However, the child did not adapt language to the speaking situation. Perhaps the child did not know that certain topics are socially inappropriate and that it is usually improper for children to tell adults or guests what to do. A child with pragmatic problems may also have little variety in language use, may say inappropriate or unrelated things during conversations, or may tell stories in a disorganized way. Maybe the child can make demands, ask questions, and greet people, but has trouble organizing language to talk about what happened in the past. Peers may avoid having conversations with such a child.
Pragmatic problems can thus lower social acceptance.
It is not unusual for children to have pragmatic problems occasionally or in a few situations. However, if problems in social language use occur often and seem inappropriate considering the child's age, a pragmatic disorder may exist. Click here to find one near you. Learn the difference between language and speech. Pragmatics, Socially Speaking Learn about the rules for appropriate language in different situations.