THE Western Health and Social Care Trust (Western Trust) Speech and Language Therapy Team were delighted to support World Development Language Disorder Awareness Day last Friday, October 16.

The day was designated to help highlight that one in 14 children around the word have Developmental Language Disorders (DLD), with people around the world called to use the hashtag #DLDSeeMe on the day, and in related social media posts.

An average of two children per classroom of 30 students are unable to fully understand what is being said but are expected to achieve the same as their peers, with a limited awareness of DLD amongst educators and the general public often seeing these children overlooked, with a lifelong impact.

Speaking ahead of the day, a spokesperson from the Western Trust said: "Raising Awareness of Developmental Language Disorder is an international organisation helping to increase awareness of this hidden but common condition.

"This year’s campaign is DLD-See Me, and families, teachers, speech and language Therapists and other professionals are joining to make DLD visible to the world, because no one should feel invisible.

"The Speech and Language Therapy Team in the Western Trust has joined the campaign to raise awareness of DLD so as many people in our Trust become aware of and understand this unknown but common condition.

"There will also be information stands at Omagh Hospital and Primary Care Complex and South West Acute Hospital, Enniskillen. We want as many people as possible in the Western Trust area to talk about DLD."

For further information, see www.RADLD.org, or contact your Speech and Language Therapy Department in your local health centre.