It's Developmental Language Disorder Awareness Day and we're shedding light on this common but often misidentified condition.
Did you know that 70,000 children in Ireland have a hidden disability? That’s according to statistics shared by the Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapists promoting Developmental Language Disorder Awareness Day.
Children with DLD can struggle to understand what is said to them and struggle to be understood. The disorder is often sadly mistaken for poor behaviour and can have long term effects on social, emotional, mental health and academic functioning.
Support from professionals such as speech and language therapists, teachers and psychologists can make a hugely positive difference to those living with DLD.
The Irish Association of Speech & Language Therapists (IASLT) and many partner organisations across Ireland join those in the UK, Australia, the US, Finland, Canada and New Zealand in the Raising Awareness of DLD (RADLD) campaign to increase awareness of DLD on 18th October 2019.
The theme of this years' campaign is 'DLD: You and Me.' The campaign aims to help raise awareness and improve understanding of DLD from the perspectives of those affected by it while also supporting those parents, children and adults to share their stories.
Videos such as these are a powerful way of spreading awareness and showing policymakers what is needed to support people with DLD. You can watch these videos here.
The IASLT are also supporting the RADLD “Light Up” campaign with both DCU Campus and the Convention Centre in Dublin city centre scheduled to light up in purple and yellow on the day.
You can find out more about DLD here.