Language development happens quickly from birth-3 years of age. Children gain language skills through play, sensory experiences, and exposure to the language of others. It is critical to begin therapy early if your child is not reaching developmental milestones pertaining to language development.

Expressive language is the use of language. Expressive language disorders describe children who have difficulty using language to communicate their wants, thoughts, and needs. Expressive language is often thought of as talking. However, it is important to note that expressive communication can include pointing to a desired item, using AAC to express wants/needs, using facial expressions to express feelings, and more. Check out our page on AAC to learn how AAC may be an effective tool for improving your child’s expressive language skills. Children also may be gestalt language processors (GLP). You can check out our GLP page to learn how natural language acquisition may be used to help your child improve their expressive language skills. Expressive language therapy can also include teaching grammar, improving vocabulary, learning to describe, and more. Common causes of expressive language disorders can include autism, brain injury, genetic syndromes, fetal alcohol syndrome, premature birth, and sometimes the cause is not known. Language therapy looks different for every client depending on the cause, developmental skills, and specific needs.

Receptive language is the ability to understand and comprehend language. As mentioned above, depending on your child’s specific needs and abilities, natural language acquisition and AAC could be used during therapy. Receptive language therapy helps children understand vocabulary, comprehend language that is spoken or read, understand language concepts such as prepositions, and so much more. Again, therapy looks different for each client depending on specific abilities.

• Sometimes language disorders are not identified until a child is school-age and they have difficulty with reading, comprehending, using/understanding language concepts (i.e. prepositions, pronouns, plurals, etc.). In some cases therapy may be more structured in order to teach advanced language skills to children that have difficulty obtaining those skills naturally.

• It is also very common for children to have a mixed language disorder in which they have difficulty with both expressive and receptive language skills.

• It is important to know that children’s receptive language skills often outweigh their receptive language skills. In these cases, children may not be able to tell you everything they want to say even though they understand what you are saying.