DLD in my own words

I just want you to know that having DLD is so hard, it's a battle 🤼‍♂️, but I just never give up. If you think about language 💬 it's EVERYWHERE, I can’t ever escape from language it’s everywhere. The amount of times I have to explain things to people, is SO much, it’s so exhausting😩. At the same time, I am masking all the time 🦹‍♀️🤡🥸 and also processing all the information, and trying to understand it. which it feels like it’s attacking me with anger, 😡 and I struggle to find the words 🤐 - I know the word, but I just can’t think of it's name when I need to 🤯.

I feel like I can never properly relax because there is always more explaining and communication around the corner which makes me full with stress, anxiety, and frustration 😱. I am always tense inside, and nervous. I have a lot of upset stomachs 🥴 and get overwhelmed all the time. Normal life is SO exhausting 🥱...

At some of my schools, they hadn’t even heard of DLD. (They say they have, of course🤥 ) - but they just do not get it at all???🤔…. I’m always quiet, well-behaved, patient, polite 🙂. The teachers 🧑‍🎓 do not help, they do not know how to help and my needs are not being met. I wish they would just admit they do not know what to do 🤷‍♀️ - and listen to me, or get some proper training! When they try to help it’s like they don’t know what to do with me🥺. I feel like I’m suffering in silence and nobody at school is noticing, 🙈 they just think I’m quiet. I feel totally invisible 🫥. Nobody can see what’s wrong because I mask 🤡 - and I’m so good at it because I’ve masked for years and years. I have had to mask to get through life… I want to stop, but it’s become such a natural habit, and way for me to behave, that it’s difficult to not mask now 😔.

Everyone should be able to get their voices heard 🗣. We need to speak out on what needs to happen to make it easier for people with DLD. I do drawings cos they are easier for me to do, and I can show people how I am feeling without having to do loads of explaining, plus drawings are more powerful than words…. But most teachers even ignore my drawings too 😞!!! A lot of young people with DLD seem to be good at sports 🏄🏾‍♂️🤽🏼‍♂️🏆 (like me) - cos it is physical and practical and you do not have to do loads and loads of talking 🗣.

Two children in every single classroom have DLD, which means it is absolutely HUGE!!! Plus - there are all the young people and adults who don’t even know they have it too 👩‍👩‍👧‍👦👨‍👨‍👧‍👦👨‍👧‍👦👨‍👩. Everyone needs to be heard and noticed 👥 🕺🏽👯👨🏾‍🦽🤸🏻‍♂️.

I still personally don't know anyone with DLD, cos it seems that hardly anyone gets diagnosed with it 😟😡. WHY ?? DLD needs to be heard about and known about like Dyslexia or Autism 🗣.

Siouxsie (Student, aged 17)