Basic Information
Receptive Language Disorder means that a person has trouble understanding and processing things that are said to them. This includes figurative and literal language. Other names for this is Auditory Processing Disorder or Comprehension Deficit. This is often diagnosed before the age of 4 and can often overlap with other conditions or disabilities, for example expressive language disorder.
The causes are almost unexplainable. It often may arise from things working in combination. For example: the child’s genetic susceptibility, language exposure, and development of cognitive abilities. In cases that have clear causes it can arise from tumors, traumas or diseases.*
The causes are almost unexplainable. It often may arise from things working in combination. For example: the child’s genetic susceptibility, language exposure, and development of cognitive abilities. In cases that have clear causes it can arise from tumors, traumas or diseases.*
Symptoms
There is no set list of symptoms because it varies child to child. Possible symptoms are:
- Lack of interest when story books are read to them
- Inability to understand complicated sentence
- Inability to follow instructions given verbally
- Small vocabulary
- Parroting words
- Below age level language skills
- Not seeming to listen while being spoken to
- Lack of interest when story books are read to them
- Inability to understand complicated sentence
- Inability to follow instructions given verbally
- Small vocabulary
- Parroting words
- Below age level language skills
- Not seeming to listen while being spoken to
DiagnosisThere are an array of tests that must be given to determine the area of difficulty and rule out other possibilities like hearing problems:
- Hearing Tests – to ensure no hearing loss, and the childs ability to pay attention to sound. - Comprehension- Tested to see if the child is at the appropriate learning level for their age - Observation of child in different settings with different people - Neuropsychologist assessment to identify cognitive problems - Vision tests – To ensure no vision loss. |
Treatment Treatment methods vary because each case is different from child to child. But some typical treatments are:
- Speech-Language Therapy - One-on-one therapy - Special Education classes - Integrated teacher aids at school |
Links to resources
*Alberta Education - Learn Alberta:
http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/inmdict/html/receptive_language_disorder.html
Better Health:
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Receptive_language_disorder
http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/inmdict/html/receptive_language_disorder.html
Better Health:
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Receptive_language_disorder