Atypical Language Development

Some children have trouble learning to read, write, or speak. There are ways for you to address these language delays and help your child learn to read and communicate successfully. Most importantly, do not be discouraged! Perceptions around disability introduce a context of failure, but children with language and intellectual disabilities engage with reading the same way as the general population.

What is Disability in Literacy?

There are many ways to help your child if they are exhibiting difficulties in literacy development. The pages listed below provide resources and tips for parents of children with the following specific impairments or developmental challenges:

Children on the Autism Spectrum

Children with Dyslexia

Children with Hearing Impairments

Children with Visual Impairments

For more general information on atypical language development, here are some common signs to look out for and suggested parental practices:

Children With Developmental Delays

Signs to look out for:

Developing slower than other children their age.
Starting at 1 year old, children may struggle with:
- Saying and understanding words
- Recognizing words that other people are saying
- Misunderstanding sentences based on their structure
- Talking with friends or family in social situations
Signs can be different depending on the specific developmental delay

Things parents can do to help:

Make sure your child has one-on-one attention for improving language skills and learning to read.
At least every 6 months, evaluate how well your child’s language is improving with these one-on-one sessions.

Children With Intellectual Disabilities

Signs to look out for:

Problems with:
- General intellectual functioning
- Adaptive behavior: conceptual and practical skills
- Remembering how to say things
- Following verbal direction

Things parents can do to help:

Speak in simple, clear sentences
Use visual cues to help comprehension
Emphasize sounding out words
Encourage reading at home
Use gestures or sign language while reading

Struggling to Communicate With Others

Signs to look out for:

Beginning to talk significantly later than other children
Having trouble expressing themselves with words, starting at 1 year all the way to 3 years old
Do not worry! Many of these language delays will go away on their own with time as your child learns and hears more language

Things parents can do to help:

Make sure your child is on track with language progress by evaluating language improvement until age 5
If you still see a delay at age 5, then other resources for professionals may be needed

Struggling to Understand AND Communicate With Others

Signs to look out for:

Problems with using and understanding words
Problems with using and understanding more complicated sentences
Starting around one year, your child may struggle with producing speech sounds
Developing the same in other areas, but struggle with language
Different children will have different levels of understanding and using language

Things parents can do to help:

At 18 months, evaluate how well your child is speaking and understanding others
For help with language, ensure that your child has high quality teachers and is getting enough attention in the classroom.
- If they are still struggling however, you may want to consider putting them into smaller group learning sessions or getting them one-on-one help with a tutor or teacher
For help with learning to read, high quality teachers and smaller group sessions are better so your child can get more attention and help

Children With Severe Social Behavior Problems

Signs to look out for:

Your child may have other mental health issues along with severe behavior problems
After one year old, your child can have problems expressing themselves with words or understanding the words other people use with them.
After one year old, your child can have problems creating sentences and understanding the meaning of sentences other people use with them
After three years, your child may have problems communicating with their friends or other people in social situations
The symptoms for this category vary greatly based on how severe the behavior problems are

What parents can do to help:

Check your child’s language abilities when they are diagnosed with the behavior problem
Start with making sure your child has high quality teachers and are getting enough attention in the classroom. If they are still struggling with language and reading, you can put them into smaller group learning sessions or consider getting them one-on-one help with a tutor or teacher.
Make sure to address their behavior problems along with their language and reading progress

If your child does meet one or more of the symptoms above for a given category, do not worry! The most important thing is that you as a parent or teacher are taking initiative to help them be the best language learners and readers possible.

How the Reading Systems in the Brain Typically Function

Most people use three systems in the left side of the brain to help them read. These are called the temporoparietal system, the anterior system, and the ventral system. The temporoparietal system helps people remember what a written word means, the anterior system is in charge of identifying how word parts sound, and the ventral system lets people read easily.

How the Reading Systems in the Brain Work in Children with Reading Disabilities

Children with reading disabilities have abnormal reading systems in the brain.
- They show lower activity in the parts of the brain that help them read, meaning that they don't work well
- They also have fewer connections between the reading areas, making it difficult for the reading systems to help each other with their jobs
- This decreased activity and connectivity combine to make reading difficult for children with reading disabilities

However, with training in literacy skills, brain activity in children with reading disabilities can reach levels similar to those in non-impaired children.

The American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities is "is the oldest and largest interdisciplinary organization of professionals and citizens concerned about intellectual and developmental disabilities." If you have more questions, visit aaidd.org for additional information regarding recommendations for atypical language development.

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