9 Warning Signs of a Toddler Speech Delay
Identify a toddler speech delay or disorder? If you are like most parents, the answer is No.
Don’t panic— children progress through language milestones at different rates. Some children will start talking before 1 year of age, and others may begin a few months after. There is a typical pattern of development when acquiring speech, but this pattern may vary widely from child to child. See below to identify 9 warning signs that your child may benefit from intervention. course, symptoms can vary depending on the specific speech condition of your child, but there are some essential signs that every parent should watch for as their children grow and develop.
What exactly is a speech disorder? According the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, a speech disorder is when a person is unable to produce speech sounds correctly or fluently, or where normal speech is disrupted. Articulation disorders, speech impediment, and stuttering are examples of speech disorders. Both adults and children can suffer from speech disorders and they can occur as a result of a medical problem or have no known cause. Speech disorders involve difficulty in producing certain sounds such as “s”or “r”. As your child matures, his or her speech pattern should become more understandable and generally, he should be speaking clearly by the age of eight. While all children develop at different rates, it’s important to ensure that your child is showing continuous language growth and progression.
Warning Signs of Toddler Speech Delay
- Does not smile or interact with others (birth and older)
- Does not babble (4-7 months)
- Makes only a few sounds or gestures, like pointing (7-12 months)
- Does not understand what others say (7 months-2 years)
- Says only a few words (12-18 months)
- Words are not easily understood (18 months-2 years)
- Does not put words together to make sentences (1.5-3 years)
- Has trouble playing and talking with other children (2-3 years)
- Has trouble with early reading and writing skills (2.5-3 years)
What Parents Can Do
- Listen and respond to your child
- Talk, read, and play with your child
- Talk with your child in the language you are most comfortable using
- Know it is good to teach your child to speak a second language
- Talk about what you are doing and what your child is doing
- Use a lot of different words with your child
- Use longer sentences as your child gets older
- Have your child play with other children
If you think your toddler is exhibiting any of these warnings signs of speech delay or disorder, it’s important to seek the advice of a paediatrician or speech language therapist. Early intervention is the key to prevention and elimination of a speech disorder at any age.
