A new study has found that children with developmental language disorder (DLD) may benefit from listening to regular musical rhythms.
The study, conducted by researchers at Western Sydney University, found that children with DLD who listened to regular musical beats were better able to repeat sentences than those who did not listen to the beats.
DLD is a permanent condition that affects the ability to speak and understand language. It is estimated that 7% of children have DLD, which is more common than hearing impairment and autism.
Children with DLD often have difficulty with sentence repetition, which is the ability to repeat a sentence that has been said to them. This can make it difficult for them to follow instructions, answer questions, and participate in conversations.
The researchers believe that the regular rhythms in music may help children with DLD to better process language. This is because the brain regions that process music and language overlap, and both require the ability to track and predict patterns.
The study's lead author, Anna Vivesh, said that the findings "provide strong support for the use of rhythmic music as a therapeutic tool for children with DLD." She added that "the results suggest that rhythmic music may help to improve children's ability to process language, which could have a significant impact on their communication skills."
The researchers say that their findings could lead to new ways to treat DLD. They are currently working on developing a program that uses rhythmic music to help children with DLD improve their language skills.
