child's language skills through direct observation, standardised language assessments, and/or interviews and questionnaires completed by parents and teachers.
Your child may also be referred to other professionals such as an Occupational Therapist or Education Psychologist for further assessments. This is because difficulties in learning, motor skills or behaviour can co-occur with DLD.
An SLT will identify your child's strengths and areas for support. Individualised goals will be set and targeted through intervention. The period and frequency of support varies depending on your child's individual needs as DLD presents differently in each child.
"SLTs aim to support your child's language development, so that he or she may communicate and participate effectively in everyday social and educational activities," says Ms Lim.
Intervention may involve the SLT working directly with your child and yourself to support his or her language development. These sessions may take place in one-to-one or group settings.
SLT support may also be available in various other settings such as schools, community organisations, hospitals, or private clinics. The SLT may liaise with your child's teacher and other important care providers to support his or her language development.
"DLD is a lifelong condition, where language difficulties emerge in early childhood and often persist into adulthood. When identified early and given timely intervention and support, children with DLD may thrive and grow to lead a fulfilling life as adults," adds Ms Lim encouragingly.
In addition, there is no research that shows learning two languages is harder than learning one language for children with DLD. [3]
Here are some tips to support your child's communication at home:
Comment: Many questions in conversations may be difficult and stressful for a child with DLD. Comment on what they are doing instead of asking questions.
Reduce your language: Break down instructions or information into smaller parts. Use short and simple sentences, and emphasise key words.
Show them: Demonstrate and use visual cues (e.g. pictures).
Recast: If your child says a sentence that does not make sense, or has grammatical errors, try modelling it correctly for him or her to hear (e.g. Child says, "Yesterday, I 'goed' swimming!", you can say, "Yesterday, you went swimming!")
Talk about new words: Children with DLD may take time to learn new words. It is helpful to talk about different aspects of a word (e.g. its meaning, what it sounds like, and other words that are similar in meaning). This helps them to build vocabulary.
Repetition: Once your child learns a new word, practise using it in many different ways and places.
[1] [2] Developmental Language Disorder | NIDCD (nih.gov)
[3] Influences of bilingualism and developmental language disorder on how children learn and process words. (apa.org)
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