Living with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) - DLDandMe.org

Summary

The speaker reflects on their lifelong struggle with a language disorder, particularly in writing and speaking. Growing up in a small town without support or resources, they often felt overlooked, and their challenges were misunderstood as simple developmental issues. Despite facing difficulties, such as losing marks for grammar or being accused of academic dishonesty, they have developed coping mechanisms, including pre-planning conversations and using scripts to interact with others. The speaker hopes to raise awareness about language disorders and build a more supportive community for individuals facing similar challenges.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker describes their experience with a language disorder, likely Developmental Language Disorder (DLD).
• 😀 The condition affected the speaker's communication skills, leading to difficulties finding the right words, especially during social interactions.
• 😀 Growing up in a small town, the speaker felt that no one recognized or addressed their disorder due to a lack of resources, like speech-language pathologists.
• 😀 In school, the speaker was often praised for their essays but lost marks due to grammar errors, which they struggled to fix on their own.
• 😀 The speaker had to frequently ask their mother for help with words they knew but couldn't recall at the moment.
• 😀 At university, the speaker faced accusations of academic dishonesty because their writing was perceived as lacking sufficient morphemes, leading to assumptions about their background.
• 😀 The speaker shares how simple tasks like making a resume can become difficult, requiring others to double-check their work due to minute errors.
• 😀 In social situations, the speaker plans what to say in advance, avoiding spontaneous speech to prevent embarrassment.
• 😀 When trying to make friends, the speaker uses scripts to guide conversations, often reflecting the other person's words with slight modifications.
• 😀 Many people are unaware that the speaker has DLD, and the speaker prefers to explain it as a 'learning disorder' or 'language disorder' for simplicity.
• 😀 The speaker expresses hope for more awareness and community support for individuals with DLD, as they feel a lack of resources and understanding.

Q & A

What language disorder does the speaker seem to be describing in the transcript?

The speaker appears to be describing Developmental Language Disorder (DLD), a condition affecting the ability to process and produce language.

How did the speaker’s environment impact their ability to address their language difficulties?

Growing up in a small town without access to speech-language pathologists (SLPs) or other resources meant that the speaker’s language difficulties were largely ignored and not fully addressed.

What coping mechanism does the speaker use to navigate social interactions?

The speaker uses scripts, planning ahead for conversations to avoid embarrassment and ensure smoother communication in social situations.

How did the speaker handle writing assignments during high school and university?

The speaker often had perfect content in their writing but faced challenges with grammar, which led to losing marks. They also struggled with being accused of academic dishonesty due to their writing style being misinterpreted.

What specific academic challenge did the speaker face regarding their writing?

The speaker was accused of academic dishonesty because their writing, which lacked certain grammatical morphemes, was perceived as being written by someone else, particularly assumed to be a Chinese student.

How does the speaker manage tasks like creating resumes or professional documents?

The speaker relies on others to check their resume and other documents, as small but crucial details, like missing words, can be overlooked.

What challenge does the speaker face when interacting in public spaces like cafes?

When ordering at a café or interacting in public, the speaker plans their words in advance to avoid miscommunication and embarrassment, as they sometimes struggle with spontaneous speech.

How does the speaker approach making new friends?

The speaker uses a conversational script when meeting new people, asking questions based on what the other person has said, with slight modifications to make it more personalized.

What term does the speaker prefer to use when explaining their condition to others?

The speaker prefers to use the term 'learning disorder' or 'language disorder' instead of explaining DLD in full, as it is quicker and more easily understood by others.

What does the speaker hope for regarding the awareness of DLD?

The speaker hopes that there will be greater community awareness and understanding of DLD, which could lead to better support and resources for those affected by the condition.