Understanding Speech Delay The Way No One Explains It

At the age of 3 years of age, my son Ezra was not talking much, one or two words at a time, that was it. He was verbal but not in the normal sense.

Over the years, he went through phases of stuttering, taking deep breaths, and a few others before muttering a few words barely audible.

What made the most noticeable difference was looking into the root cause of the problem and getting professional help.

Noticing red flags for early communication issues, such as signs of speech or language delay, is crucial for timely intervention.

Living in Mexico for a little over three years now, he is grasping the Spanish language very well. The myth that bilingualism can affect these milestones and make speech development more difficult is false, and you can read about it here.

Even now, at 5 years old, he is still a work in progress. After multiple tests, including hearing and brain function, nothing came back abnormal, which is pretty precarious.

So we have no real information to focus our attention on directly. (Side note, he still speaks more Spanish than I do).

So speech delay is defined as a delay in developing speech and language skills.

There are some instances where young kids would have delayed speech, as speaking late for their age, which is sometimes temporary. When the delay persists, a specialist should then get involved.

There are many possible causes of speech delay, including hearing loss, developmental disorders, and environmental factors.

Getting to the bottom of the reason should be the priority, which will, in turn, give a clear understanding of getting the right treatment and also give you a sense of what to do next.

Knowing What Speech and Language Delays are

At a certain age, a toddler should be showing signs of attempting to talk, sounding out words and imitating your words.

A few signs to look for are when toddlers are pointing at something they want, having eye contact with you, or when signs in their body language.

Understanding Milestones

One of the first steps in understanding speech delay is to know the typical developmental milestones for young children. These language breakthroughs include gestures, babbling, first words, and two-word phrases.

Please remember that each child is different and learns at their own pace.

• Age 1 says “mama” and “dada”.
• Age 2 makes two-word sentences like “my toy” or “dog go” using approximately 50 words.
• Age 3 uses simpler sentences but is more coherent and easier to understand, with repeating after you more easily.

How Hearing Impacts Speech Development in Toddlers

When a child has hearing problems, it affects the way they listen and understand and how words and sounds are formed.

It is a major contributor to speech problems in younger children. Hearing impairment, for instance, can significantly impact speech production by limiting a child’s ability to hear and mimic sounds accurately.

If a child has chronic ear infections or other hearing issues, that can also be a cause of delayed speech and should be seen by an audiologist and get a hearing test.

Inherited Traits & Neural Factors

There are some cases where speech and language delays could be passed down through genetic or neurological factors.

An example, children with global developmental delay or traumatic brain injury may also experience speech delays.

• Family History: The history of speech impediment in the family causes a similar issue in a child.
• Specific Genes: Research has shown there a genes that affect speech and language development.
• Overall Development Genes: Genes that deal with overall cognitive functions that affect the way children learn.

Related Posts:

• 10 Speech Delay Activities for Toddlers at Home

What are the Causes of Speech Delay

Environmental Influences and Bilingual Homes

Toddlers understand a lot of what we are saying way before they can say it. So, living in an environment where a child is exposed to limited language being spoken will affect the child’s speech.

There is a well-known myth that children who grow up in bilingual homes, for instance, may take longer to develop their language skills as they have to learn two languages at the same time.

However, research shows that bilingualism does not cause speech delay; in some instances, it may cause a temporary lag in speaking. But usually children who are learning two or more languages it is shown to have a better cognitive effect.

Physical Impairments

When we speak, we use our tongue and different parts of the mouth to pronounce and articulate words.

Children with short frenulum, which can lead to oral-motor problems, cleft palate or auditory processing disorder, may struggle with speech production.

Similarly, neurological and developmental disorders, such as Down syndrome, autism in children with autism (ASD), intellectual disability, and brain damage, can also affect speech delays in children.

With that said, not all children with those impairments suffer the same effects.

How to Prevent Long-Term Speech Delay

Why Starting Early Makes All the Difference in Speech Development

Early intervention programs are the secret sauce to identifying and addressing developmental delays in children as early as possible.

This can include speech and language delays, as well as other developmental delays in children.

These programs involve various specialists working in certain speech areas, like speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children be tested for developmental milestones and delays at 9, 18, and 24 or 30 months of age.

If a delay is found, early treatment can begin to mitigate any long-term effects.

Research also shows that early treatment improves outcomes because children learn a lot and quickly during a period of rapid brain growth.

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Speech Therapy Tricks and Goals

Speech therapy is the best and most common approach to treating speech sounds in toddlers.

There is a range of techniques and goals, depending on the individual needs of the child. Some common speech therapy techniques are:

• Articulation therapy: This is working on the sounds of speech that the child is having difficulty with.
• Language intervention therapy: This is working on the child’s expressive and receptive language skills.
• Oral motor therapy: This involves working on the muscles used for speech and eating.

The goal of speech-language therapy, often provided by an SLP, varies depending on the level of the child’s speech problems.

Some areas are improving speech clarity, increasing vocabulary, and improving overall communication skills.

Sometimes the cause of the speech impediment is a larger effect and will need a combination of treatments of different approaches.

Related Posts:

• Best Toys for Speech Delay in Toddlers

Home Improvement Speech Strategies

Helping Words to Grow

In helping a child improve with their speech, they need to be involved in an environment that is rich in communication.

Make sure they have plenty of chances to hear and practice words all day. Try these simple ways to build a language-rich home:

• Read to your child every day: Choose fun books with colorful pictures and simple sentences, and encourage your child to point to and name objects in the pictures.
• Talk to your child throughout the day: Induce conversations like what you’re doing, ask your child questions, and encourage them to respond or repeat what was just said.
• Play music and sing songs with your child: This can help them develop their listening skills and learn new words.
• Limit screen time: Too much screen time can interfere with language development, so it’s important to set limits and encourage other activities.

Practical Suggestions

Along with creating a home that supports learning, remember that children with speech delay might have trouble following directions.

Provide clear and simple instructions, and exercise patience if they make mistakes.

Keep your words simple and easy to understand. Talk at a slow, clear pace, and use short sentences with easy words.

This approach helps improve a child’s language comprehension.

• Language Expansion: If your child says “ball,” you can respond by saying, “Yes, that’s a ball. It’s a red ball.”
• Praise your child’s efforts: When your child makes an effort to communicate, whether through words, gestures, or sounds, give them plenty of praise and encouragement.
• Imitate your child’s sounds and gestures: This can help your child feel heard and understood, and encourage them to keep communicating.
• Use short, clear directions: Instead of saying “Clean up your toys,” try saying “Put the blocks in the basket.”

Reach out for help and resources when you need them, like speech therapy or parenting classes, especially if you see ongoing signs of developmental delay.

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