Approximately 20% of children experience delays in their language and speech development compared to their peers. Sometimes, when a child begins kindergarten, they have made progress and are at the appropriate level. However, there are instances where a speech delay may suggest a more significant concern that necessitates professional intervention.

Click here to download a PDF to learn more about Speech & Language delayed.

Helping your child reach their full potential and fostering their growth can be accomplished by seeking assistance at an early stage. Contact Advantage Therapy promptly if you have concerns about your child’s language development. Our caring staff is here to help with speech and language therapy.

An explanation for speech delays

The two go hand in hand, which is why a speech delay is commonly referred to as a speech-language delay. But they stand for separate abilities, and a kid could be behind in one or the other:

Speech

Proper sound and word formation is what we mean when we talk about speech. Kids who are behind in their speech development could try to communicate, but they won’t comprehend a word they say. They may also have trouble formulating words, which makes it challenging for them to talk.

Language

Communication and understanding are both embraced by language. It describes a child’s capacity to express themselves in a way that other people can grasp. A language delay can cause a child to talk clearly but with limited vocabulary. People may also be difficult for them to understand.

What is considered “delayed speech?”

Even a baby’s smallest sounds, like cooing, can signal the beginning of their language development. One of the most wonderful things that can happen to a parent is when their child says the first words that they comprehend, which happens after a few months of gibberish. At the age of two, the average child can utter fifty words and form sentences of no more than two words. They gain as much as a thousand new words by the time they are three years old.

The failure of a toddler to reach certain stages in speech development is known as a speech delay. Up to 10% of preschoolers experience this typical developmental delay.

Because every child develops at their own pace, it can be challenging for parents or guardians to discern if their child is only a little slow to talk (and will soon be talking at a million miles per hour) or if there is a serious issue that requires medical attention.

This highlights the significance of having a speech therapist or professional speech-language pathologist conduct the evaluation and diagnosis. Effective treatment is available for speech difficulties, and studies have demonstrated that interventions initiated sooner yield better results. 

What causes speech and language delays?

Delays in speech-language development can have their roots in a child’s physical or developmental issues. In some cases, we are unable to pinpoint an exact cause.

When it comes to speech-language delays, the four most typical reasons are:

• difficulties related to the mouth and jaw

Problems in the regions of the brain that regulate the muscles involved for speaking are a common cause of speech delays. Because they aren’t yet able to synchronize the movement of their jaw, tongue, and lips, children may find it difficult to make noises.

Children with the disorder known as apraxia are unable to move the facial muscles that are necessary for speaking. If you have weak muscles that regulate your face, lips, and tongue, you may suffer from dysarthria, another oral-motor illness.

• Autism

Autism is commonly associated with delayed speech development in children. Research has shown that 50% of autistic children between the ages of three and four are unable to communicate at age-appropriate levels. Other aspects of language development are also impacted by autism spectrum conditions.

Because autistic children have trouble with nonverbal communication, they might not be able to communicate their wants by the time they are 12 months old.

People with autism often have trouble communicating verbally since they have trouble regulating their speech and often repeat phrases they’ve heard in the media.

• Difficulty hearing or absorbing auditory information

When a youngster has trouble hearing, it affects their capacity to communicate verbally, use language appropriately, and comprehend what others are saying. Auditory processing disorder is a hearing impairment that makes it difficult, if not impossible, for some children to comprehend spoken language.

• Intellectual disability

Delays in language, cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development are common among children with intellectual disabilities.

These children could struggle to form or pronounce words that are easily understood by others. Putting ideas into sentences or understanding spoken language may also be a challenge for them.

An early diagnosis and therapy can have a significant impact on a speech-language delay. It is crucial to keep this in mind. Intensive intervention allows us to focus on the specific speech difficulty that each kid has and assist them in making progress.