Today’s parents are concerned whether their children have any hearing problems or not. So today we will talk about this topic and how we will identify what could be the reason. You will find all this here, so let’s continue.
Table Of Contents:
- How Do Speech and Language Differ?
- What Are Speech or Language Delays?
- What Are the Signs of a Speech or Language Delay?
- What Causes Speech or Language Delays?
- How Are Speech or Language Delays Diagnosed?
What is speech?
Speech is a process in our body in which children or we try to utter sounds and words using our mouths and lips. Speech includes articulation (making sound clear), voice (pitch and quality of voice), and fluency (smoothness of speaking). If I explain to you in simple words, speech is a process in which sound is produced using mouth and lips.
The difference between speech and language?
When we talk about speech and language development of children, the first thing we should know is the difference between speech and language.
What does speech mean?
Speech is a process in our body in which children or we try to utter sounds and words using our mouths and lips. Speech includes articulation (making sound clear), voice (pitch and quality of voice), and fluency (smoothness of speaking). If I explain to you in simple words, speech is a process in which sound is produced using mouth and lips.
What language means?
Language is a method that children use to express their thoughts, ideas, viewpoints, etc. It is an important part of language for children to understand words and use them in the right place – whether spoken, written, or through gestures. Language covers our vocabulary, grammar, and our ability to express or understand meanings.
What is Speech or Language Delay?
Speech and language development delay means when a child has a delay in speech and language development as per his age. Speech and language development are both different things and both of them are very important in the growth of a child.
Speech Delay
Speech delay is seen in children when they feel uncomfortable or face problems in speaking, such as if the child is having a problem producing sound then he needs speech therapy. And not being able to speak words correctly or not being able to speak words clearly, all these problems can happen to children. If a child has trouble getting his words across to others, it can lead to speech delay.
Language delay
Children have language delay when they struggle to get their words across to others. It’s not just limited to speaking; a child with language delay may not be able to use gestures, signals, or other non-verbal cues properly.
What Are the Signs of a Speech or Language Delay?
Many parents wonder if their child’s speech and language development is progressing at the right pace. If you are one of those parents who is confused about this question, here are some signs that will help you identify your child’s development.
Babbling or sounds are not coming even after 12 months:
In young children, if they do not make babbling sounds or simple words like “mama,” or “dada,” even after they are 12 months old, then it is a sign that your child’s speech development is getting delayed a little from the normal time.
Use very few words:
Even after the child is 18 months old, if he is having trouble using words or is using very few words and is unable to speak words of the same level as his age, then this can be a sign of language delay in the child.
Difficulty in understanding simple instructions:
If you give simple instructions to a child who is up to 2 years of age and the child has trouble understanding it, then your child may have speech and language delays. Simple instructions like “bring the ball” If he has trouble understanding this too, you should pay attention to this
Words are not combined (2-3 year old children):
If the little child is 2.5 to 3 years old and is not able to make a sentence by joining 2,3 words, then this is a sign of a language delay.
Speech is very difficult to understand:
If other people are having trouble understanding what your child says and your child is not able to make others understand what he says, then this can be a language delay.
Reasons for speech or language delay:
There is no single reason for speech delay or language delay in small children. There are many reasons behind it which together disturb the hearing ability of the children. Here are some common reasons which affect speech or language delay:
Hearing Issues:
It becomes difficult for small children to recognize words if they are facing problems in hearing. Children also have difficulty in speech and language development due to sudden air infection or first hearing loss.
Developmental Disorders:
Developmental disorders like Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Down Syndrome can delay speech and language development. When a child has ASD or Down syndrome, it takes more time for them to develop their language and the skills that are important for communicating with others.
Neurological Conditions:
If there is any direct injury or shock in the brain of young children, then their speech and language development is directly affected due to this medical condition.
Family History:
This is also a reason for speech on language delay. If someone in your family had listening problems at in early age, then this can come to you through genetics.
Environmental Factors:
If the child is getting less language exposure, then it may be slow for him to develop language skills.
Bilingual Household:
When small children grow up with two different languages, like if your father speaks a different language and your mother speaks a different language, then there is confusion in the children due to which their language development process becomes a little slow. But, this is temporary and as the exposure increases, the child starts speaking in both languages with understanding.
So many factors have been written above, any of which can cause a delay in the speech and language development of your child. But it is important once you have identified any one of these factors, it is very important to take him to a speech therapist or FIR specialist so that you can provide him with treatment
How Are Speech or Language Delays Diagnosed?
Identifying speech delay and language delays in young children can be a difficult and challenging process, but the earlier we know if children have a problem the better it is for early interventions. If parents notice any signs of language and speech delay in their children, then these are some steps in which you can make a proper correct diagnosis.
1. Initial Check-Up with the Doctor
First of all, parents should consult their pediatrician or their doctor so that they can know whether their child has speech and language delay or not. Doctors and pediatricians have detailed information about developmental milestones which they can identify and if they find something unusual that is not normal then they can further refer to a specialist. Doctors will do a complete health checkup of small children which includes all the tests related to language and speech delay.
2. Hearing Test
Many times it happens that children have hearing problems due to which speech and language problems occur in them because they face problems in listening to what others say. That is why doctors recommend that they do listening and hearing tests to find out whether the child has any problem with hearing. If the child has a hearing problem then he will naturally face problems in developing language.
3. Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) Evaluation
This is a proper process. Name speech-language pathologist is a special training through which detailed assessment of children can be done. They evaluate the child’s speaking, understanding, and communication skills. In the SLP assessment, the following is seen:
Expressive Language Skills – How the child expresses his thoughts and ideas.
Receptive Language Skills – How the child understands the words and sentences of others.
Articulation and Pronunciation – How the child is speaking sounds and words.
The SLP will explain to parents the child’s strengths and weaknesses in detail about their results and recommend appropriate speech therapy and appropriate interventions if they find language and speech delays.
4. Developmental Screenings
Sometimes speech and language delays can be a symptom of developmental disorders, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or intellectual disabilities. The pediatrician or SLP may recommend developmental screening tests to determine what is causing the delay and what type of therapy will be effective.
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