Receptive Language Disorder

What is a receptive language disorder?

A receptive language disorder is a condition that makes it hard for your child to understand what other people are telling them or process information they're receiving.

Another type of language disorder is an expressive language disorder, which means your child has difficulties communicating what they mean to the people around them.

Some children have mixed receptive-expressive language disorder, where they have both types of language disorders simultaneously.

It won't always be clear why a child has a receptive language disorder. Sometimes though, language disorders develop as a result of an underlying developmental issue such as Down syndrome or autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

How does a receptive language disorder or delay affect my child?

Children who have language disorders and delays often experience problems at school and in social situations. Their frustration at being unable to communicate sometimes leads to behavioral issues or acting out.

Your child may not only struggle to understand what's said to them but may also find it hard to follow spoken directions. They may have difficulties organizing the ideas in their minds to write them down or say them aloud.

If your child has an expressive language disorder as well, their vocabulary is likely to be noticeably less varied than those of their peers. They might hesitate frequently or umm and ahh a lot.

They may have difficulty using the correct tense when speaking, leave words out when they talk, or have problems formulating sentences.

How is a receptive language disorder treated?

If your child has signs of a receptive language disorder, the Celebrations Speech Group team conducts a comprehensive assessment to establish the most appropriate course of treatment.

Assessments can be a combination of caregiver interviews, standardized tests, and unstructured play with your child. The speech-language therapist needs to see how your child uses and understands language and evaluate the severity of their condition.

Following the assessment, your child's therapist at Celebrations Speech Group can design a personalized therapy program. This program uses play alongside written materials and books to help your child understand how language works.

Find out more about helping your child when they have a receptive language disorder by calling Celebrations Speech Group or book an appointment online today.