Are you overlooking 10% of your target Market?

Specific Language Impairment (SLI) affects approximately 10% of all kindergartners.  SLI is also referred to as Developmental Language Disorder (DLD).  Studies of DLD have found that two children in every 30-pupil classroom may have DLD.  M. Hashim Raza, of the Life Span Institute in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences at Kansas University, says that children with SLI (DLD)…

“might face problems speaking and learning grammar and not be very

talkative – but they’re otherwise typical children.  If we talk about their

nonverbal IQ level, they fall into the in-the-average range, and sometimes

we see their nonverbal IQ level is even higher than in average people.”

These children are in our community, neighborhoods, and classrooms.  They are not physically limited from participating in sports leagues, playing at playgrounds, attending community events, and accessing other programs. However, they are often limited in their access to toys, games, puzzles, or programs due to their difficulty understanding and using their native language.  If you’re a creator in the toy/play space, have you considered insuring your product or program allows for full accessibility for ALL children, including ones with SLI? 

Lynch, B. (2022, March 15). Study pinpoints gene target for specific language impairment. The University of Kansas. Retrieved March 23, 2022, from https://today.ku.edu/2022/03/15/new-research-pinpoints-promising-gene-target-specific-language-impairment?fbclid=IwAR1yR1ZefMR6QuxKm4q-8kPcJv1LLY55FLZbJ_fH4d6jy_2MvucoX4oOxwE

Follow this space for an interview of an adult with Developmental Language Disorder - coming soon!