Will every person diagnosed with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) struggle with their mental health? How do you support a loved one with mental health challenges? What do health professionals and educators need to know about working with people with DLD who also have mental health issues?
In this very practical episode of The Talking DLD Podcast we are talking Developmental Language Disorder and mental health with Melanie Cross, speech and language therapist, and author of ‘Children with Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties and Communication Problems’ (JKP 2011), 2nd edition.
If you have DLD you are at greater risk of having mental health needs but by no means is it every single person with DLD has mental health needs.
About Melanie Cross
Melanie Cross is a speech and language therapist. She has worked with children and young people with mental health needs for many years. She is the author of ‘Children with Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties and Communication Problems’ (JKP 2011), 2nd edition. She is also an Advisor on child mental health, and she was lead author of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapist’s Clinical Guidelines on Social Emotional and Mental Health. Melanie graduated from Reading University in 1984 and gained an MPhil in undetected communication problems in children looked after by the local authority in 2001. In 2017 she became a Fellow of the Higher Education Teaching Academy. She is also a trainer, supervisor and a Video Interaction Guider.
Tune into Developmental Language Disorder & Mental Health | Episode 6 Season 2 of The Talking DLD Podcast below or via your favourite podcast platform.
Resources mentioned in the podcast
If you’re interested in the links between language and mental health:
- Prof Courtney Norbury’s video ‘Words for wellbeing. Why language is important for mental health’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-orJLnCgGJw
- Fact sheets from the Royal College of speech and language therapists including ones on; Behaviour and Communication, Children and young people’s mental health services, children and young people who have experienced adversity and trauma, looked after children, & social emotional and mental health and well being https://www.rcslt.org/policy/uk-wide/fact-sheets-on-speech-and-language-therapy/
If you’re interested in Language for Behaviour and Emotions
Mental health information and support for young people and their families
- Young Minds https://youngminds.org.uk/find-help/feelings-and-symptoms/
- National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/childrens-mental-health/depression-anxiety-mental-health/
- Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families https://www.annafreud.org/
Free online training
- Mind Your Words is a free online course, from the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, designed to support those working with children and young people with mental health needs https://www.rcslt.org/learning/mind-your-words/
- MindEd is a free educational resource on children and young people’s mental health for all adults https://www.minded.org.uk/
If you want a say in what research is needed around child mental health and DLD
- The Emerging Minds special interest research group (SIRG) is aiming to find out what research is needed on SEMH and DLD, more information is here https://emergingminds.org.uk/special-interest-research-group-language-and-communication-needs-in-mental-health/
Emerging Minds would really like to know what research you think is needed. Please share your views and send this survey around to your professional networks using this anonymous link: https://york.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cAaEWew9CQ4HD02
