How do I talk about DLD with my child?

It’s good to talk to your child about DLD, in a way that fits your child’s age and language difficulties. You can find a few general tips here.

Is your child older? Check out our ‘Tips for talking to your teenager’ at the bottom of this page. 

TIPS: Talking to your child

• Talk about the things your child struggles with, this poster might help. 

• Be sure to also talk about the things your child is good at! 

• Use everyday events to talk about language and DLD. 

• Watch videos together of children talking about DLD. English videos can be found at RADLD and DLDandMe. Dutch videos can be found at personal stories (scroll down for videos). 

• Read books about DLD with your child, such as Harry’s story. Or read a book about ‘being yourself’. Dutch books can be found at TOSshop. 

• Speak in short and clear sentences. 

• Use visual aids such as gestures, pictograms or drawings. 

• Don’t give too much information at once. 

• Take your time. Give your child time to process the information and to respond to it. 

• Repeat the information at a later time. 

What do I tell my child?

To help you get started, here are a few examples of what you can tell your child about DLD: 

Language is difficult for you 

DLD stands for Developmental Language Disorder: it means it is difficult to learn language. You have less talent for language, like other people have less talent for music or sports. DLD is different for everyone. Some children with DLD have trouble understanding. Other children find it difficult to find words or to say what they mean. 

You are good at other things  

Everyone is good at something. If you have DLD, you can be good at drawing, gaming, sports, or interacting with animals. What are you good at? 

You are not alone 

There are many other children who have DLD. Some children with DLD have few problems. They learn to cope with their language problems. They are not bothered by DLD as much anymore. Other children need more help. They might go to a treatment group or special school. DLD is different for everyone. 

School might be harder 

If you have DLD, you may have trouble remembering words. You might forget what someone said to you. That can be tricky at school. For example, when the teacher says, “take out the workbook that I gave you yesterday and open it on page 3.” Such a long sentence is hard to remember. You may not know what to do. But the teacher might think you’re not paying attention. It can also be harder to talk to other children. Or to join in during recess. For example, when children suddenly change the rules of the game. It is useful for the teacher and the other kids to know that you have trouble with language. 

Tips for your child

Tips: Talking to your teenager

• Many teenagers don’t want to talk about their problems. That is normal. Don’t ask your child to sit down and talk. Instead, talk to them during a walk or another activity. 

• Point your child to these personal stories of young people, tips from young people with DLD, and the Spraaktaal guide for young people (in Dutch). 

• Does your child want to connect with other young people with DLD? Check out SamenTrOtS or  SpraakSaam (for people aged 12 to 30). 

• Discuss with your child whether the Com-Pas would be useful. This card can help teenagers with DLD communicate in difficult situations. For example, during an internship, in shops and stores, or in public transport. They are similar to these I have DLD help cards. 

More information

English language resources on DLD are available from these websites: 

• RADLD (UK) 

• DLDandMe (UK) 

• DLDandMe (US) 

• TheDLDProject (Australia) 

The UK-based charity Afasic provides a parent helpline.