Tips for Communicating with the Language-Impaired

There are two main types of language impairment:

• Receptive—those who have trouble understanding the speaker
• Expressive—those who have trouble speaking their ideas or needs

When a person seems confused and cannot follow directions, try the following techniques:

• Speak slowly, in short sentences (remember, language impairments are not hearing disorders—there is no need to raise your voice)
• Use gestures when asking the person to do something
• Show the person simple pictures, and ask him or her to "show me the dog"; Pictures of family members and things in their environment are especially helpful

When a person seems to have trouble saying words or speaks in gibberish:

• Give the person plenty of time to try to speak rather than speak for him or her; this type of problem is particularly frustrating for the individual as they are often aware that they are mixing up words and sounds
• Use pictures of what the person's needs may be; for example, using a board with a picture of a bed, bathroom, and food items will allow the individual to point to a picture of what they need and avoid the frustration of not having his or her needs met

Things to remember:

• To avoid frustration, think of what it is like to communicate with a young child. Language problems are not intellectual problems. Keep requests simple. Provide time for the person's attempts to communicate. 
• Eliminate background noise. Keep the television/radio off when attempting to communicate. 
• Minimize activity. Excessive activity in the home by others will only increase the person's frustration with understanding and speaking. 
• Realize that the person may not have control over the language that he or she uses. Some people who have always been polite and have never used foul language may begin to use it when affected by a language impairment. Caregivers should realize they have no control and not respond negatively to this behavior. 
• Do not react negatively to unexpected emotions. Along with communication problems, some people may suddenly cry when happy or sad or even inappropriately. Continue along with your attempts to communicate with them.