Language disorder
| Language disorder | |
|---|---|
| Specialty | Speech and language pathology |
| Symptoms | Trouble learning to read and write |
| Risk factors | Low birth weight, prematurity, general birth complications, trauma, being male, family history, and low parental education |
| Diagnostic method | Diagnosed by speech language pathologists after screening and assessment |
| Differential diagnosis | Speech disorders |
| Treatment | Speech and language therapy |
| Frequency | Approximately 7 in 100 people |
Language disorders or language impairments are disorders that cause persistent difficulty in the acquisition and use of listening and speaking skills. These difficulties may involve any of the five domains of language: phonology, syntax, morphology, semantics, or pragmatics. Language disorders may affect listening comprehension, spoken language expression, reading comprehension, and/or written expression. There are two main categories of language disorders: expressive, which involves a difficulty using words to communicate, and receptive, which involves a difficulty understanding language. Language disorders may persist across the life span, and symptoms may change over time. A language disorder can occur in isolation or in the presence of other conditions. Language disorders may occur from birth or early childhood, or they may be acquired later from disease or injury.
In the United States, speech language pathologists screen, assess, diagnose, and treat language disorders.