Choosing the Best Expressive Language Disorder Treatment Facility
What Is Expressive Language Disorder?
Expressive language disorder is difficulty using words to communicate needs and ideas. Children who have this disorder may leave words out of sentences, mix up word tense, and repeat phrases or parts of sentences. It can lead to problems in social settings and at school. A therapist can diagnose the condition and recommend treatment options.
From the moment they are born, children begin to learn and express themselves through language. As they grow, they become more adept at communicating their needs and ideas through words, and at interpreting the spoken message of others.
However, not all children develop or master these skills at an equal pace. Some develop a disorder called expressive language disorder, which means that they have a hard time expressing themselves using words.
If your child has an expressive language disorder, we can help you find the language rehabilitation and treatment he or she needs to make progress in communicating effectively with others. Call us today for more information.
Why Is This Happening to My Child?
About one in 20 kids have signs of a language disorder like expressive language disorder, according to Medline Plus. Sometimes the issue is caused by a brain injury; sometimes it is caused by other developmental issues, like autism, learning disabilities, and hearing loss. Damage to the central nervous system can also cause expressive language disorder.
6 Signs of Expressive Language Disorder
Your child may have two or more of the following symptoms to receive a diagnosis of expressive language disorder:
- Difficulty putting words into sentences and in the right order
- Difficulty finding the right word and uses placeholder words like “uh” as they mentally search for it
- Leaving words out of sentences
- Mixing up word tense
- Vocabulary level is lower than what is age appropriate
- Repeating phrases or parts of sentences
Is Treatment Necessary?
You may find that your child’s expressive language disorder is charming in some ways or feel that if it’s naturally who he is then it is unnecessary to try and force him to speak or communicate differently. Unfortunately, expressive language disorder can cause your child to have difficulties in peer social settings and in the classroom. It can often be the precursor to serious behavioral problems if it is goes untreated.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Expressive Language Disorder
There are a number of standardized expressive language tests that your child can be given by a speech and language therapist or a neuropsychologist in order to determine whether or not the disorder is the correct diagnosis for the issues your child is experiencing. Your child may also be given an audiogram to determine whether or not a hearing loss is causing his difficulties.
If your child is diagnosed with expressive language disorder, speech and language therapy is the best way to treat the issue. When there is an emotional or behavioral component, psychotherapy or cognitive behavioral therapy may be beneficial to your child as well.