ICD-10 Code: F80.9
Language disorder is part of a cluster of diagnoses called communication disorders. Communication disorders are a group of psychiatric conditions that include:
A communication disorder is an impairment in the processes of speech, language or communication. Speech is the expressive production of sounds and includes an individual's articulation, fluency, voice and resonance quality. Language includes the form, function, and use of a convention system of symbols (i.e., spoken words, written words, sign language, pictures) in a rule-governed manner for communication. Communication includes any verbal or nonverbal behavior that influences the behavior, ideas, or attitudes of another individual. An adult with a communication problem may exhibit many different symptoms. These may include difficulty following directions, attending to a conversation, pronouncing words, perceiving what was said, expressing oneself, or being understood because of a stutter or a hoarse voice. An assessment of speech, language and communication abilities must take into account the individual's cultural and language context, particularly for individuals growing up in bilingual environments.
Language disorder is a psychiatric disorder that affects between 6 and 8 million individuals in the United States. A language disorder is rarely caused by a lack of intelligence. Most individuals with a language disorder are of normal intelligence.
Language disorder is characterized by persistent difficulties in the acquisition and use of language across modalities (i.e., spoken, written, sign language, or other) due to deficits in comprehension or production that include the following:
Language learning and use is dependent on both receptive and expressive language skills. Expressive language disorders involve deficits in verbal and written expression. Deficits may involve articulation, vocabulary, sentence formation and memory. An adult's language ability will lag behind that of his/her peers in areas such as word choice and usage, sentence formation and grammar. Receptive language disorders involve deficits in comprehension. In adults, signs of language disorder may include not listening to or following instructions and repeating words or phrases heard. A speech/language assessment is essential to determine the degree of deficits in either the expressive or receptive modalities, as these may differ in severity. For example, an adult's expressive language may be severely impacted, while his or her receptive language is intact.
Language disorder usually affects vocabulary and grammar, which results in a limited capacity for conversation. Some of the common symptoms of language disorder include:
Language disorder typically emerges during the early developmental period. By age 4, individual differences in language ability are more stable and are highly predictable of future outcomes. Language disorder diagnosed after the age of 4 is likely to be stable over time and typically persists into adulthood.
In language disorders, speech and language do not develop normally. The child may have some language skills, but not others. Or, the way in which these skills develop will be different than usual.
Learning disabilities and language disorders are also closely linked, although the exact relationship between the two is not fully agreed upon. When compared with typically developing peers, fewer individuals with language impairment complete high school or receive an undergraduate degree. The majority of young adults with specific language impairment who pursue education after high school seek vocational rather than academic qualifications. In addition, individuals with speech and language impairment tend to be employed in lower-skilled jobs than their typically developing peers.
Language disorder is heritable, and family members are more likely to have a history of language disorder. However, having a genetic vulnerability does not necessarily mean that one will develop language disorder. Risk factors for language disorder, along with other communication disorders, include prenatal complications and premature birth. Oral-motor and feeding problems in infancy that include poor weight gain, poor suck, gagging, poor volume or quality of crying and reduced vocal play are also associated with an increased risk for communication disorders.
Language disorder is treatable. Interventions recommendations for language disorder are outlined in the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association and American Family Physician.
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), particularly Title I, employers are required to provide workplace accommodations for individuals with learning disabilities, but only for disabilities that have been disclosed. Individuals have the right to determine whether, when, how, and to whom to disclose their disabilities, and many choose to withhold disability information. The following sources provide recommendations of workplace accommodations for adults with learning disabilities: ADA and LdAmerica.org.
Clinical research suggests the following treatments are indicated for the treatment of adults with language disorder:
In addition, research suggests the following interventions are promising: