Language disorders do not reflect a child’s intelligence

These disorders are serious learning disabilities, but they are easily treated if identified in their early stages. Should you suspect your child has one or more of these disorders, we suggest you approach Capulum College, where you will receive professional advice.

Signs that your child may have a language disorder include – 

• trouble learning
• struggling with using spoken and written language,
• difficulty with vocabulary, sentence structure and/or holding a conversation – leading to the overuse of hand gestures.

These signs, unlike most other learning disabilities, are usually recognisable long before a child starts school. Symptoms can appear as early as one year old. However, children with a general speech and language delay often learn at a slower pace than other children of their own age. This is likely to be a temporary situation and can be resolved with speech therapy and at-home activities. Children who eventually develop speech and language skills can quickly catch up to their peers. Your child may have a language problem if you do not hear new words often.

Language disorders are likely to make schoolwork and communication frustrating but, as with many communication disorders, they have nothing to do with intelligence. This sentence needs repeating – language disorders do not reflect a child’s intelligence. They, however, are a cause of concern because they are a source of anxiety.

The causes of language disorders include –

• a brain disorder such as autism,
• a brain injury or a brain tumour,
• Down syndrome or cerebral palsy.
• problems in pregnancy or birth – poor nutrition, foetal alcohol syndrome, premature birth, low birth weight.

If left untreated, language disorders will affect your child’s academic performance – and, as importantly, children’s self-esteem and confidence suffer when they realise their skills do not match their peers’ abilities.

Language learning is a process that begins at birth and continues throughout life. Children learn language because they use it to communicate their thoughts, feelings, and experiences, establish relationships with family members and friends, and strive to make sense and order of their world.