Environmental factors include bilingualism. Bilingualism DOES NOT cause language disorders, but bilingualism may cause delays or differences in language development. However, a language disorder in bilingual children will affect both languages; therefore, assessment across both languages is critical.

Environmental Factors Related to Language Disorder

Evidence strongly suggests that language disorders are highly heritable, meaning they are often passed down genetically from parent to child.

Genetic and Physiological Factors Related to Language Disorder

Language disorder prognosis can be influenced by both Environmental, and Genetic and Physiological factors.

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A type of communication disorder defined by difficulties in the acquisition and use of language due to deficits in the comprehension or production of vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure, and discourse.

Language Disorder

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., Text revision). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596

DSM-5-TR

A. Persistent difficulties in the acquisition and use of language across modalities as a result of deficits in comprehension or production that include the following:
- Reduced vocabulary
- Limited sentence structure
- Impairments in conversational discourse.

B. Language abilities are substantially and quantifiably below those expected for age, resulting in noticeable functional limitations in both 
academic and social settings for the individual.

C. Onset of symptoms is present as early as age 24 months.

D. The difficulties are not better attributable to hearing or other disorders, delays, or impairments in the individual.

[DSM-5-TR] Diagnostic Criteria of Language Disorder

Social indicators of language disorder (NOT diagnostic features) are:
- Reluctance to talk (shyness)
- Preference to communicate only with
family members or other familiar individuals

 Associated Features of Language Disorder

- Language disorder emerges during the early developmental period (before age 5)
- A late onset of language at age 24 months in a population-based sample was the best predictor of outcomes at age 7 years, but there is no single indicator. 
- By age 4 years, individual differences in language ability are more stable, with better measurement accuracy, and are highly
predictive of later outcomes. 
- Language disorder diagnosed in children aged 4 years and older is
likely to be stable over time and typically persists into adulthood, even though language strengths and deficits are likely to change over the course of development.

Development and Course of Language Disorder

Risk and Prognostic Factors of Language Disorder

A language disorder may have symptoms that overlap with other aliments/conditions such as:
-  Normal variations in language
- Hearing or other sensory impairment
- Intellectual developmental disorder (intellectual disability)
- Autism spectrum disorder
- Neurological disorders
- Language regression

Differential Diagnoses to Language Disorder

A language disorder may be associated with other neurodevelopmental disorders such as:
- Specific learning disorder (only if literacy issues with numeracy issues),
- Intellectual developmental disorder
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
- Autism spectrum disorder
- Developmental coordination disorder
- Social (pragmatic) communication disorder.

Comorbid Diagnoses to Language Disorder

- In clinical samples, language disorder may co-occur with speech sound disorder, although data from a large population-based sample of 6-year-old children in the United States suggest comorbidity might
be rare (1.3%). 
- A positive family history of speech or language disorders is often present.
- When language disorder is present with speech disorder, it has a poorer prognosis, and may be associated with a specific learning disorder.
- Social (pragmatic) communication disorder is linked to language disorder more than any other aliment.
- Autism spectrum disorder is frequently language disorder.
- ADHD may cooccur with language disorder.

Interdisciplinary Connections & Research Related to Language Disorder

The Collection of references for Language Disorder.

References for Language Disorder

- Speech - Language Pathologist can help make adjustments in the child's school life as well as work with them 1-on-1 (Speech and Language Therapy) to make things easier
- Language disorder can also lead to depression and social anxiety, so Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help children who experience these problems.

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