02/03/2022
With a combination of DLD being a hidden disability, confusion with a myriad of terms being used for DLD, and a general lack of awareness about DLD, many students with Developmental Language Disorder experience difficulties not only with literacy and learning but also with behaviours, friendships and emotional well-being.
Behaviours
To quote Dr. Karyn Purvis, “Behaviour is the language of children who have lost their voice.” Oral language is fundamental to a child’s ability to communicate their needs. We need to talk to understand ourselves and our emotions. A child or young person who cannot solve their problems with words might use physical means instead. A physical action gets all the attention. What is then overlooked is that the child or young person is not understanding or is struggling to express themselves. Difficulties with self-expression or with comprehension of what others are saying can cause someone to withdraw or endure being ostracized. A child with Developmental Language Disorder may become so frustrated at their inability to make themselves understood that they lash out at adults or other children – earning themselves the label of ‘bully’ or ‘problem child’. DLD is very common among children and young people with behaviour difficulties. Usually, it is undiagnosed. Many behaviour strategies won’t work with children with DLD, so to support the student we need to think about their language and potential DLD.
Friendships
We need to talk to form relationships. We need to talk to sort out problems when relationships aren’t going well. Being able to express oneself fluently and to quickly grasp what others are saying can have a huge impact on social relationships. Talk is hard for people with Developmental Language Disorder, so they might not have the tools to develop relationships and solve interpersonal problems. People with DLD may have difficulty understanding others and putting what they want to say into sentences. This can make it especially hard to build friendships and communicate in groups. It is hard to get involved if you are struggling to keep up, or if you can’t get your words together in time. Those with DLD take language quite literally and have difficulties with idioms, sayings, jokes and slang expressions, which are all common parts of developing relationships.
Emotional Well-Being
Children with DLD in various studies tell of how people shout at them when they do not understand or need to have things repeated over and over, called ‘lazy’ when they appear inattentive when they do not comprehend what is being said to them, or teased for speaking ‘oddly’. Research shows students with Developmental Language Disorder have higher levels of mental health difficulties, such as anxiety, depression, and panic.
This is why awareness matters. If people with DLD feel able to say “I have DLD” and be confident that others know what DLD is and know how to support them, it makes it so much better for people with Developmental Language Disorder.
The following is an excellent short video explaining why language is so important for mental health:
https://youtu.be/-orJLnCgGJw
To learn more about DLD check out:
👉🏼 RADLD - Raising Awareness of Developmental Language Disorder
👉🏼 The DLD Project
👉🏼 DLD and Me
