Hearing the term "Language Disorder", one might seem to think that it has to do with speech but it is a

type of communication disorder whereby the person affected has problem using and understanding
language. Language disorders make it hard to use and understand spoken language. They’re not
problems with speech or hearing rather there are problems that involve comprehending and using a
language in proper context.

Language disorders typically affect all forms of communication affecting a child’s performance at home,
in school, and in social situations. A child with language disorder will have problems in learning all
languages.

Language disorder is mostly developmental. It develops in children right from when they were born
right into adulthood. Language disorder isn't a problem of intelligence. People who are faced with the
challenge might be equally as intelligent or more intelligent than people who aren't. Buta having this
disorder may make it difficult to learn. There are three main types of language disorder which are:

• Expressive language disorder: Children with expressive language disorder have trouble using
language. They may be able to understand what other people say but have trouble speaking with others
or expressing their thoughts, feelings, needs, and ideas through language. They often struggle to put
words together into sentences that makes sense. The disorder cannot only affect spoken and written but
also sign language.

• Receptive language disorder: Children with receptive language disorder have difficulty understanding
language. They struggle to comprehend words they hear or read, as well as what others are saying. They
often respond in ways that don’t make sense and are out of context most times.

• Mixed Language Disorder: This involves the presence of both receptive and expressive language
disorder in one person. Children who are in this situation have difficulty understanding what others say
and others have difficulty understanding what he/she says too.

Although the exact cause of language disorders is unknown, it is sometimes linked to a health
problem or disability, such as: brain injury, developmental disorder (like autism) brain illness, damage to
the central nervous system, birth defect (such as down syndrome) et c. The risk of having a language
disorder increases with family history of language disorder, premature birth, low birth weight, hearing
loss, et c.

SIGNS OF LANGUAGE DISORDER IN CHILDREN INCLUDE:

1) Does not babble with the early stage of birth.

2) Does not smile when being played with.

3)akes only a few sounds or gestures (like pointing within 7-12 months)

4) Words are not easily understood by the child (around 18month-2yrs)

6) Have limited vocabulary compared to children of the same age.

The complications may include:

1) Reading disorder.

2) Learning difficulty.

3) Struggle with academics and socializing with peers.

4) Problems functioning independently.

5) Behavioral problems.

6) Difficulties interacting with others and building relationships.

7) Depression, social anxiety, and other emotional problems.

TREATING A LANGUAGE DISORDER

Treating a language disorder is difficult as there's no known specific cause. However, it is possible to
reduce the impact of the disorder by;

A) SEEING A SPEECH AND LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST: A speech-language pathologist may use

1) Using toys, books, pictures, or objects.

2) Boosting phonological awareness.

3) Building vocabulary.

4) Using strategies to improve reading comprehension.

5) Using language to express complex ideas.

6) Asking questions of the child to keep up with back-and-forth conversation.

B) SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPY: Treatment will depend on the age of your child and the cause
and extent of the condition. The child should be allowed to participate in one-on-one treatment sessions
with a speech-language therapist and attend group sessions. The speech-language therapist will be able
to treat and diagnose the child according to his/her deficits. Early intervention often plays an important
role in a successful outcome.

C) COUNSELING AND COGNITIVE BEHAVIOR THERAPY: This helps treat related emotional or
behavioral problems and also helps the child be able to express him/herself clearly.
 D) HOME CARE TREATMENT: The parents can help a child by;

1) Reading and narrating stories.

2) Speaking clearly, slowly, and briefly.

3) Listening and responding when the child speaks.

4) Keeping the atmosphere relaxed.

5) Making the child repeat instructions in their own words.

LANGUAGE IMPAIRMENT: It is defined as a disorder in one or more of the basic learning processes
involved in understanding or in using spoken or written language. It can also be defined as a disorder
defined by normal cognitive function combined with poor performance of language tasks. Nora and
MacWhinney (2011) This impairment may manifest significant difficulties affecting listening
comprehension, oral expression, social interaction, reading and writing activities, et c.

Also, deficits in semantic memory, which forms a substrate for language, tend to produce profound
language impairments. Nora and MacWhinney (2011) sees language impairment as generally a failure to
develop verb agreement thus delaying competent syntactic production. The most compelling evidence
for this relation between language and memory is seen in neuro-generative conditions such as
Alzheimer's disease and the semantic variant of primary progressive aphasia (i.e loss of language).
Patients with this conditions typically have difficulty with both expressive and receptive language. The
person affected may have problems in areas such as; phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and
pragmatics.

Symptoms of Language Impairment include:

1) Be late to put words together into sentences.

2) Struggle to learn new words and make conversation.

3) Have difficulty following directions, not because they are stubborn, but because they do not fully
understand the words spoken to them.

4) Make frequent grammatical errors when speaking.

In conclusion, Language disorder are not really the same but they are closely related in the sense that
both spins from a cause of brain injury or illness and they're are both related to using language as a form
of expressing oneself and also comprehending others. This now large body of research has significantly
enhanced our general understanding of these impairments, while leaving us still uncertain about
important aspects of their exact nature. We still do not know their cause(s), their range of
manifestation, the course of their development, or the most effective remediation approaches. Schwartz
(2009)

REFERENCES

Nora Presson, Bria MacWhinney (2011) Hand book of psycholinguistics and cognitive processes.