Communication is essential to everyday life, and teaching children to communicate effectively is integral to their development.
PediaPlex offers individualized treatment plans for teaching vital behavioral skills to children with autism. Call now to schedule an appointment today!
Recognizing language disorders and testing to identify specific problems can allow children to get the treatment they need to address these problems. If you notice that your child has trouble finding the right words when they are trying to speak, putting together meaningful sentences or understanding what others say to them, they may have a language disorder.
Language disorders in children are fairly common. It has nothing to do with intelligence as children of above average intelligence can struggle with language disorders. It is important to note that they are not the same as speech disorders because children may have no problem pronouncing words, but rather applying the rules of language to what they say or hear. Two very common language disorders in children are preschool language disorders and language-based learning disabilities.
Preschool language disorders affect children between the ages of 3 and 5. You may notice that your child has trouble understanding what you’re saying to them, using language appropriately, or both. These problems are divided into two categories: Receptive and Expressive.
Receptive language describes a problem with understanding language. Not that your child doesn’t know the words, but they have trouble making sense of them and connecting thoughts through to conversation. Common signs of receptive language issues include problems with:
It can be difficult to identify receptive language issues in young children and know whether they truly have a problem or it’s just typical behavior for their age. Testing can help to further evaluate the situation.
Expressive language describes a problem with talking – not actually forming words, but using them correctly. Your child may understand what you’re saying to them, or the story you’ve just read, but they have trouble feeding the information back to you in a way that makes sense. Some common signs of expressive language issues include trouble with:
Your child may use the same simple words or phrases over and over again instead of having a more vibrant vocabulary. They may also get frustrated when trying to express themselves because they can’t communicate their thoughts clearly. Expressive language problems are usually easier for parents to identify.
If your child has both receptive language and expressive language difficulties, they may have a mixed receptive-expressive language disorder.
A language-based learning disability could affect children at any age. It refers to their progress as compared to other children of a similar age in regards to reading, writing, and spelling. You may have heard it referred to as simply a learning disability. Children with learning disabilities often have trouble with both spoken and written language and integrating the two.
When many people think of learning disabilities, one of the first things that come to mind is dyslexia. Dyslexia is often associated with reading, but has a broader impact on writing, spelling and sometimes speaking. Although there is no “cure” for dyslexia, with the right strategies, children can learn to overcome these difficulties and function very effectively.
Some of the common signs of dyslexia and a language-based learning disability include:
Speech and Language Pathologists (SLPs) have a variety of tests and evaluations that they can use to identify language disorders in children. Once the problem is determined, they can create an appropriate plan for helping your child to overcome these challenges and maximize their learning and communication potential. If you are concerned that your child may have a language disorder, ask about PediaPlex’s language disorder and testing options for children to detect problems early on. With clinics in Fort Worth, Frisco, and Southlake, Texas there is a D/FW area PediaPlex location near you!
No more juggling multiple clinics. PediaPlex offers ABA therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and more—all in one place. Plus, with three convenient locations across Texas, help is always close by.
Our staff are employees, not contractors. This means you’ll have a consistent team committed to your child’s progress for the long term, fostering stability and trust.
Every child is unique, and so is our approach. At PediaPlex, we tailor treatments to your child’s specific needs, providing compassionate, individualized care that makes a difference.
Discover how PediaPlex’s expert care can support your child’s growth and development. Fill out the Patient Intake Form or contact us today to schedule an evaluation and start your journey toward success!
or Contact Us
