Hi, I’m Loren. My son is 9 & has DLD. We are based in the UK.
I first made a picture book to help me have a conversation with him about what DLD is and how he can advocate for himself as he grows.
amzn.eu/d/a7ADDlt
amzn.eu/d/4Lppyf7
amzn.eu/d/2T18IHW
The mini activists poster: a combo of hand drawn and him having fun on Canva! Printed and put up around his school. One very happy boy and very proud family 💜
It’s live! #dldGlobalSummit has begun. The DLD Project have created an amazing space full of lived experience and opportunities to connect and share. 💜 #devlangdis #dld #tdl #adi
The team at @thedldproject have invited me to be on a panel session ‘Stories that speak: Why books and representation matter’. Looking forward to chatting with the other panelists about the positive impact books about DLD make. As a parent to a child with DLD, I have bought them all! ##devlangdis
Nearly time for the annual trip to the ‘all you can eat buffet’ for Lunar New Year. The youngest is moving on from a mountain of chicken nuggets and repeat trips to the serve-yourself icecream machine. He had noodles last year! #dld #devlangdis #yearofthehorse
Thanks to the parent who wrote this. Not just a book for siblings, but also to share with teachers, friends & relatives to show the support they give their sibling to feel understood & good about themselves. Siblings are a big part of the team & we love them! 💜💜💜
amzn.eu/d/2T18IHW
amzn.eu/d/4Lppyf7
Boy in a snowy park wearing an 80s style pink and green snowsuit
Same boy lying on a sledge going downhill
❄️loved the snow day❄️ He’s only 8 but almost the same height as me so he fits my retro eBay snowsuit 😆 and he was so happy wearing it. I love how he is happy not to stick to stereotypes of what boys should like. The man rocks a pink snowsuit 🤣🤣 #dld #devlangdis
Snow day! Schools are closed and we woke up to the amazing pink sky. One of our sledges broke on Monday but we have 1 good one that is big enough for 2 so a bit of turn taking and lots of layers today ❄️☃️🏂❄️
A holiday of very mixed backdrops. 🌊🏰❄️☀️ Down south to visit one granny by the sea with sunshine and windswept walks, then up north to visit another granny with castles and knee deep snow! Can’t count how many times he said “best day ever!” 😍 #dld #devlangdis
H N Y! Wishing everyone health & happiness for the year ahead. Our little guy with DLD got an EHCP last term & his school has been really organised at putting in support for him. We feel very lucky to be in this position. White paper soon! #dld #devlangdis #speechiesofinstagram #speechtherapy
The @channel5_tv news want to pop in to playgroup & chat about the cost of living. Ready to welcome them in a RADLD jumper & keen to add that to have a lasting impact on child poverty & life chances u must target SLCN. (Well…it got cut but I’ll keep trying 😄). #dld #childpoverty youtu.be/YEvobfg1bsA
😻Tiptoes!!!!
If you are considering signing up for a research project to share your lived experience, go for it! I joined several & they have given me amazing experiences including speaking at the RCSLT conference & NAPLIC
+ meeting incredible people raising awareness & improving the lives of people with #DLD.
💜What does it mean if your sibling has DLD?
This books explains a diagnosis & gives them words to explain it to others.
💛 Looks at skills they have as a sibling & how to look after themselves.
💜 Available via online retailers.
My brother has DLD amzn.eu/d/8Hyb20V
My sister has DLD amzn.eu/d/dbF0oIT
Thank you to Sunshine Support for inviting our steering group to talk about our DLD research project. #DLDday 💜
Already starting to think about next year! #DLDday 2026! 💛The post by @official_jfhasselbaink & @laurenmayoakley feels like something major has happened this year.💜 I’m sure he has been inundated with requests already!! (Both welcome to join us in Brum next year!!) #devlangdis #birmingham
the #Birmingham RADLD crew are over the MOON 💫 that @laurenmayoakley and @official_jfhasselbaink shared our reel. 💜 If you found this post thanks to them please check out RADLD.com for info and advice about #DLD. The first step awareness! @radldcam @naplic @afasic.charity @wm_slt_ot #DLDday
Spot the ones starting to run 🤣
Possibly needed a risk assessment. It involved waiting for the lights to turn red, then quickly assembling in the road for a photo then a sharp exit! It was a lot of fun! I like the outtakes…
Thank you @enjoykingsheath for the amazing light up event for #DLDday. We loved it! Great job #birmingham 💜💛💜 @official_jfhasselbaink @laurenmayoakley @radld.bsky.social
Final #DLDday facts on snacks delivery- playgroup’s turn & a chance to have a chat with a family who saw the parent quotes shared by @radldcam & said that sounds just like a child I know! They came to playgroup specifically to ask about DLD! So happy to chat & signpost them to RADLD & AFASIC. 💜💜💜
Happy #DLDday ! Next Facts On Snacks drop off complete. This time the class teacher and some extra for the staff room. We fee like DLD awareness spreading pixies today 😄💜🧚🏼♀️
👏Amazing job Stephen and everyone involved in this event 🙌🥳
First delivery of DLD day chocolates dropped off today! Some facts on snacks for a lovely local children’s bookshop who are hosting a story time today.💜📚💜 #DLDday #DevLangDis #SEND @how_brave_is_the_wren
Spotted in a staff room of a school I was visiting today! My eyes nearly popped out of my head. Can you spot it? The #RADLD bubble out in the wild. #DLD awareness is spreading! #devlangdis #DLDday
#DLDday is just 3 days away so I’m getting the facts on snacks ready. #dld #devlangdis #tdl #salt #neurodiversefamilies #merld #slcn
Very exciting! I look forward to updates.
🚨 Only 4 days until #DLDday! 💜💛
And today is Myth-Busting Monday! As the countdown continues, we've tackled these common misconceptions, and more, in our latest blog 👇
🔗 www.moorhouseinstitute.com/7-myths-abou...
#DevLangDis #DLD @radld.bsky.social
DLD is a lifelong condition and it does make lots of things more challenging. BUT once a person's needs are identified and they are supported they can thrive.
This is why we need far more awareness of Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)! www.naplic.org.uk/developmenta...
#DevLangDis #DLDday
