When to seek professional opinion?

when your bilingual child...

Is not making expected progress in either language, despite meaningful exposure and opportunities to use them

Has persistent difficulty understanding or expressing ideas in both languages compared to bilingual peers with similar experiences

Learns language much more slowly than other bilingual children in their community

Continues to struggle over time rather than improving with increased exposure and support

Shows weaknesses that affect communication, academic learning, or social participation in both languages

Kohnert, K. (2010). Bilingual children with primary language impairment: Issues, evidence and implications for clinical actions. Journal of Communication Disorders, 43(6), 456–473. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcomdis.2010.02.002

ASHA President Linda I. Rosa-Lugo, EdD, CCC-SLP: Identify the Signs of Communication Disorders (2026)

Find your Speech, Hearing and Language Provider in Chicago

Note: make sure you find a provider that matches your home language!

Looking for an audiologist?

Looking for a Speech and lANGUAGE pATHOLOGISTS?

bY LAW, YOU CAN REQUEST INTERPRETATION SERVICES WHEN NEEDED

Lack of language access can lead to misdiagnosis. Make sure you know your language rights

Language Access Handout

University clinics in Chicago

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Depaul UNIVERSITY
sPEECH AND LANGUAGE CLINIC

"What makes our clinic especially valuable for Spanish-speaking families is DePaul's Bilingual English-Spanish Specialization Certificate (BESSC), which trains clinicians to serve primarily Spanish-speaking individuals equitably and competently. Students in this track are required to demonstrate strong oral proficiency in Spanish, grounded in a curriculum that treats bilingualism as an asset."

Ludden speech and language clinic Saint Xavier university

Named for its founder, Sister Mary Antonine Ludden, R.S.M., the Ludden Speech and Language Clinic at Saint Xavier University has been in existence for over 60 years, serving children and adults with communication disorders. Since its inception in 1959, thousands of clients of all ages and disorders have benefited from services provided by the Ludden Clinic.