Tag: speech

Almost all children develop at the same rate, which makes it hard to notice speech delay until around age three years. A toddler may be active in earlier months and follow all other growing trends like crawling, sitting, and walking. 

This makes it hard for a parent to know if their child has speech and language problems. However, from one and half years, your child should be able to pronounce words. By two years, the child can construct sentences. If your child is above two years and cannot do any of the above, it is best to visit speech delay therapy for assistance. This article looks at what causes a child to delay speech and language development. 

Hearing Problems

A child who can’t hear correctly or may find it difficult to make sounds or gestures. Hearing problems can be a result of ear infections which may have occurred at an early age. However, even if your child never experienced ear infections, it is best to take them to see a pediatrician. 

Children grow through imitation. They imitate their siblings and parents and everyone else they spend time with. The same applies to speech and language. They will imitate what they hear the family members saying. If your child is not imitating your words and languages by age two and above, it may be an indication of hearing impairment. 

Oral Problems

Most cases of speech delay are due to oral-motor problems. When the brain area responsible for speech has a problem, it becomes difficult for your child to construct words or sentences even way past three years. An issue in the mouth, tongue, or palate could also be a cause of speech delay. Your child could have ankyloglossia(tongue-tie), a condition where the tongue is connected to the floor of their mouth, making it hard to move the tongue to construct words. 

In most cases, as a parent, you may put off visiting a specialist as you may comfort yourself that children develop differently. While it may be true at age 3, if your child is not making an effort to pronounce words, it is best to see a pedestrian. It is better to be safe than sorry. 

Lack of Social Involvement

Your child learns through imitating the older siblings, agemates, and adults. As an adult, you masu have noticed how hard it is to join a conversation if no one engages you. It is the same for your child. They need stimulation, and They need to see they are welcome to speak or communicate. You can achieve this by talking to them at a young age. This way, they learn that speech is the way of life. Talk to them when feeding them, cleaning them, or even when putting them to sleep. You can sing a song. As they observe you, they are likely to imitate you. 

Health Problems

Health problems are some of the main contributors to speech and language delays. Some health-related conditions like autism, neurological problems like cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, or muscular dystrophy. 

A child with any of the above conditions is likely to have speech and language development problems. However, doctors advise that children with the above issues are likely to have other indicators in the early stages in life. Thus it is crucial to visit a doctor when you see an abnormality in life. …