Language And Speech Delay In Children: Causes, Symptoms And Treatments

All children have different levels and pacing of development and maturity. However, it is very important that parents are aware of possible child developmental delays in one or more aspects of a child's physical, mental and emotional development.

The most common developmental delay is language and speech delay, according to WebMD. "Speech refers to verbal expression, including the way words are formed," WebMD shares. "Language is a broader system of expressing and receiving information, such as being able to understand gestures."

Some of the most common causes for language and speech delay include exposure to too many different languages, learning disabilities, dysarthria or speech muscle disorder, hearing problems and autism. There are also times when experts are unable to find the exact cause of the language and speech delay.

There are some warning signs that parents need to watch out for when it comes to speech-language delay. At around three to four months, parents need to contact their doctor if their baby shows no response to noises, does not babble, begins to babble at four-months-old but is not trying to imitate common sounds.

At around seven-months-old, parents should contact their doctor if the baby does not respond to different sounds and loud noises. At one-year-old, babies should already be using single words such as "mama" and "papa". At around two-years-old, babies should be taken to the doctor if they are still unable to speak at least 15 words, use phrases with at least two words, and do not communicate through speech when they need something.

Doctors will usually do a thorough evaluation and examination to check if the child really has a language and speech delay or if he or she is just a late bloomer. "Besides observing your child, the speech-language pathologist will conduct standardized tests and scales, and look for milestones in speech and language development," Kids Health shared.

If the child is confirmed to have a language and speech delay problem, the parents are encouraged to attend and observe the speech therapy sessions. At home, parents can help their child by spending a lot of time communicating with their children through speech and language even during infancy and reading books to them at around six-months-old.