DLD Day on Friday 20 October is a global event with the theme ‘DLD Around the World’, which aims to raise awareness of the condition that affects people around the world regardless of age, gender, ethnicity or languages spoken.

By Ms Cyrena Hunt-Madden (pictured, inset) Lecturer in Speech Pathology in the Charles Sturt School of Allied Health, Exercise and Sports Sciences in Albury-Wodonga.

Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) has been described as the most common disorder that many people have never heard of.

Studies show that less than 20 per cent of Australians have heard of DLD, and despite the significant impact DLD has on a child at school, less than 50 per cent of Australian teachers could accurately identify its characteristics.

So, what is DLD?

DLD is a neurodevelopmental condition impacting the way  people understand and use language.

As the name indicates, DLD is:

Developmental; DLD is present from birth and typically emerges in early childhood; it is not acquired and impacts language development.

Language; refers to the words we use and how we use words to communicate. Language can be spoken, manual (signed), symbolic or written.

A disorder; an individual with DLD presents with language skills that are significantly different to same-age peers.

As a label, DLD is relatively new, however, as a condition, it has been recognised since the late 19th Century. In 2017, DLD was decided as the diagnostic label to replace a range of labels describing the same condition (e.g. specific language impairment, language disorder, and language delay).

Who has DLD?

DLD affects one in 14 people, which approximately equates to two children in every classroom.

There is no single cause for DLD, however it can run in families. DLD often co-occurs with other conditions, such as ADHD, dyslexia, mental health issues and learning difficulties.

The diagnosis is made by speech pathologists for individuals with persistent difficulties understanding and using language, where these difficulties are having a functional impact on an individual’s daily life.

For a DLD diagnosis, the language difficulties cannot be explained by an associated condition (e.g. autism, Down syndrome).

How does DLD impact someone’s life?

(Above figure from Raising Awareness of Developmental Language Disorder (RADLD) )

The impacts of DLD are most evident in educational environments, where language is used to teach and measure success. For students with DLD, oral language and literacy difficulties can present significant challenges to achieving academic success.

Students with DLD are four times more likely to have difficulty with maths, and six times more likely to have difficulty with reading and spelling.

In the classroom, children with DLD are often misunderstood as being naughty or disinterested. They are more likely to have behavioural challenges, be disengaged at school and are less likely to complete their education.

DLD can impact an individual’s participation across the lifespan, in areas such as forming and maintaining friendships, completing education and gaining employment.

In addition, DLD is a risk factor for mental health difficulties, with individuals with DLD being six times more likely to suffer from anxiety and three times more likely to have clinical depression.

Finally, individuals with DLD are often underemployed, more likely to engage in delinquent behaviour and are overly represented in the justice system.

What can be done to support individuals with DLD?

While DLD cannot be cured, with the right support, individuals with DLD can be supported to achieve success at school and reach their potential.

Speech pathologists work with individuals with DLD to maximise their abilities and reduce barriers in their daily lives. Teachers and families also play a key role in supporting individuals with DLD in their everyday environments.

However, DLD is often untreated in Australian children. This is in part due to the lack of awareness of the condition and service access barriers.

Currently in Australia, there is no unified funding scheme to enable people with DLD to access support. DLD is not included as a disability for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and there is large inconsistency in access to support in schools across states and territories.

In addition, there is a recognised shortage of speech pathologists in Australia, particularly in rural and remote areas. These factors create significant inequities which lead to detrimental impacts for people with DLD.

Raising awareness for DLD

DLD Day on Friday 20 October is a global event which aims to raise awareness of the condition. The 2023 theme is ‘DLD Around the World’, bringing to light that DLD affects people around the world, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity or languages spoken.

DLD Day is acknowledged in more than 40 countries. In Australia, approximately 20 landmarks will be illuminated in purple and yellow to mark the day.

Increasing community awareness and advocating for equitable access to services are priority areas for speech pathologists, aiming to work with individuals with DLD to reach their potential.

For further information:

Raising Awareness of Developmental Language Disorder (RADLD) is the peak body coordinating DLD Day and advocating for increased recognition and support for people with DLD.

To seek speech pathology services for yourself or someone you know, services can be found via Speech Pathology Australia.