11 Language Disorders
Haley Bennett
Introduction
Language disorders (LDs) are problems that affect a child’s ability to use and understand language. LDs are classified into two main groups, receptive and expressive. Receptive language looks at how well a child can understand spoken words and read. If a child struggles in this area, they may have a hard time learning new words and concepts, following directions, or understanding what they read. Meanwhile, expressive language looks at a child’s ability to speak. A child with problems in this group may struggle to tell stories, gesture, ask questions, or use words. Those with a LD often have issues in both areas (The University of Rochester Medical Center, 2022). Other subgroups of language exist that help further identify a LD (found in Table 10.1).
| Subgroup | Function |
| Phonology | The child understands the system of sounds in their language |
| Lexicon | The scope of a child’s vocabulary |
| Syntax | How well a child uses and understands grammar |
| Semantics | The child knows what words and phrases mean |
| Pragmatics | The child understands the social parts of language that account for a speaker and context |
How Language Disorders Affect a Child
LDs have a large range of effects on a child’s development and can negatively affect mental, social, and educational wellbeing. They are often shown to damage communication and relationships formed with other children, especially during early childhood. LDs also often hurt a child’s emotional granularity. Because of this, a child can feel isolated from their peer groups which may result in social and emotional problems such as depression, anxiety, or difficulty forming quality friendships (Forrest et al., 2020). If a child struggles to communicate well, they may become frustrated by not understanding (or being understood by) others. This leads to less social success and lower-quality interactions with parents, caregivers, or peers (St Clair et al., 2019). LDs are also linked to struggles with academic success based on severity. The more severe the LD, the more academic, emotional, and social problems a child tends to have (Matte-Landry et al., 2020).
Many studies found that children with LDs are also at higher risk for being bullied as well as possibly engaging in bullying behaviors towards others. These behaviors most likely result from the social difficulties and disconnect described above (Øksendal et al., 2021).
Risk Factors
The cause of a language disorder is often unknown, but there are some factors that increase a child’s risk. According to The University of Rochester Medical Center (2022), these factors include:
- a family history of language disorders
- premature birth
- hearing loss
- brain injury/stroke
- tumors
- poor nutrition
LDs are also commonly seen in children with conditions such as autism, genetic disorders (such as Down syndrome), fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, and cerebral palsy (The University of Rochester Medical Center, 2022).
According to Dr. Heidi Feldman (2019), a professor of pediatrics at the Stanford University School of Medicine, LDs are more common in certain groups, such as boys, later-born children, and bilingual children. Boys tend to have more LDs than girls, and later-born children usually develop language skills later than older siblings; this is because less verbal attention is focused directly on them. Children who speak two languages can learn them well at the same time, but tend to have smaller vocabularies for each. There may be some language mixing, but eventually, the child grows out of this and can speak both languages at a normal level. Intervention is strongly recommended if a child in any of these groups begins to show struggles with language.
Signs & Symptoms
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) built a list of developmental (language) milestones that a child should be able to do once reaching a certain age. A child’s doctor may recommend testing for a language disorder if the child does not meet these milestones at 75% of the expected level. For example, testing would be needed if a 20-month-old does not have a skill expected at 15 months (15/20 = 75%) (Feldman, 2019).
To learn more about the CDC’s milestone checklist for tracking a child’s development, click here
How to Help
According to Dr. Feldman (2019), simply placing a child in front of a computer or TV will not be enough to help a child learn a language. Language learning during early childhood requires warm, low-stress exchanges between the child and an adult or other children. A LD could be prevented in the early stages by giving a child a safe, language-rich environment with positive, social relationships. Recommendations for parents of young children include:
- speaking often to them with baby talk
- using simple sentences or an exaggerated tone
- using language to describe what the child is doing
- reading books and playing with the child
- limiting screen time
It is also recommended that a child be tested for developmental problems at ages 9, 18, 24, and 30 months. This could help identify a child who is at risk for a LD before they show symptoms (Feldman, 2019).
A speech-language pathologist (SLP) is a trained expert who can diagnose and treat LDs. To do this, SLPs observe the child—often while he or she is playing—and assess how they talk, listen, follow instructions, and grasp spatial and social concepts. A set of criteria assesses their performance in comparison to “normal skills” at that age level. (The University of Rochester Medical Center, 2022). Once a LD is diagnosed, the SLP builds a treatment plan using activities a child enjoys, such as coloring or play, to encourage conversation and to practice certain sounds, words, and concepts.
Resources
Listed below are resources to assess a child’s language development and to find help and therapy services if language problems are detected.
- Early Intervention and Early Intervention Contacts
- These resources describe the Early Intervention system enacted by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
- Center for Parent Information & Resources
- The Center for Parent Information & Resources lists Parent Training Information Centers (PTIs) and Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs) in the United States based on state and territory. These centers specialize in working with families of children with disabilities to help educate and connect them with appropriate resources for a child’s condition.
- CDC Milestone Tracker App
- This is an interactive, illustrated checklist that can assist caregivers in tracking a child’s developmental milestones. This app can also keep track of the child’s appointments and can generate a developmental summary that a parent can share with the child’s doctor.
- Reading Rockets
- Reading Rockets provides information and tools for parents and teachers to help a child develop language skills.
Key Takeaways
- There are two main groups of language disorders: receptive and expressive. They often affect a child’s mental, social, and educational well-being; this can be due to isolation from peers and frustration from an inability to communicate well.
- The cause of language disorders is unknown, but may be linked to family history, premature birth, or poor nutrition; they often occur alongside other conditions such as autism.
- Developmental screenings are recommended at ages 9, 18, 24, and 30 months to help identify if a child is at risk for developing a language disorder.
- A speech-language pathologist is a trained expert who can help treat language disorders.
References
Center for Parent Information and Resources. (2015, July). Speech and language impairments. https://www.parentcenterhub.org/speechlanguage/#:~:text=Some%20causes%20of%20speech%20and,and%20vocal%20abuse%20or%20misuse
Feldman, H. M. (2019). How young children learn language and speech. Pediatrics In Review, 40(8), 398–411. https://doi.org/10.1542/pir.2017-0325
Forrest, C. L., Gibson, J. L., Halligan, S. L., & St Clair, M. C. (2020). A cross-lagged analysis of emotion regulation, peer problems, and emotional problems in children with and without early language difficulties: Evidence from the millennium cohort study. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 63(4), 1227–1239. https://doi.org/10.1044/2020_jslhr-19-00188
Matte-Landry, A., Boivin, M., Tanguay-Garneau, L., Mimeau, C., Brendgen, M., Vitaro, F., Tremblay, R. E., & Dionne, G. (2020). Children with persistent versus transient early language delay: Language, academic, and psychosocial outcomes in elementary school. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 63(11), 3760-3774. https://doi.org/10.1044/2020_jslhr-20-00230
Øksendal, E., Brandlistuen, R. E., Wolke, D., Helland, S. S., Holte, A., & Wang, M. V. (2021). Associations between language difficulties, peer victimization, and bully perpetration from 3 through 8 years of age: Results from a population-based study. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 64(7), 2698–2714. https://doi.org/10.1044/2021_jslhr-20-00406
St Clair, M. C., Forrest, C. L., Yew, S. G., & Gibson, J. L. (2019). Early risk factors and emotional difficulties in children at risk of developmental language disorder: A population cohort study. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 62(8), 2750–2771. https://doi.org/10.1044/2018_jslhr-l-18-0061
The University of Rochester Medical Center. (2022). Language disorders. Language Disorders – Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics – Golisano Children’s Hospital – University of Rochester Medical Center. https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/childrens-hospital/developmental-disabilities/conditions/language-disorders.aspx
a movement or position of the hand, arm, body, head, or face that is expressive of an idea, opinion, emotion, etc.
The general sounds that make up a language. The English language has 19 vowel sounds and 25 consonant sounds.
the ability to detect specific emotions and produce a proper response
any of several disorders characterized by a variable cluster of birth defects that may include facial abnormalities, growth deficiency, intellectual disability, and other impairments, caused by the mother's consumption of alcohol during pregnancy
a disability resulting from damage to the brain before, during, or shortly after birth and outwardly manifested by muscular incoordination and speech disturbances
the consciously imperfect or altered speech used by adults when speaking to small children
A national law that provides free public education and any necessary intervention or special education services for children with diagnosed disabilities.
