Researchers highlight ’hidden’ learning condition | University of Oxford

Researchers have launched a campaign to end 200 years of confusion in diagnosing a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects two children in every classroom. Following a five year campaign to raise awareness of language difficulties, the researchers are supporting a drive to agree a new, streamlined terminology that will make the 'hidden condition' easier to diagnose and ensure those affected receive specialist help. Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) will become the consensus term for language difficulties that can affect, on average, two children in every classroom. The condition can cause difficulties with spoken language, language understanding, communication, and reading, along with a high risk of dyslexia. The campaign to raise awareness of language difficulties and agree DLD was led by Professor Dorothy Bishop (University of Oxford), Professor Gina Conti-Ramsden (The University of Manchester), Professor Courtenay Norbury (University College London), Professor Maggie Snowling (University of Oxford) and Becky Clark (RADLD Editor & Speech & Language Therapist, ClarkSLT). The campaign was launched because, despite nearly 200 years of professionals identifying language problems, there is still poor awareness of the condition relative to the frequency and severity of DLD. Most commonly, those affected are mistaken as being inattentive, having more general learning difficulties or poor behaviour.