Children may be born with conditions or disabilities that impact on their communication skills. Other people may experience communication difficulties later in life. These difficulties may present for a short or long time and can range from mild to severe.
A person with these difficulties may not be able communicate in the same way as other people. They may have problems with their speech sounds or understanding and using language. Some people may also use a different mode of communication.
Speech language communication difficulties can impact on a child’s overall development and learning. These difficulties will occur in all the child’s spoken languages.
Sometimes a child with speech language communication difficulties may also experience other conditions or disabilities. Schools consider the supports required for all of the child’s needs. You can find out more about supports for
other disabilities.