Language Delays

"The limits of my language mean the limits of my world." —Ludwig Wittgenstein (1922)

When language skills fail to develop according to the usual developmental timetable, a language delay is present. A language disorder is more complex in that it is unlikely that a child’s language development will "catch up" with time. When a language disorder is present, comprehension and/or production of language are impaired for reasons you may or may not understand. In either case, a speech-language pathologist can help. Language therapy can benefit if, compared to his/her peers, your child has difficulty:

• following directions
• understanding what other people say
• using language to express ideas
• socializing with peers
• telling or writing a simple story
• correctly using English grammar
• categorizing and/or making associations between words
• describing similarities and differences between objects
• asking or answering questions

Language-Learning Disabilities

Some children develop language appropriately in their early years, but start to struggle with higher level language development in their elementary school years.

A language-learning disability is defined as difficulty with areas of communication that interfere with one’s ability to succeed at school (Rhea Paul, 2001). Not all learning disabilities are language-based but when reading, writing, or spelling is impacted, a language-learning disability may be present. Learning disabilities often impact a person throughout life, but strategies can be learned and accommodations made to develop successful learners.

Some symptoms of language-learning disabilities include:

• poor reading comprehension
• poor phonological awareness skills, especially difficulty segmenting words into sounds
• problems holding information in short-term memory
• difficulty understanding complex sentences, e.g. "Before you put your pajamas on, brush your teeth"
• difficulty saying multisyllabic words
• reliance upon high frequency, short words in speech or writing
• limited vocabulary as compared to peers
• difficulty inferencing or predicting
• difficulty understanding words with multiple meanings
• trouble categorizing words or making associations between words
• frequent reformulation of conversational speech; speech may be described as maze-like

Thorough testing is required to diagnose language-learning disabilities. Speech-language pathologists and educational psychologists often work together to identify strengths and weaknesses.

A confirmed diagnosis is not required to proceed with speech-language therapy.