Raising Awareness of Developmental Language Disorders (DLD) FAO: Principal, All Heads of Depts and Years, Boarding, Special Ed team, counsellor, support and boarding staff, OHSC, Parent and Community groups I was asked to help raise awareness of Developmental Language Disorders (DLD) as a neurological developmental condition that can persist into adulthood. Although it is more common than autism, it is not so widely known, as illustrated by Professor C Norbury’s 2014 research showing that, although DLD affects 7.58% children only half were actually diagnosed; with 2 in every primary class of 30 children having DLD severe enough to hinder their academic progress. I therefore wrote an easy-to-read book, with a forward by Professor Dorothy Bishop that has been on UK university reading lists and tells how Rachel was born with a Language Disorder that went undiagnosed until she was sixteen years old, struggled through mainstream education with little or no help from professionals yet managed to succeed against all odds. It is therefore essential reading for anyone working with children and young people in order to appreciate the difficulties they face on a daily basis, both socially and academically, and the repercussions this has on their mental health. It is also an inspiration to anyone facing similar issues. Although there is some awareness of these problems now, families still have to fight to get their children diagnosed and access professional help. There really needs to be more awareness of DLD everywhere. ‘Rachel the ‘write’ to speak’ by Sandra Capelin is available from Amazon UK for £5 / 6.5 US dollars but please note that I am not making money from royalties. I just want to raise awareness.
ReplyDeleteRaising Awareness of Developmental Language Disorders (DLD)
FAO: Principal, All Heads of Depts and Years, Boarding, Special Ed team, counsellor, support and boarding staff, OHSC, Parent and Community groups
I was asked to help raise awareness of Developmental Language Disorders (DLD) as a neurological developmental condition that can persist into adulthood. Although it is more common than autism, it is not so widely known, as illustrated by Professor C Norbury’s 2014 research showing that, although DLD affects 7.58% children only half were actually diagnosed; with 2 in every primary class of 30 children having DLD severe enough to hinder their academic progress.
I therefore wrote an easy-to-read book, with a forward by Professor Dorothy Bishop that has been on UK university reading lists and tells how Rachel was born with a Language Disorder that went undiagnosed until she was sixteen years old, struggled through mainstream education with little or no help from professionals yet managed to succeed against all odds. It is therefore essential reading for anyone working with children and young people in order to appreciate the difficulties they face on a daily basis, both socially and academically, and the repercussions this has on their mental health. It is also an inspiration to anyone facing similar issues.
Although there is some awareness of these problems now, families still have to fight to get their children diagnosed and access professional help. There really needs to be more awareness of DLD everywhere.
‘Rachel the ‘write’ to speak’ by Sandra Capelin is available from Amazon UK for £5 / 6.5 US dollars but please note that I am not making money from royalties. I just want to raise awareness.