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Developmental Language Disorder: Unpacking the Challenges and Pathways to Support

​Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) affects a child's ability to understand and use spoken language. A child with DLD will struggle with vocabulary, forming sentences and communication in general. Parents may notice that their child can't effectively express their thoughts, follow along with conversations and have problems with verbal comprehension. Here are links to four videos that focus on DLD which Boys Town National Research Hospital created in partnership with KETV.

The Basics of Developmental Lang​uage Disorder

DLD emerges in early childhood but sometimes isn't diagnosed until young adulthood. It affects about 10 percent of children. It is a neurodevelopment disorder, meaning it occurs as a child's brain develops. Other neurodevelopment disorders include autism, dyslexia and ADHD. DLD occurs about as frequently as dyslexia and ADHD and is more frequent than autism.

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​​ Developmental Language Disorder at School

It's important that parents, daycare providers, teachers and others involved in a child's development work together to support a child with DLD. The disorder affects learning in many different ways since daycare and classrooms are verbal environments.

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Self-Advocacy with Developmental Language Disorder

Children, teens and young adults with DLD will have the best chance for success when they learn how to advocate for themselves. When a child is old enough, usually around middle school, help them understand how DLD impacts their ability to communicate verbally.

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Developmental Language Disorder and Mental Health

Given the importance of verbal communication to their success at school, work and with friends and family, it's not surprising to learn that children with DLD can experience difficulties with their emotions. Children with DLD are six times more likely to experience clinical anxiety and three times more likely to experience clinical depression.

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Language and Learning