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.
Beginning from 12 month if your toddler does not perform the following, it is something you should immediately check with your doctor:
By this age, your toddler should start saying simple words like mama, papa.
Should be using gestures like:
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:
By this age, your toddler should be able to learn new words each week.
Should be able to:
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.
Speech and language delay is the most common developmental delay. There can be a number of reasons behind it:
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:
If your child’s hearing is fine but still there is speech delay, here is what you can do to help:
Speech and language delay can have the following effects on children:
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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Article written by Sudeshna Guhasarkar
