Receptive Language Disorder

Children with a receptive language disorder may:

• Develop language slowly.
• Rarely be interested when people are talking, either at home or school.
• Have trouble following directions, especially when directions are spoken.
• Often misunderstand what was asked or said. For example, if you say, “Where is the dog going?” they may respond with what it’s doing—“The dog is barking.” Or, they might answer a different question, as in “The dog is brown.”
• Have a limited vocabulary and have trouble learning new words.
• Be able hear or see words but have trouble understanding their meaning.

It’s very important to get treatment as soon as you suspect your child might have a language disorder. Contact your healthcare provider if your child:

• Is rarely interested when people are talking.
• Often misunderstands the meaning of what was asked or said or written.

The cause of a receptive language disorder is often not known. Receptive language disorders usually begin by age four. A language disorder can result from:

• Family history. A child is more likely to have a language disorder if a mother, father, sister, or brother also has one.
• Other disorders. Language disorders may happen in children with other problems, such as autism, hearing loss, or learning disabilities.
• A head injury.
• Neglect or abuse.

Symptoms of receptive language disorder can be confused with another learning disability. It’s important to be evaluated by a speech-language therapist. Your healthcare provider or school can refer you to a speech-language therapist.

Children younger than age three can be evaluated through early intervention. This is a system of services in every state to help young children with disabilities. Parents can have their children evaluated at no charge.

A speech-language therapist may work with a child one-on-one or in a small group. In the public schools, children with receptive language disorder can use the special education services available. These services are planned based on each student’s needs. This includes:

• Diagnosing your child’s specific language problem.
• Individual therapy for the child.
• Working with the child’s teacher on the best ways to help the child communicate in the classroom.
• Working closely with children and families to learn effective therapy in class and at home.

Not all receptive language disorders can be prevented, but some can.

• Spend time talking and reading with your child every day.
• Take your child for regular check-ups.
• Prevent head injuries. Make sure your child wears a seat belt in the car and a helmet for sports.
• Don’t drink or use drugs when pregnant.

• American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
• Center for Parent Information & Resources
• Understood

A receptive language disorder is a condition in which a child has trouble understanding and processing words. They may be able to hear and read the words, yet not connect the words to greater meaning.

Children with a receptive language disorder may tune out during conversation because what they hear has little meaning to them. They can have a hard time following directions, especially when spoken.

Receptive language disorders usually begin by age 4. They are sometimes confused with other disabilities such as autism or delayed learning. For this reason, it’s very important for a child to be thoroughly tested by a specialist to learn the cause of their symptoms.

Receptive language disorder can affects the child’s ability to communicate, learn, and play with others. For this reason, it’s very important to get treatment as soon as the problem is discovered.