- July 28, 2021
- Comments: 0
- Posted by: cbtkeadmin
Expressive language disorder – CBT Kenya
Expressive language disorder is generally a childhood disorder. There are two types of expressive language disorder: the developmental type and the acquired type. Developmental expressive language disorder does not have a known cause and generally appears at the time a child is learning to talk. Acquired expressive language disorder is caused by damage to the brain . It occurs suddenly after events such as stroke or traumatic head injury. The acquired type can occur at any age.
The disorder makes it hard for kids to express their thoughts and ideas. Kids understand what other people are saying, but they have trouble using language when they speak. That can have a big impact on their ability to make friends, socialize, and interact with other people. It can also affect them at school. Expressive language disorder can make it harder for kids to join classroom discussions or even write what they know. But with the right support, they can improve skills and build self-esteem.
How you can help with expressive language disorder
- There are many fun ways you can help your child work on communication and conversation skills. You can read picture books together and name objects. Or name objects as you’re driving or walking.
- Talk about characters in books or on TV and the plots. Ask your child to explain what happened in a movie you just watched. You can keep it simple—”What were the three most exciting parts?”
- Role-playing is another great way to build conversation skills. Act out a situation and switch parts midway. Or have your child play a news reporter doing an interview or a sportscaster describing a game.
- If your child says something that doesn’t make sense, or uses the wrong word, you can playfully point it out and ask your child to say it a different way.
- Tell your child that everyone struggles with something, and that’s OK. Explain that with work, language skills can improve, and that you’ll be there to help. And be sure to celebrate successes large and small.
Review
Many people with expressive language disorder avoid talking altogether. They may find it too frustrating or worry that others will judge them. They may choose not to socialize or interact with classmates or colleagues. As a result, they can come across as distant or withdrawn.
To be diagnosed with expressive language disorder, people have to be evaluated by a speech-language pathologist. These specialists work in schools, in clinics, and in private practice. People can be diagnosed at any age. But since expressive language disorder is developmental, the signs can appear at a very young age. The earlier it’s diagnosed, the sooner kids can get help to improve language skills.
Do you need help?
If your child is diagnosed with expressive language disorder, speech and language therapy is the best way to treat the issue. When there is an emotional or behavioral component, psychotherapy or cognitive behavioral therapy may be beneficial to your child as well.
However, there are a number of standardized expressive language tests that your child can be given by a speech and language therapist or a neuropsychologist in order to determine whether or not the disorder is the correct diagnosis for the issues your child is experiencing. Your child may also be given an audiogram to determine whether or not a hearing loss is causing his difficulties.
CBT-Kenya (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-Kenya) counseling center offers counseling and therapy sessions for persons from all walks of life. We focus on helping clients gain insight into themselves by going through a healing process. Our purpose is to help you to achieve your therapeutic and life goals, to improve the quality of your life and to help you to build strong relationships in your life. Get in touch or book an appointment on +254 739 935 333, +254 756 454 585 or info@cbtkenya.org.
