Imagine a classroom of 30 children. On average, about two of those children have Developmental Language Disorder — or DLD. Some classes will have more and some fewer, but across a whole school it adds up to one of the more common developmental conditions in childhood. And yet, most people have never heard of it.
DLD affects how a child understands and uses spoken language. It's not about intelligence, it's not caused by hearing loss or another condition, and it's not something children simply grow out of. But with the right understanding and support, children with DLD can thrive — at school, at home, and in life.
What Is DLD?
Developmental Language Disorder is a condition where a child has significant, persistent difficulties with understanding and/or using spoken language. These difficulties aren't explained by another biomedical condition (like hearing loss, intellectual disability, or autism) and aren't simply the result of limited language exposure.
The term DLD was defined by the CATALISE consortium, an international panel of experts led by Professor Dorothy Bishop. In a landmark study, they established clear criteria for identifying and naming language difficulties in children, replacing a confusing patchwork of older terms like "specific language impairment" (Bishop et al., 2017).
DLD can affect:
- Receptive language — understanding what other people say
- Expressive language — putting words and sentences together to communicate
- Vocabulary — learning, remembering, and using words
- Grammar — constructing sentences with the right word order and endings
- Narrative skills — telling stories and explaining events in a logical sequence
- Word finding — retrieving the right word when you need it
Every child with DLD is different. Some children mainly struggle with understanding. Others can understand well but find it hard to express themselves. Many have difficulties with both.
How Common Is DLD?
A large UK population study found DLD in around 7% of children starting school (Norbury et al., 2016). That works out at about two children in an average class of 30, and yet it receives a fraction of the public awareness given to other developmental conditions.
In Australia, this means tens of thousands of children are navigating school with a language difficulty that many of the adults around them may not fully understand. DLD often goes unrecognised. Children get labelled as "shy" or "not paying attention" when the real issue is that they're working incredibly hard just to process the language around them.
How Does DLD Present in the Classroom?
DLD can look very different from child to child, but there are common patterns that teachers and parents might notice:
Difficulty Following Instructions
A child with DLD might struggle to follow multi-step instructions, especially if they're given quickly or contain complex language. They might only catch part of what was said, or they might follow other children's lead to figure out what to do.
Trouble Expressing Ideas
A child might know what they want to say but struggle to find the words or put their ideas into sentences. Their sentences might be shorter, simpler, or grammatically different from their peers'. They might use general words like "thing" or "stuff" when they can't find the specific word.
Difficulty with Classroom Discussions
Answering questions, contributing to group discussions, and explaining their thinking can all be challenging. A child with DLD might seem quiet or reluctant to participate — not because they don't have ideas, but because the language demands are high.
Reading and Writing Challenges
Because reading and writing are built on spoken language, many children with DLD also have literacy difficulties. They might struggle with reading comprehension, spelling, or written expression.
Social Difficulties
Language is the currency of the playground. Children with DLD may find it hard to keep up with fast-paced conversations, understand jokes and sarcasm, or negotiate the social dynamics of friendship groups. This can lead to social isolation or frustration.
Why Is DLD Often Missed?
Despite being so common, DLD is frequently overlooked. There are several reasons for this:
- Children with DLD often develop good coping strategies. They might follow routines, copy peers, or rely on visual cues to get by without fully understanding the language around them.
- DLD isn't visible. There's no physical marker. A child with DLD might look like they're following along just fine.
- It can be confused with other things. A child who doesn't follow instructions might be seen as inattentive or non-compliant. A child who struggles to express themselves might be thought of as shy.
- Awareness is low. Many teachers and parents simply haven't heard of DLD. The international Raising Awareness of DLD (RADLD) campaign has been working to change this, and DLD Awareness Day (in October each year) is gaining momentum in Australia and worldwide (The DLD Project, n.d.).
DLD has been increasingly recognised internationally as a key area of speech pathology practice, with advocates working to improve identification — particularly in educational settings (Bishop et al., 2017).
The Impact of DLD
The effects of DLD go well beyond the classroom. Research shows that children with DLD are at higher risk of:
- Academic underachievement
- Literacy difficulties
- Social and emotional challenges
- Anxiety and reduced self-esteem
- Difficulties with employment in adulthood
But — and this is important — these outcomes are not inevitable. With early identification and the right support, children with DLD can build skills, develop strategies, and achieve their potential. In our experience, children with DLD tend to do better when the people around them — parents, teachers and therapist — understand the diagnosis and pull in the same direction. The diagnosis itself isn't what holds a child back; it's what happens after it that makes the difference.
When to Seek Help
If you're a parent and you've noticed that your child:
- Finds it hard to understand what you say, especially longer or more complex sentences
- Struggles to tell you about their day or explain things clearly
- Uses shorter sentences or simpler language than their peers
- Often seems to lose track of instructions
- Is falling behind in reading or writing
- Seems frustrated or withdrawn in social situations
...it's worth having a chat with a speech pathologist. A speech pathology assessment can clarify whether your child has DLD, identify their specific strengths and needs, and guide the best path forward.
If any of this sounds familiar, a speech pathology assessment can provide clarity and a clear path forward. We assess and support children with DLD across Brisbane's south side and Logan, working alongside families and schools. Get in touch to talk about your child — we'd love to help. Any actual clinical work — assessment, diagnosis, or therapy — happens in a consultation about your child, not from an article.
References
Bishop, D. V. M., Snowling, M. J., Thompson, P. A., Greenhalgh, T., & the CATALISE-2 consortium. (2017). Phase 2 of CATALISE: A multinational and multidisciplinary Delphi consensus study of problems with language development: Terminology. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 58(10), 1068–1080.
Norbury, C. F., Gooch, D., Wray, C., Baird, G., Charman, T., Simonoff, E., ... & Pickles, A. (2016). The impact of nonverbal ability on prevalence and clinical presentation of language disorder: Evidence from a population study. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 57(11), 1247–1257.
The DLD Project. (n.d.).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Developmental Language Disorder?
Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is a condition where a child has significant, persistent difficulties understanding and/or using spoken language, not explained by hearing loss, intellectual disability, or autism. It affects approximately 7% of children starting school.
How is DLD different from a speech delay?
DLD specifically affects language understanding and use, while a speech delay affects how clearly a child produces speech sounds. A child can have DLD, a speech delay, or both. DLD is persistent and usually requires ongoing support.
Is DLD the same as being a slow learner?
No. DLD is not about intelligence. Children with DLD are smart and capable but have specific difficulty with understanding and using language. With the right support, they can succeed at school and build strong communication skills.
Ready for practical strategies? Read our companion article: Supporting a Child with DLD at School: Strategies for Brisbane Teachers and Parents
Alexandra Bouwmeester is a Senior Speech Pathologist (MSPA, CPSP) with over 14 years' experience assessing and supporting children with DLD. Based in Loganholme, she offers mobile speech pathology to families across Brisbane's south side and Logan.
