# My child was just diagnosed with Developmental Language Disorder — what should I do first?

Canonical: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/my-child-was-just-diagnosed-with-developmental-language-disorder-what-should-i-do-first
Publisher: Pinnacle Blooms Network / Bharath Healthcare Laboratories Private Limited

After a Developmental Language Disorder diagnosis, your first steps are to start speech and language therapy, confirm your child's hearing has been checked, share the diagnosis with their school, and learn simple home communication strategies. DLD is lifelong but highly responsive to early, consistent support, and it does not limit a child's intelligence or future. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.

*A diagnosis is not a verdict — it's a map. And with the right plan, your child's language can grow further than you imagine.*

## In short
First, take a breath — a Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) diagnosis means your child's difficulty with understanding or using language has been *named*, which is the first step to helping it. Your immediate priorities are simple: begin **speech and language therapy** soon, learn a few everyday communication strategies you can use at home, and check your child's hearing if that hasn't already been done. DLD is common, lifelong but highly responsive to support, and with early, consistent help most children make strong, meaningful progress.

## Your first steps
- **Start speech and language therapy.** This is the core support for DLD. A therapist will pinpoint exactly where your child struggles — understanding language, finding and joining words, grammar, or telling stories — and build those skills through play and structured practice.
- **Rule out a hearing issue.** If a recent hearing test hasn't been done, arrange one. Hearing difficulties can affect language and must be excluded.
- **Bring the diagnosis to your child's school or playgroup.** Teachers can use small classroom adjustments — shorter instructions, extra time, visual supports — that make a real difference once they understand.
- **Learn home strategies.** You are your child's most powerful language partner. Simple shifts — slowing down, pausing to let them respond, repeating and gently expanding what they say — turn everyday moments into therapy.
- **Hold on to hope, not labels.** DLD affects how language develops, *not* how clever or capable your child is. Many children with DLD are bright, creative and resourceful.

## What DLD means (and doesn't)
DLD describes ongoing difficulty with language that isn't explained by another condition such as hearing loss or autism. It tends to persist, but it is not a sign of low intelligence and it does not limit your child's future — it simply means language needs deliberate, skilled support. The earlier and more consistent that support, the better the path ahead.

## The Pinnacle way
AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional — never from an app or online form. If your diagnosis came from elsewhere, our clinicians can build on it with a detailed [language and developmental profile](/ask/what-is-the-abilityscore-and-how-is-it-calculated) and a plan shaped around exactly how your child communicates, through dedicated [speech and language therapy](https://www.pinnacleblooms.org/top-speech-therapy-center-india-proven-improvement-rate). Explore how we [support families across India](/) at every step of the journey.

## Trusted sources
WHO ICD-11 (Developmental language disorder); American Speech-Language-Hearing Association guidance on language disorders in children; American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org) on speech and language development.

**Next step —** Ready to turn the diagnosis into a clear plan? [Book a speech and language assessment with a Pinnacle clinician](https://www.pinnacleblooms.org/top-speech-therapy-center-india-proven-improvement-rate).

This is general information, not a diagnosis — individual assessment and diagnosis require an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.

## Sources
- WHO ICD-11 — Developmental language disorder: https://icd.who.int/
- ASHA — Language disorders in children: https://www.asha.org/
- AAP HealthyChildren — Speech & language development: https://www.healthychildren.org/

## Connected topics and perspectives
- Conditions: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/conditions
- Parent: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/stakeholder/parent
- Adaptive: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/domain/adaptive
- Support: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/intent/support
- Plan: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/lifecycle/plan
- Special Education: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/route/special-education
- Family Empowerment: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/empowerment/family_empowerment

## Related question paths

### Understand the subject
- How does Developmental Language Disorder affect a child's daily life?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-does-developmental-language-disorder-affect-a-child-s-daily-life
- Is Developmental Language Disorder considered a disability?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/is-developmental-language-disorder-considered-a-disability
- Is Developmental Language Disorder Genetic or Hereditary?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/is-developmental-language-disorder-genetic-or-hereditary
- What are common myths about Developmental Language Disorder?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-are-common-myths-about-developmental-language-disorder
- What are the types or levels of Developmental Language Disorder?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-are-the-types-or-levels-of-developmental-language-disorder
- What causes Developmental Language Disorder in children?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-causes-developmental-language-disorder-in-children
- What is Developmental Language Disorder?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-is-developmental-language-disorder
- What is Developmental Language Disorder, and what does it look like in early childhood?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-is-developmental-language-disorder-and-what-does-it-look-like-in-early-childhood
- What other conditions often occur alongside DLD?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-other-conditions-often-occur-alongside-developmental-language-disorder
- Early Intervention Outcomes for Developmental Language Disorder Under 7: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-does-current-research-show-about-early-intervention-outcomes-for-developmental-language-disorder-in-children-under-7
- Developmental Language Disorder: ICD-11 Definition & Early Features: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-is-developmental-language-disorder-and-what-are-its-icd-11-features-in-early-childhood
- ICD-11 Classification for Developmental Language Disorder: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-is-the-icd-11-classification-for-developmental-language-disorder

### Recognise signs & concerns
- Can DLD be cured? The hopeful, honest answer: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/can-developmental-language-disorder-be-cured
- Can Developmental Language Disorder be prevented?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/can-developmental-language-disorder-be-prevented
- Should I be worried my child might have Developmental Language Disorder?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/developmental-language-disorder-03-should-i-be-worried-my-child-might-have-developmental-l
- Do boys show Developmental Language Disorder differently?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/do-boys-show-developmental-language-disorder-differently
- Do girls show Developmental Language Disorder differently?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/do-girls-show-developmental-language-disorder-differently
- Early Signs of Developmental Language Disorder: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-are-the-early-signs-of-developmental-language-disorder
- Early signs of Developmental Language Disorder in a 1-year-old boy: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-are-the-early-signs-of-developmental-language-disorder-in-a-1-year-old-boy
- Early Signs of Developmental Language Disorder in a 1-Year-Old Girl: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-are-the-early-signs-of-developmental-language-disorder-in-a-1-year-old-girl
- Early Signs of Developmental Language Disorder at 12–18 Months: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-are-the-early-signs-of-developmental-language-disorder-in-a-12-to-18-month-old
- Early Signs of Developmental Language Disorder at 18–24 Months: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-are-the-early-signs-of-developmental-language-disorder-in-a-18-to-24-month-old
- Early Signs of Developmental Language Disorder in a 2-Year-Old: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-are-the-early-signs-of-developmental-language-disorder-in-a-2-year-old
- Early Signs of Developmental Language Disorder in a 2-Year-Old Boy: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-are-the-early-signs-of-developmental-language-disorder-in-a-2-year-old-boy

### Explore causes & influences
- Are Boys More Likely to Have Developmental Language Disorder?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/are-boys-more-likely-to-have-developmental-language-disorder
- Are girls more likely to have Developmental Language Disorder?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/are-girls-more-likely-to-have-developmental-language-disorder
- What Causes Developmental Language Disorder in Young Children?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-causes-developmental-language-disorder-in-young-children
- How early DLD intervention advances UNCRPD child rights and the SDGs: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-does-early-intervention-for-developmental-language-disorder-advance-un-child-rights-uncrpd-and-the-sdgs
- Contributing factors for Developmental Language Disorder: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-are-the-known-contributing-factors-for-developmental-language-disorder-in-early-childhood
- Cost-Effectiveness of Early Therapy for Developmental Language Disorder: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-is-the-cost-effectiveness-of-early-therapy-for-developmental-language-disorder-in-young-children
- Prevalence and Public-Health Burden of DLD in India: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-is-the-prevalence-and-public-health-burden-of-developmental-language-disorder-among-young-children-in-india

### Understand assessment
- How AbilityScore tracks progress in Developmental Language Disorder: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-does-abilityscore-track-progress-in-a-child-with-developmental-language-disorder
- Assessing Developmental Language Disorder in a Young Child: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-is-developmental-language-disorder-assessed-in-a-young-child
- How is Developmental Language Disorder assessed in children under 7?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-is-developmental-language-disorder-assessed-in-children-under-7
- What an AbilityScore of 0–100 Means for a Child with DLD: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-does-an-abilityscore-of-0-100-mean-for-a-child-with-developmental-language-disorder
- What does an AbilityScore of 100–200 mean for a child with DLD?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-does-an-abilityscore-of-100-200-mean-for-a-child-with-developmental-language-disorder
- What an AbilityScore of 200–300 Means in DLD: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-does-an-abilityscore-of-200-300-mean-for-a-child-with-developmental-language-disorder
- AbilityScore 300–400 and Developmental Language Disorder: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-does-an-abilityscore-of-300-400-mean-for-a-child-with-developmental-language-disorder
- What does an AbilityScore of 400–500 mean for a child with DLD?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-does-an-abilityscore-of-400-500-mean-for-a-child-with-developmental-language-disorder
- AbilityScore 500–600 and Developmental Language Disorder: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-does-an-abilityscore-of-500-600-mean-for-a-child-with-developmental-language-disorder
- What does an AbilityScore of 600–700 mean for a child with Developmental Language Disorder?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-does-an-abilityscore-of-600-700-mean-for-a-child-with-developmental-language-disorder
- What does an AbilityScore of 700–800 mean for a child with Developmental Language Disorder?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-does-an-abilityscore-of-700-800-mean-for-a-child-with-developmental-language-disorder
- What does an AbilityScore of 800–900 mean for a child with DLD?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-does-an-abilityscore-of-800-900-mean-for-a-child-with-developmental-language-disorder

### Explore therapy & support
- Where to Start Getting Help for Developmental Language Disorder: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/where-should-i-start-to-get-help-for-a-child-with-developmental-language-disorder
- How speech and language therapy helps a child with Developmental Language Disorder: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-can-speech-and-language-therapy-help-a-child-with-developmental-language-disorder
- Why does early intervention matter for Developmental Language Disorder?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/why-does-early-intervention-matter-for-developmental-language-disorder
- What is the best way to parent and guide a child with Developmental Language Disorder?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-is-the-best-way-to-parent-and-guide-a-child-with-developmental-language-disorder
- Treatment and Therapy Options for Developmental Language Disorder: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-are-the-treatment-and-therapy-options-for-developmental-language-disorder
- Are there successful adults who grew up with Developmental Language Disorder?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/are-there-successful-adults-who-grew-up-with-developmental-language-disorder
- Does Developmental Language Disorder Get Better or Worse as a Child Grows?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/does-developmental-language-disorder-get-better-or-worse-as-a-child-grows
- How a Non-Verbal Child with DLD Can Communicate: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-can-a-non-verbal-child-with-developmental-language-disorder-communicate
- How can we support adaptive development in a child with Developmental Language Disorder?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-can-we-support-adaptive-development-in-a-child-with-developmental-language-disorder
- How Common Is Developmental Language Disorder in Children?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-common-is-developmental-language-disorder-in-children
- How do I choose the right therapy for a child with Developmental Language Disorder?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-do-i-choose-the-right-therapy-for-a-child-with-developmental-language-disorder
- How do I explain Developmental Language Disorder to my child?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-do-i-explain-developmental-language-disorder-to-my-child

### At home & in everyday life
- How can I support my child with Developmental Language Disorder at home?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-can-i-support-my-child-with-developmental-language-disorder-at-home