Cork mum: 'DLD is hard to understand, but much harder for those who have it'

My 11-year-old twin sons, Tommy and Tony, were diagnosed with DLD in 2022. It is a common neurodevelopmental condition that causes lifelong difficulties in speaking and understanding spoken language.

The boys struggled significantly with speech and language from an early age, and were given help for this, and then, near their seventh birthday, they were diagnosed with DLD.

I had no clue as to what this was four years ago, as I had never heard of it before, so I started on the internet and found platforms which explained a lot about it.

I met such nice people along the way whose children were affected by this, and teenagers who were going into adulthood, and I learned how DLD is still affecting them throughout their lives.

Between Zoom calls, emails, and meetings, I did not want to give up because I am my children’s voice at the end of the day, since they could not speak up for themselves. I did it for them and I will continue to do so.

DLD is hard for us to understand, but much harder for those who have it - patience is key.

It is a lifelong disability that can present challenges in understanding language and using language.

People with DLD have trouble having conversations, difficulty with learning, their attention levels can be very low, and they find it hard to follow instructions, get mixed up, and forget what was said. They can also suffer from social anxiety.

There can be a lot of frustration for people with DLD, which can lead to sufferers giving up on their interactions. School, academic-wise, can be very challenging.

DLD is known as a hidden disability, that’s why it can go unseen or be mistaken for something else. It can’t be cured, but it can be helped.

The boys’ school, Scoil Padre Pio in Cork city, has been a huge help in being aware of DLD. Their teachers, SNA, and resourse department help a lot, which is very important.

The Rainbow Club is another huge help for the boys, and they are fantastic at what they do.

Both Tommy and Tony are just amazing boys, who I know, as their mother, won’t give up.

It can be quite emotional as a parent thinking of the future.

So, this year, to mark DLD Day, we wrote a poem together, expressing what happens with the conditions.

DLD Around The World 2026: Make It Visible!

It’s hard for you to understand us, but even harder for us to understand you

It’s a struggle that we try to juggle

Every day is frustrating, but we try our best to make it a success

Emotions high, emotions low, the work is hard and so much more

Distracted and busy with other thoughts, can get me mixed up

But

We continue to build up the grammar

And visualise the pictures

But

To get to all of this, the help is what matters

Sometimes I’m just too tired

But

I won’t give up

DLD Why can’t you see me

The idea of DLD Awareness Day on October 16 is to spread awareness of the condition. The theme this year is ‘Together for DLD’.

To achieve this, some landmarks worldwide will light up purple and yellow.

It is important to spread awareness of DLD amongst schools, primary care facilities, and social media.

See https://radld.org/ for more information about the condition and the supports available.