At a glance
- Persistent difficulty learning and using language, beyond a simple late start, with no other condition explaining it.
- Affects understanding (taking in language), expression (putting it into words), or both.
- Common, often missed, and very responsive to speech and language therapy.
What it is
Language disorder is a persistent difficulty acquiring and using language across speaking, listening, reading or writing, well below what is expected for the child’s age, and not explained by hearing loss, intellectual disability or another condition. It may show up as a smaller vocabulary, difficulty putting words into sentences, trouble finding the right word, or difficulty understanding what others say. When it occurs on its own without another condition, it is sometimes called developmental language disorder.
This is different from a child who simply starts talking a little late and then catches up. Language disorder persists, and it matters because language is the engine of classroom learning, friendship and later literacy. A child who cannot follow or produce language easily can be wrongly judged as inattentive, slow or naughty.
How common is it
Developmental language disorder is common, affecting around 1 in 14 children, which makes it one of the most common childhood conditions, though it is far less recognised than many. It tends to persist rather than resolve, and because it is invisible, it is often missed or mistaken for inattention or slowness.
How it is diagnosed
Assessment is by a speech and language therapist, who examines which parts of language are affected, understanding, vocabulary, grammar, and word-finding, and confirms the difficulty is well below the child’s age and not explained by another condition. A hearing test comes first, since undetected hearing loss is a common and treatable mimic. Information from parents and teachers about everyday language is central.
What helps
Speech and language therapy is the core treatment and works best when it starts early and involves the people around the child every day. Therapists assess which parts of language are affected and target them through play and structured practice, while coaching parents and teachers to enrich language at home and in class (commenting, expanding the child’s words, giving time to respond). First, though, a hearing test, because undetected hearing loss is a common and treatable mimic of language disorder. With support, children make real gains, and early help protects later reading and learning.
Language disorder in the African context
In multilingual settings, a child’s quietness or difficulty in one language is sometimes assumed to be just a stage of learning that language, which can hide a genuine language disorder, or, the reverse, a normal bilingual settling-in period can be mistaken for one. A true language disorder shows across all the languages a child speaks. Speech and language therapy is scarce in much of the region, and affected children are too often judged inattentive, slow, or naughty. Early recognition protects a child’s learning, friendships, and later reading.
Helping the child
Families and teachers can do a great deal day to day.
- Get a hearing check first, since hearing loss is a common and treatable cause of language difficulty.
- Talk with the child often, comment on what they are doing, and expand their words into slightly fuller sentences.
- Give time to respond, and use simple, clear language and gestures.
- Work with the school so the child is understood and supported, not judged as inattentive.
- Seek a speech and language therapy assessment early. Our find a therapist page can help.
When to seek help
Seek assessment if a child’s understanding or use of language is clearly behind peers, if they struggle to follow instructions or be understood, or if early language difficulties are affecting school. Start with a hearing check and a speech and language therapy referral.
Sources
- American Psychiatric Association. (2022). DSM-5-TR.
- Bishop, D. V. M., et al. (2017). Phase 2 of CATALISE: A multinational and multidisciplinary Delphi consensus study of problems with language development (developmental language disorder). Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 58(10), 1068-1080.
- Norbury, C. F., et al. (2016). The impact of nonverbal ability on prevalence and clinical presentation of language disorder. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 57(11), 1247-1257.