Language Disorders

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 Language Disorders  

Language Disorders can be characterized as either receptive or expressive. A child with a receptive language disorder will have difficulty understanding language, and a child with a expressive language disorder will have difficulty producing language. 

Signs of Receptive Language Disorders may include, but are not limited to: 

- difficulty understanding what other people say

- hard time following spoken directions 

-trouble organizing thoughts 

- answering questions 

- identifying objects and pictures 

Signs of Expressive Language Disorders may include, but are not limited to:

-  lack of word/sentence endings

- limited vocabulary 

- distinct pattern of topic change 

- poor sentence structure

- making grammatical mistakes 

- inability to start or hold a conversation 

- talking in circles; cannot get to "the point"

- have difficulties recalling or retelling information 

-using gestures 

- learning songs and rhymes 

- using correct pronouns 

*** Many children may have problems with both understanding and talking (expressive and receptive).
 

Some children also have trouble with early reading and writing, such as:

- telling a story in a sequenced order (beginning, middle, end)

- learning the alphabet
- looking at pictures in a book and knowing to turn pages 

- naming letters and numbers 

** IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW: your child does not get a language disorder from learning a second language. Children with language disorders will have problems with both languages, not only one. 

Two important questions are looked at when assessing a preschool child with a language disorder: 

1. Does your child know what to do with toys?

2. Does your child use pretend play? 

* The speech therapist, along with the child's teacher will determine if your child's language skills are at the appropriate age level.
 

Tips for mothers of children with language disorders (receptive & expressive): 

- increase your child's use and understanding of language

- teach your family members and friends ways to communicate with you child

- support other ways for your child to communicate when needed. This may include simple gestures, picture boards, or computers that say words out loud.
- listen and respond when your child talks. DO NOT ignore. 

- encourage your child to ask questions 

- read to your child everyday, and point to things you see (at the grocery store, at the park) 

- promote more talking and reading time together, and set limits on watching TV or using any electronic devices that may refrain the child from using language 

The etiology for a language is not known. According to ASHA, some causes may be: 

Family history of language disorders
Premature birth
Low birth-weight
Hearing loss
Autism
Intellectual disabilities
Syndromes, like Down syndrome or Fragile X syndrome
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
Stroke
Brain injury
Tumors
Cerebral palsy
Poor nutrition
Failure to thrive
 

*The goal of therapy for a child with language disorder is to enhance functional communication and quality of life, while maintaining academic success.