28/01/2025
It’s been a while but this one was worth the wait!
Written by Loren Crisp
Who is DLD and what cheeky things has he been up to?
My immediate reaction to flicking through this book, before sharing with my 9-year-old, is that this book just gets it.
The words are presented simply and clearly. The illustrations are not only fun but also have made a meaningful effort to support understanding. It's not long enough to be overwhelming, nor is it too short to feel too young for my son.
The book begins by introducing a character called DLD. DLD stands for Developmental Language Disorder and each word is broken down to explain exactly what this means.
Disorder is when something is mixed up. To explain this, there are lined up ducks labelled as "not disorder" and muddled ducks labelled as "disorder". My 9-year-old really liked this description because it just made sense to him.
As both a parent and a student speech and language therapist, I find it mind boggling that these terms can be so hard to understand and explain to our children. But this book does a fantastic job!
The book also explains why DLD happens and how this might feel. It also focuses on how to take care of yourself when you have DLD. For example, asking for pictures to support understanding and asking for help from teachers, family and friends.
The book shares how DLD looks different for everyone and changes as children grow older. It is a sensitive, accessible, well-thought out book that does a superb job of breaking down what DLD means and how it affects children's lives.
Ending on a positive, affirming note, this book is a great choice to share with children who have DLD.
Age: 4-16 years
Languages available: English
Published: October 2024
Pages: 38 pages
