Community Healthcare Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan, Sligo
A series of light up events are taking place across Donegal on Friday October 20th 2023 to raise awareness about Development Language Disorder (DLD).
Developmental Language Disorder is a significant difficulty learning, understanding, and using spoken language for no known reason. It emerges in childhood and persists into adulthood. Research says 1 in 14 children may show signs of DLD.
Speech and Language Therapists have a crucial role to play in the diagnosis of DLD and in supporting people with DLD to understand their diagnosis, achieve their potential and reduce the impact of their difficulties.
Hannah McSharry, Speech and Language Therapist, talks more about this year’s DLD Awareness Day theme. “The theme for DLD Awareness Day 2023 is ‘Around the World’ to highlight that DLD affects people across the world regardless of age, gender, spoken language and ethnicity. It can also affect people who are bilingual or multilingual but it’s important to add that speaking more than one language does not cause DLD.”
You can support a person with DLD by:
- Giving your full attention
- Using pictures and written notes to support your verbal message.
- Allow plenty of time for the person to respond.
- Check for understanding. Repeat and rephrase when needed.
DLD matters! It can affect social and emotional well-being as well as success at school or work.
So keep an eye out for the public buildings across Donegal lit up in purple on October 20th and think of DLD!
For more information on Developmental Language Disorder please go to www.radld.org
Last updated on: 17 / 10 / 2023
