Language

Children with Duchenne usually have a vocabulary that is in the normal range, but may have more trouble with other language skills. An area of weakness may be understanding complex verbal information. Because of this, children with Duchenne may have difficulty understanding expectations or following directions, and may only get “part of the message.” Children with Duchenne may also have difficulty with expressive language. This can interfere with their ability to describe their ideas and ask questions. Teachers should note that, because their basic vocabulary is usually in the normal range, children with Duchenne may give the impression that their level of understanding is higher than it actually is.

Phonological processing skills are an area of language that can be particularly problematic for children with Duchenne. Good phonological processing is a prerequisite for the development of reading skills, and problems in this area place a child at risk for the development of dyslexia. Learn more about phonological processing in our dyslexia section.

Information in this section was contributed, in part, by James Poysky, PhD. Read Dr. Poysky’s entire document, Learning and Behavior in Duchenne (download).