Every
parent waits eagerly for their toddler’s first word. Not only is it cute, but
it also gives your baby an ability to express his or her wants and needs. This
is probably the best moment of any parent’s life, to hear their toddler speak
for the first time.
While
this is common, it is also true that there are many toddlers who face speech
delay. If your toddler is still waiting to speak the first word, don’t panic
yet.
Though they may sound the same
thing, in reality, speech and language delays are different from each other.
Speech delay refers to the delay in producing sound by organs like the vocal
cord, mouth tongue teeth etc., while language delay is the delay in using
knowledge of language.
A toddler may be delayed in
speech but not in language. For instance, a toddler may attempt to build up
language but it would be difficult for him to understand due to speech delay.
Language And Speech Delay In Toddlers:
Signs Of Speech Delay:
Beginning from 12 month if your toddler does not perform the following, it is something you should immediately check with your doctor:
1. 12 To 15 Months:
By this age, your toddler should start saying simple words like mama, papa.
Should be using gestures like:
- Pointing
- Waving
- Vocalizing
2. 16 To 18 Months:
By this age, your toddler should be able to point out few body parts like
nose, teeth, eyes and so on.
Should be able to:
- Imitate action and sound.
- Speak at least 15 words, or 2 word sentence.
3. 19 To 24 Months:
By this age, your toddler should be able to learn new words each week.
Should be able to:
- Follow direction and commands
- Use spontaneous word
- Identify family members well
Most parents think that their children do not follow their instruction.
Sometimes, this could also be a result of another valid reason, like hearing
and vision inadequacy. Such things generally cause speech delay.
Reasons For Delayed Speech
Development In Toddlers:
Speech and language delay is the most common developmental delay. There can
be a number of reasons behind it:
- Hearing loss due to infection.
- Autism which leads to impairment in social activities.
- Learning disabilities.
- Exposure to different language at a time.
- Problem in the brain or central nervous system.
- Larynx problem.
Treatment:
If your doctor confirms that
your child is suffering from developmental delay, you should visit a specialist
who works with children.
Here is how most specialists
will proceed with the treatment:
- Speech therapy is used by most speech pathologists.
- Treatment for ear infection or hearing test.
- Holistic Method for speech induction which includes rhythmic breathing techniques, myokinetic exercises etc.
- Therapies for children who have autism.
- Sign language.
How To Help A Child With
Speech Delay?
If your child’s hearing is
fine but still there is speech delay, here is what you can do to help:
- Talk more with your child. Verbalize everything, example, mamma is cooking, as baby needs to eat food.
- Ask questions to your toddlers. Encourage them to answer.
- Read books aloud. Let your child hear it and pronounce.
- Spend quality time together.
- Make your child socialize more with other kids.
- Never criticize your child’s speech.
- Don’t lose patience. Let your child develop naturally.
- If everything fails and you see no improvement, seek help from your pediatrician.
Effect On Children:
Speech and language delay can have the following effects on children:
- The child may tend to suffer from behavioral, social and emotional problems, both in childhood as well as adulthood.
- A gradual decline in learning
- Difficulty in reading and understanding
- Problems with bonding with peers
- Communication issues
- Lack of self-confidence and self-esteem.
While speech and language
delay in children is something that can make any parent worry, it is also
important to remember that all children reach developmental milestones at a
different age and pace. Your child may not be speaking right now, but chances
are, he will speak more than his friends in a few months’ time.
Do discuss the delays with your child’s doctor, but remember never to force your child to reach a milestone. In case the doctor confirms that there is a delay, talk about the various therapies that can be used and select what is best for your child.
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1 comment:
Great post!
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