Expressive & Receptive Language Disorders

Speech Avenue - Pediatric Speech Pathology Clinic in Tustin, CA

Understanding the Difference—and Supporting Your Child’s Communication

Language helps children connect, learn, and share who they are with the world. But for some children, using or understanding language doesn’t come easily.

If your child has difficulty expressing their thoughts, following directions, or answering questions, they may be experiencing an expressive, receptive, or mixed language disorder.

What Are Expressive & Receptive Language Disorders?

Receptive language refers to how we understand spoken or written language.

Expressive language is how we use words, phrases, and sentences to communicate our ideas.

Some children may have challenges in one of these areas. Others may have difficulty with both.

Receptive Language Difficulties

A child with receptive language challenges may:

Struggle to follow directions, especially multi-step ones
Seem confused during conversations
Have trouble answering questions
Appear like they’re “not listening,” when they’re actually not fully understanding

These children might be quiet or withdraw during group activities—not because they aren’t interested, but because language feels overwhelming.

Expressive Language Difficulties

A child with expressive language challenges may:

Use fewer words than expected for their age
Have trouble putting words together into clear sentences
Struggle to find the right words or mix up word order
Rely on gestures, sounds, or pointing instead of talking
Become frustrated when others don’t understand them

They may know more than they can say—and feel discouraged when their ideas don’t come out the way they want.

Mixed Language Delays

Some children experience both receptive and expressive difficulties. These children may have trouble understanding what is said to them and also expressing themselves clearly. With the right support, we can strengthen both sides of communication together.

Our Focus

Dedicated Approach to Early Support

Personalized Attention

Engaging Methods

Therapy Tools

How We Identify Language Disorders

At Speech Avenue, we begin with a thorough evaluation. We look at how your child:

Follows directions and answers questions
Understands and uses vocabulary
Builds sentences
Tells stories or shares ideas
Communicates in everyday situations

We also talk with you to understand what you’re noticing at home, school, or in social settings. Your insights are a key part of the process.

How Speech Therapy Helps

We tailor therapy to your child’s needs, age, and learning style. Whether your child is just beginning to speak or working on building more complex language, our sessions are play-based, engaging, and goal-driven.

Therapy may focus on:

Expanding vocabulary
Building sentence structure
Improving grammar and word order
Answering and asking questions
Following directions
Retelling stories or describing events

We use games, visuals, movement, books, songs, and conversation—all personalized to what motivates your child most.

Supporting Language at Home

You’re a vital part of your child’s progress. We’ll share simple, natural ways to support language during everyday routines like mealtime, playtime, or storytime.

Our goal is to help language feel accessible, enjoyable, and empowering—both in and out of the therapy room.