DLD stands for Developmental Language Disorder. It is a neurodevelopmental condition that starts in childhood but continues. The primary areas of need are spoken language, so words and sentences and how they are used. It has a genetic basis and tends to run in families. Research shows an incidence rate of 7.6%, which equates to roughly 2 children in every class of 30.

DLD and dyslexia share many commonalities. Both are neurodevelopmental conditions, both run in families and they have broadly similar incidence rates as well. In recent years they have also both gone through ‘Delphi’ processes to agree terminology and definitions. They could be siblings. But they are even more closely related than that. If one family member has dyslexia, then another is far more likely to have DLD and vice versa thus indicating some potential genetic overlap. And it is also relatively common for people with DLD to present with dyslexia and vice versa. They could almost be twins.

But one major issue DLD has that dyslexia does not share is awareness. Awareness of DLD is low amongst the general public. There is also a common misconception that children with language needs will ‘just grow out of them.’ Whilst this is true for some children in Early Years, more recent research shows that once a child’s language needs persist past five years of age, they will not resolve. DLD is a lifelong condition. Like dyslexia, with the right support, people with DLD can improve and even thrive, but the condition is not cured.

The term DLD was only agreed by the Delphi process in 2016. The result is that prior to this many, many children and young people’s DLD was missed. And whilst diagnostic rates in the UK are rising, many are still being missed. The result is that most people with DLD do not know they have it. There are virtually no free to access options for adults to be diagnosed in the UK. 

So what does DLD look like?

DLD is a difficulty with spoken language. But because spoken language impacts on learning, social relationships and literacy it can look a lot like other conditions. It is also possible to have DLD alongside other conditions so it soon gets murky.
But come back to the basics. Children and young people with DLD will have difficulty understanding and using words and sentences. So, the simplest way to identify DLD is via a conversation. Specific tasks will vary with age but here are some general points.

• Narrative: ask the child to tell you a story, re-tell one that you’ve listened to together or for older young people to narrate a film. Children and young people with DLD are likely to have difficulty with these types of tasks. They may struggle with the order or miss out key components.
• Grammar: listen further to the sentences and grammar used. Children and young people with DLD frequently struggle with tense markers, use shorter sentences and fewer and simpler connectives (‘and’ instead of ’although, when’).
• Vocabulary: words are a key area of difficulty for children and young people with DLD. They tend to use a smaller range of words and may also experience word finding difficulties, so struggle to use the words they already know. 
• Understanding: detecting difficulties with understanding requires careful observation as many children and young people develop sophisticated masking or coping strategies such as closely observing others’ nonverbal communication. One suggestion is to give lengthy instructions that are not predictable and watch the young person carefully. Include multistep instructions that are not in sequential order such as ‘before you do X, do Y.’
  

If you are concerned about a child or young person 

• Refer to Speech and Language Therapy or call and have a chat. Tell them about your observations. Do this regardless of waiting lists because a diagnosis could be transformative. Services also need to know about the true demand, and they do not know unless referrals are made. 
• Do not wait for a diagnosis. If you have noticed language needs, then start Intervention in response to that need. Many of the strategies that are used when working with people with dyslexia will also work for those with DLD, but particular care must be taken with understanding. 
• Give clear instructions, using short sentences and simple vocabulary
• Pause between sentences to allow extra processing time. 
• Use visuals such as images diagrams and video to support understanding. 
• Strong routines that become habitual will free up space to focus on new learning. 
• Check understanding of words, even if you have used the word many times. 
• Explicitly teach language including vocabulary, sentence structure and narrative. 

Resources

DLD Bubble toolkit: this interactive resource (in Welsh and English) breaks down DLD into its component parts but also provides more detailed strategies.

RADLD: Raising Awareness of DLD campaign, has information about DLD but also details and resources for raising awareness.

NAPLIC: the UK organisation for professionals who work with children and young people with DLD. Lots of free resources ,but you can also join for just £20 per year. DLD resources