Mixed receptive-expressive language disorder

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Mixed receptive-expressive language disorder is a language disability which causes impairment of both the understanding and the expression of language.

Three to five percent of all children have either receptive or expressive language disorder, or both. These children have difficulty understanding speech (language receptivity) and using language (language expression). The cause is unknown, but there may be genetic factors, and malnutrition may play a role.

Problems with receptive language skills usually begin before the age of four. Some mixed language disorders are caused by brain injury and these are sometimes misdiagnosed as developmental disorders.

Review Date: 06/13/2006
Reviewed By: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.