Athlone teen helps raise awareness of Developmental Language Disorder

Athlone Railway Bridge and the Greenway Bridge were lit up in purple and yellow to raise local awareness of Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) for international #DLDday on Friday last, October 18.

Helping to highlight the event on the night were the town’s Mayor, Cllr Frankie Keena, and 15-year-old Sarah Dungan from Baylin, Athlone.

Sarah who is a third year student at Our Lady’s Bower was diagnosed with DLD at the age of 10.

Developmental Language Disorder is a hidden but common lifelong disability that affects 1 in 14 people, causing difficulties understanding and using language for no known reason.

Sarah along with her Speech and Language Therapist, Clare Carroll, who is originally from Athlone and living in Moate, and who is also a lecturer at the University of Galway, want everyone in the community to learn about DLD so they can help the two students in every class of 30 who have DLD, a neurodevelopmental condition.

The 2024 DLDDAY theme is Speak Up for DLD, calling on the community to speak up for the needs of people with DLD at school and in the workplace.

Daily life at school and work often involves talk, lots of talk and spoken language is a barrier to learning and working for people with DLD. This is where teachers and employers can have a huge impact.

By creating a supportive and safe environment, anxiety can be reduced and students and employees with DLD then have the space to grow and thrive.

Raising Awareness of Developmental Language Disorder (RADLD), the peak body that coordinates international #DLDday are advocating for increased recognition and support for people with DLD around the world. Educators and employers are encouraged to visit radld.org for resources on how to support people with DLD at school and work.

“People with DLD are 6 times more likely to suffer from anxiety and 3 times more likely to have clinical depression. They are also at significant risk of struggling with reading, spelling and mathematics. Although DLD is a common condition affecting many areas of life, people with DLD are unlikely to receive access to services,” said Stephen Parsons, chairperson of RADLD.

Developmental Language Disorder Day #DLDday, now in its eighth year, is celebrated annually around the world with more than 40 countries involved.

Cllr Keena was once again this year delighted to help Sarah with raising much-needed awareness in the local community and, with his help and the help of Irish Rail and Westmeath County Council, both bridges were lit purple and yellow on the night.