What is DLD?
DLD, Developmental Language Disorder is a long-term difficulty with talking and understanding words. People may find it hard to express their ideas and understand what others are saying to them. These difficulties may be hidden or undiagnosed for a long time, making education challenging and potentially leading to employment issues. Like all neurodivergent conditions, early diagnosis and support are best. DLD affects about 7% of the population.
Traits of DLD
- Frequent misuse of words - Individuals with DLD may struggle with word retrieval and vocabulary development, leading to the use of incorrect or vague words (e.g., saying “thing” instead of a specific noun). They might also confuse similar-sounding or related words due to difficulties with semantic processing.
- Shyness to express thoughts - This often stems from awareness of their language difficulties. They may fear being misunderstood or judged, leading to social withdrawal or reluctance to participate in conversations.
- Hiding the difficulty/masking - Especially in older children and adults, there may be compensatory strategies like nodding along, copying others, or avoiding complex language. This can make DLD a “hidden” disorder, as the person may appear to be coping on the surface.
- Struggle to recount events - Narrative skills are often impaired—individuals may omit key details, struggle with sequencing, or jump between ideas. This affects both spoken and written storytelling, which can impact academic and social communication.
- Poor expression of workplace/educational needs - They may not know how to articulate what support they need or may avoid asking altogether. This can lead to unmet needs, misunderstandings, or being perceived as disengaged or unmotivated.
Strengths & Challenges associated with DLD
Strengths
- Sports
- Art
- Fashion
- Sense of humour
- Excelling in areas of personal interest
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Challenges
- Social anxiety
- Difficulty using correct words/expressions
- Struggles to follow instructions
- Making or keeping friends
- Challenges with concentration
Helpful tips for the individual
- Understand Your Strengths and Challenges – Learn how DLD affects you personally. - Identify communication strengths ( e.g., visual learning, creativity)
- Build communication confidence – Don’t be afraid to ask for repetition or clarification.
- Use tools and technology – Use reminder apps or visual planners to stay organised.
- Manage stress and self esteem – Practice relaxation techniques. - Celebrate small wins
- Advocate for yourself – Practice saying what you need ( e.g., “Can I have that in writing?”)
Helpful tips for educators and employers
- Be clear with instructions – Use simple, direct language.
- Recap and refresh instructions as needed – Repeat or rephrase to reinforce understanding.
- Allow time to find the right words – Be patient and avoid interrupting.
- Encourage them to say when they do not understand something – Normalize asking for clarification.
- Discuss and collaborate on a support strategy – Involve the person in planning what works best for them.
- Discover their interests and leverage them – Use topics they enjoy to boost engagement and motivation.
- Ensure the person understands what you have said/instructed – Ask them to repeat back or demonstrate understanding.
- Hold regular update meetings to check progress – Keep communication open and consistent.
- Give positive feedback on progress – Celebrate improvements, no matter how small.
Assistive technology resources
- Mind Mapping - Uses visuals to explain and organise ideas, reducing reliance on long sentences.
- Text-to-speech - Reads text aloud to support understanding when written language feels overwhelming.
- Speech-to-text - Lets you speak ideas instead of writing, helping when word finding or sentence building is difficult.
- Organisation & reminders - Break down multi-step instructions into simple steps with prompts and alerts.