01/08/2026
Out with the old, in with the new.
Developmental Language Disorder (also referred to as "DLD") is the recommended term that speech-language pathologists use to identify people who show the following:
- Persistent challenges with language
- Their language challenges cannot be attributed to a lack of adequate language-learning opportunities (for example, severe childhood neglect) or other biomedical condition (for example, autism, cerebral palsy or Down Syndrome)
- Their language challenges impact their social interaction or academics
What can we get rid of? Using terms like SLI, language impairment, receptive and/or expressive language disorder or difficulty, and developmental aphasia.
Identifying and sharing about DLD helps families get connected to incredible resources including: RADLD - Raising Awareness of Developmental Language Disorder, DLD and Me, DLD Diagnostics (out of Western University) and Empowered DLD Parenting.