ASHA: Factors for Language Delay
Learning to talk occurs at a different rate for every child. So, what should you look for to determine whether your child has a language problem or is simply considered a late talker? Below you’ll find information sourced from the American Speech-Language Hearing Association’s original article, titled “Late Blooming or Language Problem?”. Remember, you can always seek a speech-language pathologist to evaluate your child if you are having concerns over their language development.
Parents know their child the best
When your child points to the door, you understand what he wants. You listen to her talk to you while playing with her favorite toys. You can’t help but remember what siblings did at this age and compare them. We can’t help but compare to other children or sibling and then worry if your child is not on par with what you see around you. Doctors may want to wait until the child is older, and family might assure you that the child will outgrow it. They may be right and your child might catch up just fine. But what if that doesn’t end up being the case?
How will you know what to do for sure? What if you worry that you’ll regret not knowing for sure?
Factors to be aware of
Parents won’t know with complete certainty. Children all go through certain stages of speech and language development, but we can’t predict when a certain child will get to each stage. Normal occurs across a range of skills, and can vary from child to child. According to the American Speech-Language Hearing Association, your child’s speech and language development depends on the following factors:
The child’s natural ability to learn language
Skills the child is learning at the same time
The amount of talking the child hears in a day
The way people respond to what the child does or says.
Due to these factors, it is difficult to predict where a child’s language skills will be in a few months or another year.
Keep an eye on these skills
Parents might question whether their child is talking as well as they should be between the ages of 18 and 30 months old. These are some areas to consider about your child that might be risk factors for language problems:
Understanding spoken language (language comprehension). Children typically understand what is being said to them before they can use words. This is referred to as receptive language; your child might point to named objects to show you that they understand the word and your child might be able to follow simple directions at home. Children that can understand spoken language well would have an increased chance of catching up to peers. A language delay could be possible if your child is not understanding what is being said to them.
Using gestures to communicate in a nonverbal way. Children might use gestures to communicate with you before they can use words, such as pointing to what they wantm, waving to show a greeting/farewell or even holding up their arms to signal you to pick them up. If your child uses a lot of gestures to get their message across without words, there is an increased chance that they would catch up to their peers. If a child is not trying to use gestures to make their message known, there is a possibility that they may not learn language skills as expected.
Learning new words on a more regular basis. If a child is slower to talk with a lot of words, they should still try to produce some new words fairly regularly (maybe monthly). A child might begin to combine two words or try to ask you a question. A child who is still learning new words and trying to put words together has an increased chance of catching up to their peers. A child that is not learning to say new words often might have a language problem.
One area of difficulty on this list doesn’t necessarily mean your child has a language problem or language delay. These are factors that could be considered risk factors for a language delay and if you are worried that your child’s skills are not where they should be, you should have your child’s language abilities tested.
Next Steps
Parents know their children the best. If you are worried that your child is not where he or she should be, you don’t have to wait it out and see if they catch up or wait to see if there is indeed a problem. You can choose to seek out a speech-language pathologist to evaluate your child, speak to you about your concerns and determine your child’s ability to understand language, ability to use gestures and ability to use spoken words. SLP’s might provide home practice ideas, they may ask you to wait a brief period and come back if the worry continues or they may recommend seeking out early therapy services. Follow your gut feeling. There are resources and professionals to help you along the way.
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