How can better awareness be made about Language Disorders?

Question

How can better awareness be made about Language Disorders?
As a person who is very familiar and has worked first hand with persons with language disorders, it is very apparent that this disability is all but completely unrecognized. For example accommodations can be and are commonly made for a person with a physical disability or even a visual impairment. A person with a language disorder would be perceived as unintelligent, immature, unreliable etc. unless others in their environment are willing and or able to be understanding to the disability. This can be extremely debilitating and destructive to a person's livelihood (e.g. employment, legal matters).

How can we bring more awareness and understanding to this disability?

Answer 1

People should volunteer there time, by handing out pamphlets, flyer's, and having free seminars; in there area, People could write the Congress, or the Dept of Developmental Disorder, and inform them that there's not enough information given to the general population, and Social Services agency, because I have a child with such a disorder, and I understand the magnitude of need for help.

Answer 2

I think there is more awareness of autism, Asperger's, dyslexia, etc., than there was 30 or 40 years ago. So things are getting better for people with -- I guess you could call them associative or language disorders.

However, since these disorders are not easily apparent -- the way someone in a wheelchair is clearly known to have a disability -- nobody can tell. And some people with these disorders don't want the whole world to know about it.

Answer 3

I see your point, and it is a very good question. People with Language Disorders probably just want to be treated like everyone else, so they probably try and act as normally as possible.

I think people can get their awareness raised about this by:

1) Touching on the topic in our schools (in a health class or something)

2) Make pamphlets availible in a doctor's office

3) Do a fundraiser for it, because people will usually ask questions about what they're donating for, before officially donating

Answer 4

I belonged to the American Speech Language Hearing Association for 20 years, and NEVER saw or heard a public service announcement. The organization claims they "promote" the professions of speech-language pathology and audiology, but spends our dues on paying lobbyists instead of educating the public and professional (i.e., medical and educational) personnel about the essential services we provide.
ASHA needs to do a better job of raising public awareness about language, speech and hearing disabilities. I got sick of trying to do it myself.
Prospective educators need at least one year-long course on learning/language disorders. It's really sad that so many kids get pushed through the schools without getting the help they need, particularly the ones who aren't "severe enough" for special services. Classroom teachers need to know how to pull up the slack with these kids.

Answer 5

It is wonderful that you are bringing this to light. I have a small speech problem too and I am sure that it is from my Asperger's but most people can understand me unless they just aren't listening. I have no idea how to bring more awareness to this problem but maybe you can start by writing your policital leaders and informing them of this problem and that it does need to be recognized as a disability.

Answer 6

Do you mean speech impairment or dyslexics.

For speech impairment we can ask students or scouts and guilds groups to try communicating with out speaking to others. Give them a sheet with the alphabet to point to.

Pair them off one talking normally the other by the sheet.
Let them try a teletext phone.

Answer 7

Can you describe the disability in some detail?