Developmental Language Disorder: The most common childhood condition you've never heard of

Professor Courtenay Norbury debunks some myths about children with this common but poorly understood condition

Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is diagnosed when children fail to acquire their own language for no obvious reason. This results in children who have difficulty understanding what people say to them, and struggle to articulate their ideas and feelings. Recent research has shown that, on average, 2 children in every class of 30 will experience DLD severe enough to hinder academic progress.

In a previous post for Head Quarters about DLD, some of the reader comments reflected commonly held misconceptions about children with the condition. It is one of the most poorly recognized and understood disorders of childhood despite its prevalence. Here Prof Courtenay Norbury debunks some of the most common myths.