Speech Delay in Toddlers: Signs, Causes, and Early Intervention

When it comes to your child’s language development and speech ability, you may wonder “What’s normal?” Children progress at different rates and determining whether your child has a speech delay may be too early to guess.  

What is Considered Speech Delay in Children? 

Language development and speaking ability start with a simple cooing of your child. As your babies grow, they tend to babble more which eventually leads to your babies speaking one or two words. 

In general, you can expect a typical 2-year-old to say about 50 words and speak in a two-word sentence. By the age of 3 years, this vocabulary starts building up to 1000 words. 

Since all children are different and have their timelines, it may be difficult to pinpoint speech delays in children. In such cases, a thorough diagnosis and assessment by a speech therapist can help. 

What is the Difference Between a Speech Delay and a Language Delay? 

There are high chance that you might confuse yourself with speech delay and language delay. 

Speech refers to the physical act of producing sounds or words. If your child has a speech delay, he may use words or phrases to express himself but he may find it difficult to form correct sounds. On the other hand, if your child has a language delay, he may make the correct sounds and even pronounce a few words but cannot form them in a sentence. 

Some children have speech delay, others have language delay, and very rarely some have both. Differentiating between the two is important for the correct treatment. 

How To Know That Your Child Has a Speech Delay? 

Being a parent, you might find it difficult to pinpoint speech delay or differentiate between speech and language delay in your child. At times, you may find yourself searching for home remedies for late talking child while your child may not even have any problem.  

In such cases, knowing the signs and symptoms are important. Here’s how you can determine: 

By 12 Months 

• Your child has trouble imitating sounds. 

• The child is unable to use gestures or wave goodbye. 

By 18 Months 

• Your child has trouble understanding simple verbal requests. 

• The child prefers to make gestures rather than make sounds to communicate. 

By 24 Months 

• Your child cannot follow simple directions. 

• The child is unable to produce words or phrases spontaneously. 

• Your child can only imitate speech or actions. 

• Your child has an unusual voice tone. 

• The child only says some words or sounds repeatedly. 

By 36 Months 

• Your child does not ask things by name. 

• The child does not use even 100 words. 

• You find it difficult to understand them. 

How Is Speech Delay Diagnosed? 

If you notice any of the above symptoms in your child, you need to seek professional help at the earliest. A speech therapist would want to know your child’s developmental milestones and behaviours to make a diagnosis. 

During the initial evaluation, the speech therapist will evaluate: 

• A basic understanding of your child is called receptive language. 

• What your child can say is called expressive language. 

• Sound development and clarity of speech of your child. 

• Oral-motor status of your child. For instance, how their tongue, mouth, and palate work when they speak or eat. 

Based on the results, your speech therapist may recommend speech delay treatment for your child which mainly includes speech therapy. 

What Causes a Speech Delay? 

A speech delay shows that your child’s timetable is slightly different from others. At times, it may also indicate the physical and intellectual development of your child. The common underlying factors that may cause it, include: 

• Oral impairment: 

Many children with speech delays have oral-motor problems. They find it difficult to coordinate their lips, tongue, and jaw to make sounds.  

• Developmental speech and language disorder: 

Some speech disorders also involve brain function and indicate a learning disability. For instance, your child may have trouble producing speech sounds or understanding what other people are saying. 

• Hearing loss: 

A child who cannot hear well or hears incomplete speech may have difficulty forming words. One of the best ways to detect hearing loss is by noticing your child. A child with hearing loss may not acknowledge a person or object when you name them. 

• Autism spectrum disorder: 

Speech and language problems may also be an early sign of autism. 

• Neurological problems: 

Some neurological problems including cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, or muscular dystrophy can also affect the muscles needed for speaking. 

How Can You Support Your Child’s Speech Development? 

Speech and language delays can be disheartening for parents. You may find yourself blaming yourself for the situation and wondering what went wrong. At times, you may not be the problem. You can, however, help and support them during this tough situation. Here are some handy tips to help you: 

• Start talking to your child at birth. You may find it silly but newborns benefit greatly from hearing speech. 

• Respond to their coos and babbling with a positive response. 

• Play simple games with them including peek-a-boo. 

• Talk to your child a lot. Make them your ally and tell them everything that you do throughout the day. This will help you in creating a bond and help them with speech issues. 

• Read books and talk about the stories that you read. 

• Sing to them and make them listen to music. Learning new songs can help your child pick up new words and build listening and memory skills. 

• Describe your child and the actions they are doing.  

• Give them complete and undivided attention when they are talking to you. 

• Ask them a lot of questions. 

• Do not correct their grammar or mistakes. Let them be.