Is my child's speech delayed? Signs to look for.

What is Speech Development?

Speech development refers to the timely manner in which speech and language develops in a child. Regardless of the language your child is learning, speech development follows some important markers which are universal. Together with other physical milestones, and cognitive milestones, speech and language milestones help a professional understand if a child is following neurotypical standards of development or if there are any deviations. This is especially key to planning and beginning early interventions.

Before we proceed any further, it is important to emphasise that there will be variations in child development, with each child following a schedule that is uniquely their own. However, this also does not mean that variations can be ignored safely. While one milestone being marginally delayed is by no means a serious concern, a patterns of delayed milestones must be taken into account, and appropriate action put in place.

When do we say that speech is delayed?

Signs of speech and language delay include:

Not smiling or interacting with adults (Birth - 3 months)

Not babbling (by 6 - 7 months)

No gestures like waving, or like shaking head to say 'no' (by 7-10 months)

Saying less than 6-8 words (by 18 months old)

Saying fewer than 50 words (by 2 years)

Has difficulty answering questions, not yet putting words together, not playing with other children (by 2 years)

If your child does not give eye contact, does not smile, or does not seek interaction, these are signs that your child might be developing a social skills disorder.

Your child's ability to understand is also a very good indicator of whether your child is keeping age-average milestones. If you find yourself doing things for your child, because it's easier to do that than give him instructions; if you are having to break sentences down, and repeat small parts of it again; if you have to show your child how something is done rather than explain something to him - all of these can be signs that your child is struggling with understanding language.

What must I do?

You can help your child by:

Interacting with your child.

Listening to him and talking to him.

Talking to your child about what you're doing (even if your child is not speaking back)

Giving your child opportunities to play with other children

Reading to your child

Interacting with your child is core to helping your child's development

While these signs might concern you, it is better to have these addressed and have intervention put in place early than to ignore any signs, hoping that these will go away. The best way to seek help will be to arrange for a consultation with a local speech and language therapist.

Starting early is key to addressing speech and language difficulties. When a child is young, their brain has a unique feature called 'plasticity'. This means that your child's brain is a bit like play-doh (or imagine chapathi dough). It is pliable and can be moulded to learn different skills. The early years are therefore the best time to intervene in case of delays, because this plasticity is lost as your child grows older, and learning any new skill proportionately harder.