A speech delay is when a child’s speech skills don’t develop at an expected rate for their age. Speech is the verbal expression of language. Due to the cause of the delay, it’s usually unavoidable. This article will explore the signs and causes of speech delays in children.
Signs Of a Speech Delay
A child with a speech delay may use words and phrases that may be hard to understand. A doctor can assist with diagnosing a speech delay by asking about the child’s milestones and listening to their speech. Example symptoms of a speech delay can include:
- Being unable to say simple phrases like “mama” by 12–15 months of age
- Trouble imitating sounds by 18 months
- Can only repeat sounds or words by age two and cannot use words or phrases spontaneously
- Cannot communicate needs by age two and only uses the same sounds or words repeatedly
- Being unable to form complete sentences by age three
- Being unable to tell a story by around age four or five
By age four, a child should be able to be mostly understood.
Causes of Speech Delays
Speech delays in children can have various causes, including motor issues, hearing problems or even ear infections. Causes of speech delays can include:
- Hearing problems: Children with trouble hearing may also struggle to imitate language.
- Ear infections: Chronic ear infections can affect a child’s hearing which can lead to speech delays.
- Oral impairment: A child may have problems with the tongue or roof of the mouth that may impinge speech.
- Oral-motor issues: Sometimes areas of the brain responsible for speech struggle to coordinate the mouth to make speech sounds.
- Developmental disorders or disabilities: Developmental disorders like autism may cause speech delays.
- Living in a bilingual home: It’s normal for a child exposed to more than one language during early development to experience speech or language delays. Their brain must work harder to interpret the two so they may take longer to use both languages.
While parents can do very little to prevent speech delays, parents can work to encourage speech development by encouraging regular communication. This can include encouraging imitation and singing and talking to the baby. It’s also useful to frequently read to your child and avoid “baby talk.”
It’s helpful to recognize speech delays early on because early intervention can help reduce any disability. To learn more about speech and hearing development, schedule an appointment with Blue Ridge ENT.