Acquired aphasia vs. developmental language disorder
| Acquired aphasia | Developmental language disorder (DLD) | |
|---|---|---|
| When it starts | After language has developed, often suddenly | From early childhood, as language is being learned |
| Cause | Damage to the brain: stroke, head injury, infection, tumor or a progressive disease | Differences in how the brain develops; the exact cause is unknown, and it often runs in families |
| Who it affects | Mostly middle-aged and older adults, but anyone, including children | About 1 in 14 children in kindergarten |
| Other names | Dysphasia | Developmental dysphasia, specific language impairment, language delay |
| Who helps | Doctors and a speech-language pathologist | A speech-language pathologist, the child's doctor and school |
What developmental language disorder is
Developmental language disorder (DLD) is one of the most common childhood disorders. A child with DLD has trouble learning, understanding and using language, and it is not explained by hearing loss, autism or not hearing enough language. It can affect speaking, listening, reading and writing.
DLD tends to run in families, and its effects often last into adulthood. Speech-language therapy can help children build language skills, and support at school helps with reading and learning.
When children do get aphasia
Children can lose language skills they had after damage to the brain. This is called acquired aphasia in childhood. Causes include:
- A stroke, which can happen before birth, around the time of birth or later in childhood
- A head injury
- A brain infection, such as encephalitis
- A brain tumor or its treatment
A child who suddenly cannot speak or understand, or who loses words they used to say, needs medical care right away. Call 911 if it starts suddenly.
If a child's language worries you
- Talk with the child's doctor, and ask about a hearing test.
- Ask for an evaluation by a speech-language pathologist. In the United States, public schools and early intervention programs can also evaluate children.
- Get help quickly if a child loses words or skills they already had.
A language disorder is not a sign of low intelligence, and children do better when help starts early. For adults, see what aphasia is.
Common questions
Can you be born with aphasia?
Usually not. Aphasia is acquired: it happens after brain damage takes away language a person already had. Children who have trouble learning language from the start more often have developmental language disorder (DLD).
What is developmental aphasia?
Developmental aphasia and developmental dysphasia are older names for what is now called developmental language disorder, or DLD. DLD affects how a child learns and uses language from early childhood, and it is not caused by a brain injury.
Can a child get aphasia?
Yes. A child can get aphasia after a stroke, a head injury, a brain infection or a brain tumor. Strokes can happen before birth, around the time of birth or in childhood, though they are much rarer than in adults.
Is developmental language disorder the same as autism?
No. DLD is a language disorder that is not explained by autism, hearing loss or another condition. A child can have DLD together with other conditions, and a full evaluation helps sort out what is going on.
Does a language disorder mean a child is less intelligent?
No. A language disorder affects how a child learns and uses words and sentences. It does not mean the child is less intelligent, and speech-language therapy can help.
How ExpressAgain can help
ExpressAgain is built for people who lost words they once had: they can read and choose what they want to say, and the app says it out loud. For a child still learning language, start with a speech-language pathologist, who can suggest tools that fit the child.
Keep reading
More about aphasia
- Understanding aphasia: the overview
- What is aphasia?: The meaning of aphasia, its medical definition, and what the inability to speak is called.
- Aphasia vs. dysphasia: Two words for one language disorder, and why dysphagia (swallowing) is something else.
- Aphasia causes: Stroke, head injury, tumors, infections and progressive conditions, and why sudden changes are an emergency.
- ExpressAgain for aphasia: how the app's aphasia mode works
- ExpressAgain after a stroke: communication through recovery
Sources
- NIDCD (National Institutes of Health): Developmental Language Disorder
- NIDCD (National Institutes of Health): Aphasia
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA): Spoken Language Disorders, Practice Portal
- MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Language disorders in children
- MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine): Speech and Communication Disorders
Last reviewed . This page is general information written in plain language from the sources above. It is not medical advice and cannot diagnose anyone. Talk with a doctor or a speech-language pathologist about your own situation. If speaking or understanding suddenly becomes hard, call 911.