DLD

Question 1

Define SLCN

Answer 1

an umbrella term used n relation to children and young people who struggle to communication, whether this is due to social/environmental causes, neuro-developmental difficulties, or sensory impairment

Question 2

What other terms have been used for DLD?

Answer 2

• childhood aphasia/dysphasia
• developmental aphasia/dysphasia
• language disorder
  -language learning impairment
• SLI

Question 3

What was CATALISE?

Answer 3

A Delphi study with 57 experts which agreed on DLD terminology

Question 4

What were the issues with SLI?

Answer 4

• needed discrepancy between verbal and non-verbal skills
• issues with assessments, threshold, and trajectory over time

Question 5

What is the CATALISE criteria for DLD?

Answer 5

• language disorder not associated with known biomedical aetiology
• presence of neurobiological or environmental risk factors does not preclude DLD diagnosis
• can co-occur with other neurodevelopmental disorders
• does not require discrepancy
• can be diagnosed before age 5

Question 6

What might children with a language disorder have difficulties with?

Answer 6

• phonology
• syntax
• semantics
• pragmatics and social use of language
• discourse
• verbal learning and memory
• reading and writing
• processing

Question 7

General considerations for DLD?

Answer 7

• often no clear cause
• dont follow typical rate or progress of SLC development
• persistent throughout life
• some will have sig learning disability and some will not

Question 8

What are ‘red flag behaviours’ for 1-2yos?

Answer 8

• no babbling
• not responding to speech and/or sounds
• minimal/no attempts to communicate (verbal and non-verbal)

Question 9

What are ‘red flag behaviours’ for 2-3yos?

Answer 9

• minimal interaction
• does not display intention to communicate
• no words
• minimal reaction to spoken language
• regression or stalling of language development

Question 10

What are ‘red flag behaviours’ for 3-4 yos?

Answer 10

• two word utterances at most
• does not understand simple commands
• close relatives cannot understand much of child’s speech

Question 11

What are ‘red flag behaviours’ for 4-5yos?

Answer 11

• inconsistent or abnormal interaction
• at most three word utterances
• poor understanding of spoken language
• strangers cannot understand much of child’s speech
• close relatives cannot understand more than half of what the child says

Question 12

What are ‘red flag behaviours’ for 5+yos?

Answer 12

• difficulty producing a narrative
• difficulty understanding what is read or listened to
• marked difficulty in following or remembering spoken instruction
• talking a lot but difficulties engaging in reciprocal interaction
• many instances of over-literal interpretation

Question 13

How might DLD affect grammar?

Answer 13

• difficulty with verb endings and syntax
  -may omit ‘is’ and ‘are’
  -may omit ‘-s’
• words may be left out
• may avoid complex sentences as they get older

Question 14

What is lexical representation?

Answer 14

• how a word is stored
• in young children consists of semantic and phonological info
• info must be complete for adequate storage
• if incomplete, will find it difficult to access and say word correctly

Question 15

What is the role of SLTs in DLD?

Answer 15

• facilitate inclusion
  -provide specialist interventions
• work in partnership with teachers and families
• identification and diagnosis
• raising awareness
• facilitating communication in functional settings