Developmental language disorder (DLD), also known as specific language impairment (SLI), is a serious, long-lasting disorder that delays language development in children who have no hearing loss or other cause of developmental delay. It continues through childhood and adolescence and may leave some effects in adulthood. It is also known as a developmental language disorder, language delay or dysphasia.
The cause of DLD is still unknown, but the literature includes studies pointing to a genetic component, stating that 50 to 70% of children with these difficulties have family members with the same disorder. DLD is a heterogeneous disorder that shows itself in different ways. Even so, we usually find some characteristics that are common or similar across patients:
- Late language acquisition, obstructing intelligibility, immaturity in syntactic forms, considerable morphological errors that last over time.
- Delay in language acquisition, presenting the possibility of developing the first words, which may later disappear, including the acquired sounds.
- Limited lexicon.
- Presence of disruptive behaviors to compensate for their difficulties.
- If speech comprehension is affected, the behavioral picture may be more complex.
- Evolution, depending on severity. Normally, problems with coherence and cohesion of speech, conversational difficulties, and sometimes, behavior persist over time.
As we have seen, if DLD affects comprehension and expression, it will affect reading and writing and, as a result, learning. If it is not treated in time, it can affect school performance and self-esteem. That is why early diagnosis and early intervention are essential to lay the foundations of treatment. Treatment should focus on the following areas:
- Speech and language therapy:
- Psychological support:
- Family support:
MARIONA ALSEDÀ FLORENSA
