A Developmental Language Delay (DLD) is a condition where children have difficulties understanding and/or using spoken language (Bishop et al. 2016) with concerns typically shown at 18 months which do not resolve by 5 years. On the other hand, a late-talker refers to a delay in language expression (Bernstein and Tigerman-Faber, 2002) which eventually catches up without interventions by 3-5 years (Rescorla, 2009).
There are many differences between a DLD and being a late-talker. For example, receptive language (the ability to understand language) is intact in late-talkers as they can comprehend language but it is not intact in children with a DLD, a critical review found that low receptive language scores increased the risk of having persistent language difficulties (Law et al., 2000; Roulstone et al., 2003; and Thal et al., 1991).
However, expressive language (using oral language e.g. expression, articulation and vocabulary) is not intact in both late-talkers and children with a DLD as they cannot express themselves and communicate their needs. Nonetheless, research revealed that 70-80% of late-talking toddlers outgrow a language
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Late-talkers have good play skills but cannot express these whereas children with a DLD do not have play skills. As spoken language is crucial in communicating with others, children with a DLD struggle to make friends and prefer being alone (Sundheim & Voeller, 2004). Parents of children with a DLD report that high levels of conflict which could be caused by the frustration of the child due to the inability to express themselves (Caufield et al., 1989). However, when late-talkers were observed it was found that they were more withdrawn, serious and less interested in play than controls (Irwin, Carter & Briggs-Gowan, 2002) indicating that the lack of language skills leads to social difficulties in late-talkers as well as children with a