Expressive and Receptive Language Disorders

Language refers to the words we use to share our ideas and to get our needs met. Language disorders is a term that refers to difficulties with all aspects of language, including understanding what is being said and expressing our ideas using appropriate vocabulary, grammar, and word structure.

Some children have problems with understanding, also called receptive language. They may have trouble:

• Understanding what gestures mean
• Following directions
• Answering questions
• Taking turns when talking with others

Some children have problems talking, also called expressive language. They may have trouble:

• Asking questions
• Naming objects
• Using gestures
• Putting words together into sentences
• Using correct pronouns, like “he” or “they”
• Knowing how to start a conversation and keep it going

Some children with receptive and/or expressive language difficulties will also have trouble with early literacy skills, such as:

• Telling a story with a beginning, a middle, and an end
• Remembering nursery rhymes and finger plays
• Learning to rhyme
• Naming letters and numbers
• Learning the alphabet

It is crucial that these children receive early literacy support, as they may be at risk for more persistent difficulty with literacy.

A child does not get a language disorder from learning a second language. It will not confuse your child to speak more than one language in the home. Speak to your child in the language that you know best. Children with language disorders will have problems with both languages.

Children with a history of language delay (late talkers) are at higher risk for a later diagnosis of Specific Language Impairment (SLI). A child with SLI presents with normal nonverbal intelligence, hearing, and motor development. Their difficulty is specific to language. SLI affects both receptive (comprehension) and expression of language. Children with a history of delayed onset of speech and/or language delays that persist beyond the end of a child’s fourth year of age are considered to be at higher risk for a later diagnosis of SLI.

Children with SLI may speak in shorter sentences than their same aged peers. They may use nonspecific words (e.g., thing, stuff, it), so it is difficult to understand what they are talking about. Their speech may lack grammatical markers, such as tense, plurals, and possessive markers, and they may mix up pronouns beyond what is considered developmentally appropriate. They may have trouble telling a story in a sequential and organized manner. Difficulty understanding directional terms (e.g., under, inside, between) and subtle grammatical markers can interfere with comprehension. Sometimes these children appear to be inattentive as they don’t seem to understand or remember what you tell them. They may have difficulty paying attention and following along in a group. It is important to rule out language-based learning problems prior to diagnosing attention deficit disorders in children.

Source: ASHA