What is DLD? The under-recognised condition that affects 8% of children
The condition that impairs a child’s ability to learn and speak
- Developmental language disorder (DLD) affects about eight per cent of children globally, severely impairing their ability to learn, use, and understand spoken language.
- Diagnosing DLD in multilingual children is challenging, as typical language development in multiple languages can be mistaken for DLD, though multilingualism itself does not cause or worsen the condition.
- The impact of DLD is lifelong, affecting mental health, socialisation, literacy, academic performance, and employment prospects, underscoring the need for timely diagnosis and support.
- In the UK, speech and language therapists face obstacles in assessing DLD in multilingual children due to a lack of reliable tools, multilingual proficiency, and trained interpreters.
- Progress is being made with new assessment tools, such as the UK bilingual toddlers assessment tool and the Litmus battery, alongside dynamic assessment resources being developed at Newcastle University, to improve early detection and support.